Job Specification
Executive Assistant to Katy Wickremesinghe / Business Manager for KTW & The Wick
This is an exciting role for a passionate and driven experienced individual – who would like to have an impact on the effective running of a dynamic founder Katy Wickremesinghe, founder of leading cultural London based business, KTW and The Wick – a global consultancy and content platform on a mission to connect the culturally curious.
This role is the “Swiss army knife” of the founder Katy Wickremesinghe and businesses KTW & The Wick and requires a committed and diligent client facing individual who has lots of operational and administrative experience working in fast paced business as well as with clear visual art market expertise and cultural passion. At times they would be working solely with the founder as core support. At other times they would be coordinating a larger collective to reach business goals. This is a great opportunity for someone who wants to be working as a right hand at the forefront of cultural leadership, innovation, and creativity with lots of opportunity for growth. An interest and understanding of the art world is essential as well as an understanding of creative leaders in industry.
Katy Wickremesinghe British-Sri Lankan entrepreneur Katy Wickremesinghe is the founder and the CEO of KTW consultancy, which she founded in 2014 following a decade at Freuds. KTW is a leading London based strategic development consultancy at the intersection of art, culture, and creative leadership. KTW has placed in the top 10 PR Week Powerbook of Luxury and Leadership 2020, 2021 and 2022, with Katy recognised in the top three luxury communicators in Britain.
Over lockdown Katy founded The Wick - a cultural content hub, “connecting culturally curious audiences", with dynamic specialist content and programming across digital and in-person platforms in the UK and internationally. Dedicated to education and creativity, the platform offers navigation to a complex art world, allowing anyone to be an art world insider, and enabling individuals and businesses to engage closely with visual arts, culture, and design.
Katy is a Trustee of the Dulwich Picture Gallery, the world’s first purpose built public art gallery (1811); sits on the advisory board of The Line, London’s first public art walk; and is a cultural advisor for CogX. A committed cultural advocate, she serves as a patron of the V&A Museum, Serpentine Future Contemporaries and The Association of Women in The Arts (AWITA). A regular moderator across arts and business, Katy’s public advocacy work and talks have included: London Tech Club at Sotheby’s ‘NFT’s Uncovered’; Chairing The Hospital Rooms Symposium with Hauser & Wirth, ‘Rethinking Mental Health Care Through Art’; ‘The Healing Power of Art’ as part of Goals House to mark the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations and the keynote close of the Walpole Luxury Business Summit 2022 interviewing Chair of Southbank, Misan Harriman.
About The Role
This role requires someone dynamic, and London based who thrives in fast paced high intense workflow environments operating at a senior level in the creative industries. This requires full presence and engagement of someone who has dealt previously with leaders of industry, alongside complex organisational management of teams and freelancers. Whilst elements of the role are fully administrative to ensure systems and processes are maintained, this role will also provide an opportunity to be a client facing support in all areas (meetings / events / stakeholder conferences).
The ideal candidate will have worked at a high level for over 5 years with an owner / CEO or founder previously. The candidate must be a discreet, dynamic professional and have a warm working manner and be readily available and looking professional / client facing at all times. This isn’t a 9-5 job but provides unparalleled opportunities for someone looking to become the all-important right hand to an owner.
Clear upward management skills and an understanding of priorities is key. Events understanding, execution and guest list logistics would be required. The candidate will be required to support at KTW openings, events, dinners. You will report to Katy and have daily contact with Katy’s part time personal assistant. In person and remote autonomous working is required with a minimum of 3 days a week in person – a mix of 180 Strand and Battersea Power Station.
Executive Founder Support:
o Provide comprehensive executive support to the Founder in conjunction with a personal assistant, including:
o Complex diary management and forward planning with a requirement to anticipate need
o In box management (needs to have pre-experience)
o Occasionally travelling with the manager to take notes or dictation at meetings or to provide general assistance during presentations
o Screening calls, enquiries and requests – including multiple inboxes across the businesses – elevating to founder and handling them when appropriate
o Where relevant dealing with incoming emails and sometimes corresponding on behalf of the Katy
o Organising meetings and ensuring Katy is well prepared, providing supporting material and writing follow up notes / minutes
o Conduct research, gather data and contacts, and provide analytical support for strategic decision-making.
o Provide strategic recommendations based on market insights, helping the Founder and clients make informed decisions.
