Gallery Manager / Client Experience Lead

Lisbon · Full-time · Starting September 2026

About The Orb

The Orb is a new cultural destination opening in Lisbon in October 2026, exploring the intersection of design, art, craftsmanship, hospitality, and contemporary culture.

Part gallery, part tea house, part gathering place, The Orb brings together exceptional creators from around the world through curated collections, exhibitions, conversations, and experiences.

The Orb will present collectible design, art, objects, and special collaborations with international designers, artists, makers, and cultural partners. It is a space built around storytelling, craftsmanship, beauty, and human connection.

We are looking for a Gallery Manager / Client Experience Lead to become one of the key faces of The Orb.

The Role

The Gallery Manager / Client Experience Lead will oversee the daily experience of the gallery and support sales, client relationships, operations, and cultural storytelling.

This person should be cultured, warm, presentable, and deeply connected to the worlds of art, design, architecture, interiors, craftsmanship, and contemporary culture.

This is not a traditional retail role. We are looking for someone who can welcome people into a world, tell the stories behind the works, build relationships with clients and collectors, and help create a gallery experience that feels personal, refined, and memorable.

The right person will be both poetic and practical: able to speak beautifully about a piece, while also managing follow-ups, pricing, inventory, CRM, and daily operations.

Key Responsibilities

Gallery Experience

• Welcome visitors, clients, collectors, designers, and guests into the space.
• Create a warm, elegant, and thoughtful experience for everyone who enters.
• Share the stories behind the designers, artists, materials, processes, and collections.
• Guide visitors through the gallery in a way that feels natural, informed, and personal.
• Maintain the atmosphere and presentation of the space throughout the day.
• Ensure the gallery always feels beautiful, intentional, and cared for.

Sales & Client Relationships

• Support sales of collectible design, art, objects, furniture, and special pieces.
• Build relationships with clients, collectors, interior designers, architects, and cultural partners.
• Follow up with interested clients in a thoughtful and professional way.
• Prepare and send information, pricing, availability, and proposals when needed.
• Maintain client records and update CRM systems.
• Support private appointments and client visits.
• Help convert interest into meaningful sales without ever making the experience feel transactional.

Product & Artist Knowledge

• Learn the full story behind each designer, artist, maker, and collection.
• Understand materials, production methods, provenance, pricing, lead times, and availability.
• Communicate the value of each piece clearly and beautifully.
• Stay informed about contemporary design, collectible design, art, architecture, interiors, and culture.
• Help create a bridge between the visitor and the work.

Gallery Operations

• Support daily opening and closing procedures.
• Maintain inventory records and product information.
• Coordinate with the founder and team on availability, orders, sales, consignments, and deliveries.
• Support logistics, packing, shipping coordination, and after-sales follow-up.
• Keep internal documents, pricing sheets, and product details organized.
• Help maintain a clean, polished, and highly presentable gallery environment.

Events & Cultural Programming

• Support openings, private dinners, talks, launches, and special events.
• Welcome guests and help manage the flow of events.
• Support guest lists, RSVPs, client invitations, and follow-up.
• Represent The Orb with grace, intelligence, and warmth.
• Help create a strong sense of community around the space.

Collaboration With Tea House Team

• Work closely with the Tea House Manager to ensure the gallery and hospitality experiences feel connected.
• Help create a seamless visitor journey between the tea house, gallery, and cultural programming.
• Support the overall atmosphere and rhythm of the space.

Who You Are

You are someone who loves art, design, objects, spaces, and people.

You are naturally curious and culturally engaged. You read, travel, visit galleries, notice details, and care about how things are made. You understand that a beautiful object is not just a product; it carries a story, a process, a person, and a world behind it.

You are warm and approachable, but also polished and professional. You know how to speak with collectors, designers, architects, artists, and curious visitors. You are comfortable with luxury, but you are not cold or intimidating.

You have excellent taste, strong people skills, and the ability to make others feel welcome and understood.

Ideal Experience

• 3–5+ years of experience in a gallery, showroom, luxury retail, or client-facing art/design environment.
• Experience in a gallery, design gallery, collectible design platform, art advisory, luxury furniture showroom, concept store, auction house, architecture/interior design studio, or luxury retail environment.
• Strong knowledge of contemporary design, art, interiors, architecture, and/or craftsmanship.
• Experience working with clients, collectors, designers, architects, or high-end customers.
• Sales experience is important, but it should feel relationship-led rather than aggressive.
• Operational experience is highly valued.
• Comfortable with CRM and sales tools — experience with a gallery/art CRM (e.g. Artlogic, Arternal) or a general CRM (HubSpot, Salesforce) is a plus.
• Familiar with e-commerce and inventory systems — Shopify experience is a plus.
• Confident with Google Workspace / Excel for pricing sheets, quotes, proposals, and client records.
• Comfort with design and presentation tools (InDesign, Canva, or Keynote) for proposals and lookbooks is a plus.
• Experience with email marketing tools (Klaviyo, Mailchimp) is a plus.
• An existing network of collectors, designers, or architects is a strong plus.
• A background in art history, design, architecture, or a related field is a plus, but not required.
• Fluent English required.
• Portuguese is highly preferred.
• Additional languages are a plus.
• Eligible to work in Portugal / the EU.
• Available to work occasional evenings and weekends for openings and events.

Skills & Qualities

• Highly cultured and curious.
• Excellent communication and storytelling skills.
• Warm, elegant, and presentable.
• Strong sense of taste and aesthetics.
• Emotionally intelligent and intuitive with people.
• Organized and detail-oriented.
• Comfortable with sales and client follow-up.
• Able to manage both creative and operational tasks.
• Calm, reliable, and proactive.
• Comfortable working closely with a founder and small team.
• Passionate about art, design, craftsmanship, interiors, and culture.
• Discreet and trustworthy with high-profile clients and confidential information.
• Comfortable with numbers — pricing, quotes, and margins.
• Quick to learn new tools and systems.
• Able to represent The Orb with sensitivity and confidence.

What We Offer

• The opportunity to join the founding team of a new cultural space in Lisbon.
• A creative and inspiring work environment.
• Direct exposure to international designers, artists, makers, collectors, and cultural partners.
• The chance to help shape the gallery experience from the beginning.
• A role with real growth potential as The Orb develops.
• A thoughtful, ambitious, and design-led work environment.
• Competitive compensation based on experience.

Location

The role is based in Lisbon, Portugal.

Start Date

Ideally September 2026, ahead of our October opening.