Framing Manager
About Avant Arte
Avant Arte is a curated marketplace that makes discovering and collecting art radically more accessible for a new generation. Our team of passionate experts collaborate with leading contemporary artists from across the globe to create bespoke limited-edition artworks to browse and collect. We began as a cult blog of contemporary artists and since 2015 we've grown our community to over 3.3 million strong across more than 100 countries. We're proud to collaborate with leading contemporary artists to create limited edition works – from sculpture editions and works on paper to NFTs and hand-finished silkscreen prints.
Our culture
We're a small team with really big ambitions, both for what we want to achieve and also the environment we're building. We want to create a company that remains thoughtful as we scale and tries to be genuinely progressive in how we operate. We want people to really own what they do and be given the autonomy and freedom to make mistakes, learn, and create something meaningful.
We all work incredibly hard because we really care about what Avant Arte is here to do – we're looking for exceptional people who are proactive, hungry to learn, and want to put their pride in our collective achievements.
We know that creating an inclusive environment that promotes and values diversity is critical if we want to build something with impact and meaning. We believe that having diversity in age, background, gender identity, race, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, ethnicity, and perspective will make us an infinitely better company. In 2022, we were shortlisted for Women in Tech's Best Employer – Small Company and Best Benefits.
The role
We're bringing framing in house, and we're looking for a Framing Manager to build and run it. You'll help shape the operation from the ground up – from the workshop setup and equipment to the pilot and scaling – then lead a team framing works for our collectors. You'll spend around 50% of your time at the bench.
We really do encourage everyone to proactively step outside of their job description if they see something that could be improved, but the core of your role will involve:
Setting up the operation
- Drive the setup of our in-house framing operation, including warehouse upgrades and equipment testing
- Design and run framing pilots, and prepare the operation to scale
- Advise on layout, equipment and process as we build
Production management
- Oversee all aspects of Avant Arte's framing operation, from order intake to quality control
- Set Avant Arte's framing standards and establish processes to ensure adherence
- Frame fine art prints and works on paper
- Optimise throughput and drive efficiency to meet framing output KPIs
- Identify new framing techniques and foster continuous improvement
- Track framing project costs, labour hours and material usage to inform budgeting and pricing
Materials management
- Manage inventory of framing materials, tools and equipment
- Identify and source new materials and vendors
Quality control
- Maintain high standards of quality to meet collector expectations
- Develop and enforce quality control measures to minimise errors while meeting output targets
Team leadership
- Hire, train and supervise a high-performing team of 2 (TBC) framers
- Implement health and safety measures within the framing department
What we're looking for
The main skills we're looking for are:
- Fine-art framing
- Project management
- Operations and production management
- People management
- Nice to have: an entrepreneurial mindset, for the operations setup
We think you'll probably have:
- Experience running a fine-art framing operation at scale
- Experience managing other framers
- Nice to have: prior experience setting up a framing operation
- Nice to have: experience framing prints and/or works on paper
Don't meet every single requirement? Avant Arte is dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic team, so we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.
The details
- Location: Amsterdam, onsite 5 days per week
- Hours: Monday to Friday, full time
- Contract: Permanent
Benefits
- Generous equity allowance
- Enhanced pension contributions
- 25 days of holiday, plus two extra company-wide days on King's Day (a national holiday in the Netherlands in April) and Christmas Eve
- L&D budget of €1,000 per year
- Regular company socials
Our hiring process
We'll keep you updated at every stage, and you'll hear from us within 7 days of applying.
- A short call with our Hiring Manager (30 minutes)
- A trial day at a framing studio in Amsterdam, where you'll frame a piece and meet the team
- A tour of our warehouse and a conversation about operations and production
- A final conversation with our Director of Operations and the Hiring Manager about building the operation
If you need any adjustments at any stage, just let us know.