Brand
o Representing the founder as voice of brand – this would include overseeing KW personal talks / interviews and moments as well as supporting on connectivity (Government / major collectors / institutions and owners)
o Contribution in leadership and strategy conversations
o Collaborate with the Founder to develop and execute the company's strategic vision and growth plans
o Responsible for evaluation and creds documents which are used to build brand and advertise the work
o Foster a positive and collaborative work environment, promoting teamwork and professional development among staff members (at all times discrete and operating with the wider business goals and founder protection in mind)
o Assist the Founder in preparing and delivering marketing-related presentations for client meetings, industry conferences, and networking events.
o Newsletter ownership
o Ensuring The Wick operates at excellent standard with ownership of key relationship elements supporting Katy (Muses. Spotlights. Liaison with Blue chip galleries and institutions)
New Business / Business Development
o Once new business is identified (and in theory sold) to follow up with draft scopes and opportunities within 24-48 hours
o Pipeline to be addressed live time daily with responsibility to drive this forward
o Prepare compelling proposals, pitches and scopes effectively showcasing the company's services and value proposition
o Management and structure of the scheduling of freelancers in conjunction with the KTW calendar and projection
o When required attend industry events, conferences, and networking functions to expand the company's client base and brand visibility
Client Servicing (Supporting KW workflow)
o Client relationship management including gifting – having a clear understanding of who is important and why and how KW develops and holds those relationships
o Carrying out background research and presenting findings
o Producing documents, briefing papers, reports, and presentations (print outs for Trustee meetings etc)
Event Delivery & Marketing (for clients and KTW)
o Complex guest list management around multiple stakeholders and clients
o Plan, coordinate, and support on the execution of successful events for clients, including art exhibitions, gallery openings, and cultural activations.
o Manage event logistics, including venue selection, vendor management, budgeting, and timelines.
o An ability to market special projects via patron groups / collector networks
General Business Operations
o Oversee and manage the company's daily operations, ensuring smooth workflow, efficient resource allocation, and adherence to deadlines.
o Negotiating and liaison with brands and suppliers for gifting and managing this database
o Organising social events and gifts for the team
o Creating and maintaining new office systems
o Database management and support – ensuring every contact is saved and logged
Financial Management:
o Collaborate with the finance team to ensure accurate financial reporting and compliance with regulatory requirements.
Ideal candidate:
o An ability to work solo or in a team
o Art market knowledge preferred
o An intuitive individual with a high degree of self-awareness and management
o 5 years minimum experience in similar role within the creative industries and a want to be a career EA / Business Manager
o Direct owner or founder experience essential
o Diary planning / team management experience required
o Ability to deal with various business conversations from new business to VIP
o Comfortable working at a fast pace with lots of multi-tasking
o Cheerful, with a positive lean in attitude, culturally curious, eager to hit the ground running
o Capable, driven, and excited about new challenges and opportunities.
o Discreet, professional manner
o London based
o Passion for culture and developing relationships
o Tech savvy with a clear ability to work: Powerpoint, InDesign, Microsoft Excel, Instagram, LinkedIn
o Agency experience is preferred.
Whilst experience is important, attitude and tenacity is key so we would welcome you to apply even if you don’t have all of the exact experience listed. If you are excited about the role and industry, we’d love to hear from you.
About KTW & The Wick
At KTW and The Wick we believe arts and culture is vital in shaping individual and collective personality, igniting conversation, incubating local and global ideologies, and binding communities. We are trusted navigators and translators of a complex art world.
Founded in 2014, KTW is the leading strategic communications and development agency for the art world and luxury sphere.
With a network built over 18 years, KTW has coordinated numerous complex partnerships across business development, communications, strategic partnerships and activations for artists, galleries, institutions, luxury brands and fairs. Relevant work across retained and project clients include Frieze Art Fair, V&A, Fortnum & Mason, Somerset House, Claridge’s ArtSpace, The Arts Club, Masterpiece London, Ben Brown Fine Arts, Rosewood, Belmond and Jerwood. To activate this work KTW works as a lean consultancy and wider collective team.
Launched in 2021, The Wick is the content arm of KTW and a consumer facing activation hub which brings art, culture and creativity in all its forms together. The Wick was born from a mission to make individuals and businesses more art engaged and responsible, and to better understand the impact of arts, culture and design on our daily lives. The digital and social hubs, a journal of record, is filled with conversations, debate and insight which will light up the art world with contributions and interviews from leaders in the business, art and luxury sectors, filmed content, special access and patron engagement.
KTW & The Wick work as a small in-house team and larger collective.
https://www.ktwlondon.com/
www.thewickculture.com
Next Steps
Please send a copy of your CV to martha@ktwlondon.comand the team will be in touch regrading an interview.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Salary: £40,000.00-£50,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company events
- Work from home
Schedule:
- Monday to Friday
- Overtime
Supplemental pay types:
- Commission pay
- Performance bonus
Ability to commute/relocate:
- London: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Work Location: Hybrid remote in London
Application deadline: 25/08/2023
Reference ID: EA Application KTW & The Wick
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