RHODES
Head of Sales - Maternity Cover
Location: London, UK
Gallery: 65 Great Portland Street, London
Contract: Fixed-term maternity cover, approximately 12 months, with potential extension
Hours: Full-time
Start date: 1 September 2026
Salary: Competitive, dependent on experience, with additional quarterly and annual performance bonus opportunities
Reporting to: Founder / Director
Applications close: 30th June 2026
RHODES is seeking an experienced and commercially driven Head of Sales to join our London gallery on a fixed-term maternity cover contract.
This is an exciting, senior, client-facing role with primary responsibility for generating sales across our artist exhibitions, limited-edition print releases, private sales, commissions and art fair activity.
Based at our gallery on Great Portland Street, London, the successful candidate will act as the central driver of sales activity, leading client relationships, managing opportunities and helping to deliver ambitious commercial targets across the business.
The role would suit someone with several years’ experience in an art gallery, auction house or wider art-market sales environment. Candidates with relevant experience in high-end luxury sales will also be considered, particularly where they can demonstrate experience managing high-value client relationships, negotiating sales and delivering against targets.
Primarily, the successful candidate will need to be confident selling art, developing collector relationships, managing negotiations and representing the gallery with professionalism, discretion and commercial focus. This is a highly client-facing role, so confidence interacting with clients in person is essential.
RHODES is a growing contemporary gallery with significant international demand for our artists’ work, including demand beyond available inventory. While this is initially a maternity cover role for approximately one year, there may be potential for the successful candidate to remain with the gallery beyond the fixed-term period, subject to business needs and performance.
About the Role
As Head of Sales, you will be responsible for leading sales activity across the RHODES programme, including gallery exhibitions, artist shows, private sales, secondary market opportunities, commissions, limited-edition print releases and art fairs.
The successful candidate will report directly to the Founder / Director, while also working closely with artists, collectors, advisors and the wider gallery team to identify opportunities, develop client relationships and convert interest into sales.
This is a hands-on commercial role in a small, ambitious and hard-working team. It requires someone who is proactive, highly organised, target-driven and confident operating at a senior level.
The role will be based primarily in the gallery office, with some flexible working available.
Key Responsibilities
Sales Strategy and Client Development
- Lead and execute the gallery’s sales strategy across exhibitions, art fairs, private sales, artist shows and limited-edition print releases.
- Take responsibility for achieving and exceeding weekly, monthly and annual sales targets.
- Manage sales enquiries from initial contact through to negotiation, close, invoicing and aftercare.
- Maintain, strengthen and develop relationships with collectors, advisors, institutions and other art-market contacts.
- Identify and cultivate new sales opportunities across existing and prospective clients.
- Develop strategies for converting demand where available inventory is limited, including new commission opportunities where appropriate.
- Oversee CRM systems, client records, sales pipelines and follow-up activity.
- Manage sensitive client conversations and negotiations with confidence, discretion and professionalism.
Art Fair and Exhibition Sales
- Drive sales activity at gallery exhibitions, private views, UK art fairs and international art fairs.
- Coordinate pre-sales strategy, client outreach, previews and targeted collector communications.
- Work with the Founder / Director on pricing, placement and sales approach.
- Host collectors, advisors and VIP guests at gallery events, fairs and private appointments.
- Represent RHODES professionally at art-world events, including occasional evening commitments.
- Support the gallery’s presence at major fairs and international events, including opportunities such as the Miami & New York Art Weeks.
Artist Liaison and Inventory Management
- Work closely with artists and the Founder / Director on market positioning, pricing and client demand.
- Manage inventory, availability, consignments and sales tracking.
- Support the development of commercial opportunities around artist exhibitions, new work, editions and commissions.
- Ensure accurate records are maintained for artworks, editions, client interest, holds, reserves and completed sales.
Operations, Reporting and Administration
- Track, monitor and report on sales performance.
- Provide regular updates on sales pipelines, targets, opportunities and client activity.
- Coordinate with logistics, finance and operations to ensure smooth delivery, invoicing, payment and fulfilment.
- Oversee invoicing and payment follow-up in collaboration with the wider team.
- Work with marketing to align sales priorities with communications, launches, previews, social media and campaign activity.
- Maintain a high standard of administrative accuracy across CRM, inventory systems, client correspondence and sales documentation.
Client Experience
- Deliver a high-level, personalised client experience at every stage of the sales process.
- Organise and host private viewings, presentations and client appointments.
- Build trust with collectors through informed, courteous and professional communication.
- Handle confidential information and sensitive negotiations with discretion.
- Ensure RHODES’ clients receive consistent, thoughtful and commercially informed service.
Candidate Specification
Essential Experience
The successful candidate will need to demonstrate:
- Several years’ experience in an art gallery, auction house, art-market sales environment or relevant high-end luxury sales role.
- A proven track record of selling art or high-value luxury goods or services.
- Experience managing collector, client or high-net-worth relationships.
- Confidence handling sales conversations, negotiations, objections and difficult discussions.
- Experience working to, managing and exceeding sales targets.
- Strong knowledge of the contemporary art market, or a clear ability to transfer relevant sales experience into the art sector.
- Experience using CRM systems, inventory systems and digital sales tools.
- A high level of IT literacy, ideally with confidence using relevant art-industry technology.
- An understanding of social media platforms and how they can support client engagement, artist visibility and sales opportunities.
Essential Skills and Attributes
The ideal candidate will be:
- Commercially driven and highly motivated.
- Professional, courteous and discreet.
- Confident communicating with collectors, artists, advisors, institutions and internal teams.
- Highly organised, proactive and able to manage multiple priorities at once.
- A strong negotiator with excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Comfortable taking ownership of sales performance and revenue targets.
- Able to work independently while also contributing positively to a small team.
- Calm under pressure and confident managing demanding client situations.
- Enthusiastic about contemporary art and able to speak credibly with clients about artists, works, market positioning and collecting.
- Willing to attend evening events, private views, art fairs and relevant industry occasions as an ambassador for RHODES.
Desirable Experience
The following would be advantageous:
- Existing collector, advisor or institutional relationships.
- Experience selling at UK and international art fairs.
- Knowledge of limited-edition print releases and editioned works.
- Experience with private sales, secondary market opportunities or artist commissions.
- Familiarity with the Art Logic CRM, inventory and sales-management platforms.
- Experience working in a growing, founder-led or small-team gallery environment.
Benefits, Culture and Working Environment
At RHODES, we value a supportive, collaborative and enjoyable working environment. Our working ethos is centred around ambition, hard work, professionalism and mutual support.
The successful candidate will benefit from:
- A competitive basic salary, dependent on experience.
- Additional quarterly and annual performance bonus opportunities.
- A flexible working policy, while recognising the client-facing nature of the role.
- The opportunity to lead sales at a respected and growing London gallery.
- Direct involvement with artists, collectors, advisors and the gallery’s senior leadership.
- Exposure to UK and international art fairs, including international travel opportunities.
- A senior, high-impact role within a gallery experiencing strong demand for its artists’ work.
- The opportunity to work across exhibitions, private sales, limited-edition releases, commissions and fairs.
- A collaborative small-team environment with meaningful responsibility and visibility.
- Complimentary refreshments in the gallery, including fresh fruit, snacks and drinks.
- Regular team meals and social occasions, including meals around key events, celebrations and ad-hoc team gatherings.
- Team reward and recognition moments, including informal meals or outings following busy periods, successful events or demanding projects.
- An annual summer Wellness Day, giving the team dedicated time away from work to relax, reconnect and enjoy a non-work-focused day together.
- An annual Christmas dinner and evening out, bringing the team together to celebrate the end of the year.
- Potential for the role to extend beyond the maternity cover period, subject to performance and business needs.
Working Arrangement
This role is based at RHODES’ London gallery at 65 Great Portland Street. The position is full-time and will require regular gallery presence, as well as attendance at selected evening events, private views, art fairs and external art-related occasions.
RHODES operates a flexible working policy, while recognising that this is a client-facing and gallery-based sales role requiring in-person availability.
Applicants must be able to demonstrate their right to work in the UK.
How to Apply
Please send a CV and a short covering letter, no longer than one side of A4, to:
jobs@rhodescontemporaryart.com
Please use the subject line:
Head of Sales Application — [Your Name]
Due to the seniority and commercial nature of this role, applicants should be able to demonstrate directly relevant experience in art sales, art-market sales, or a closely related high-value luxury sales environment.
Applications should clearly outline relevant sales experience, client relationship management experience and experience working to commercial targets.
Applicaitons close 30th June 2026.
Equal Opportunities Statement
RHODES welcomes applications from candidates of all backgrounds who meet the requirements of the role. We are committed to upholding a professional, respectful and inclusive working environment.
