ABOUT PLOWDEN & SMITH | CAREERS | Three Vacancies: Decorative Arts Conservator Fixed Term, Head of Client Services, Office Administrator

Take your career in the fine art restoration sector to the next level with Plowden & Smith

Founded in London in 1966, Plowden & Smith is the UK’s largest fine, decorative and contemporary art and object conservation company. Operating out of new purpose-built premises in Mitcham, our team of experienced, skilled restorers work on an extensive range of materials. All treatments are guided by contemporary ethical considerations and underpinned by industry-recognised standards of best practice. Plowden & Smith is committed to supporting employees with their continued professional development and training.

We advertise current vacancies on our website, listed below, however we are always interested in hearing from talented professionals at all stages of their careers. Please send CVs to info@plowden-smith.com. We will be in touch should a suitable vacancy arise.

Why work for Plowden & Smith?

Work with some of the world’s most rare, beautiful and interesting artworks and artefacts, as well as national and international collections
Work in a stimulating, creative environment
Free entry to museums and exhibitions being held in the UK and around the world
Opportunities throughout the year to attend preview nights and private view events
Personal Continued Professional Development fund
Child Care Voucher Scheme
Cycle to Work Scheme
Hybrid Working

About Plowden & Smith

Founded in London in 1966, Plowden & Smith is a leading fine art and furniture conservation and restoration company.

In December 2018 we moved to purpose-built premises in Mitcham where our team of experienced and skilled conservators and restorers work on an extensive range of materials. All our object treatments are informed by science, guided by contemporary ethical considerations and underpinned by industry-recognised standards of best practice. Staff are committed to continued professional development and training.

Decorative Arts Conservator

We are seeking a Decorative Arts Conservator. The conservator will work with Conservation Management and Client Services to ensure delivery of quality conservation treatments within agreed estimates.

We are regularly required to work on objects that are gilded, composed of mixed materials, and created using non-traditional art materials. An excellent knowledge of materials and their properties is a pre-requisite for this position. A high level of water and oil gilding aptitude is also necessary.

The Decorative Arts Conservator will undertake examination and assessment of 2D and 3D objects and must be proficient in producing accurate written and photographic documentation, and generating condition reports to a high standard.

Position: Permanent fixed-term (1 year), Full time – Parental Cover
Working hours: Normally Mon to Friday 9am – 5pm (Part-time or compressed hours may be considered for this role)
Salary: £31, 000 – £33, 475 depending on experience

Key Responsibilities

Producing estimates, condition assessments, treatment proposals and methodologies and treatment reports.
Complete high quality conservation treatments, on time. Treatments can include cleaning, stabilisation, consolidation, repair and reintegration.
Water gilding – surface preparation, bole preparation, gilding, burnishing and toning.
Oil gilding: preparation of surfaces, gilding, toning, and finishing.
Keeping stock of studio materials and pre-empting upcoming project requirements and ensuring these are ordered on time with the Conservation Assistant.
Liaising with the Conservation Manager and Client Services to ensure the smooth running of your personal workload.
Work on site as well as in the workshop. This may include major galleries, museums, private homes, heritage sites and storage facilities.
Provide practical conservation advice and guidance to other conservators, client services and clients.
Work with other departments in the company on collaborative jobs.

About You

A qualified conservator with a minimum of two years post qualification experience in conservation of Decorative Arts/Objects.
Experience working in private practice is desirable as you will be required to work under your own initiative and effectively manage your workflow to meet deadlines in a commercial environment.
Reports are a vital part of this role, and a clear and concise writing style is essential.
Treatments are carried out both in the studio and in-situ willingness to do so is required.
You will be a personable and effective team worker with good communication skills.
You will be confident in making decisions with objects whilst maintaining exceptional ethical standards in your approach to all tasks.
Robust chemistry for conservation knowledge.
We handle large and oversized work frequently, managing studio space and safe handling with the team is vital to the role.
IT: Good working knowledge of Word and Excel and file sharing services.

How to Apply

Please send your CV, portfolio and covering letter of no more than 250 words to emily.harris@plowden-smith.com and include ‘Decorative Arts Conservator’ in the subject line. The closing date for applications is Friday 25 July 2025.

Interviews to take place WC 4 and 11 August 2025. Please send applications in ASAP if interested. Role to commence in September.

Please note that you must have the right to live and work in the UK. We cannot support any individual in applying for a visa.

Head of Client Services

Plowden & Smith is looking to recruit a full-time Head of Client Services. This is a senior role, and the successful candidate will have at least 5 to 10 years of experience in a senior client-facing role working in a fast-paced arts environment. This dynamic role offers a high degree of autonomy, making it ideal for someone who is energised by a constantly moving workplace, enjoys variety, and thrives under pressure.

Plowden & Smith is an inspiring environment where no two days are the same. You’ll need to bring flexibility and adaptability to meet the evolving demands of the role, whether that means juggling priorities, embracing new challenges, or seizing unexpected opportunities. With a vibrant and supportive team around you, you’ll be empowered to take initiative and make meaningful daily contributions. Problem-solving skills and multitasking are crucial to be successful in this role.

Initial interviews will take place online. Selected candidates will then be invited to a second interview at our office for a more in-depth conversation. As part of this stage, they will also be asked to complete a short written task. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a third and final interview, after which the final decision will be made. The outcome will be announced one week later.

Location: Plowden & Smith, Mitcham CR4 4NY
Contract type: Full-time position 4 days on-site, 1 day WFH
Salary: Up to £50,000, dependent on experience
Application deadline: 18/07/2025

Head of Client Services Role Overview

The Head of Client Services is a senior, client-facing leadership role responsible for overseeing the entire client journey from initial enquiry to final invoicing and follow-up. This position involves managing and mentoring a small team, ensuring high standards of communication and service delivery. The role forms part of the Senior Management Team and reports directly to the Head of Operations. This is a high-energy role which demands a proactive and resilient approach, suited to someone who thrives in a fast-paced environment, enjoys multitasking, and is excited by daily variety and challenge.

Key Responsibilities

Manage, support, and motivate the Client Services team.
Demonstrate a high level of discretion and professionalism
Build and maintain strong, long-term client relationships across a diverse range of clients including private collectors, galleries, auction houses, and institutions.
Monitor and update clients on job progress in a timely and professional manner.
Collaborate with conservators and colleagues to solve problems and ensure timely, cost-effective job completion.

Identify logistics and staffing issues and communicate these to Head of Operations to ensure treatments run to deadline

Proactively chase pipelines and identify upselling opportunities.
Collaborate with the Sales Director to attract new clients and maximise existing relationships.
Invoice clients promptly when jobs are completed and ensure your team meets the monthly sales targets.
Create monthly sales forecasts and actively work towards reaching them
Host weekly billing meetings with the rest of the client services team to ensure invoicing is carried out promptly and sales forecasts met.
Schedule, organise and chair monthly Client Services meetings, to identify issues, offer solutions and strengthen communication in the team.
Conduct fortnightly 1-2-1s with the client services team members.
Report sales activity weekly to the Sales Director & Head of Operations.

Skills & Requirements

The role would ideally suit an experience manager who has previously worked in a senior client facing role in a gallery, auction house, interior designer or fine art/antique retail environment. Experience of collectors/dealers & gallerists needs, an interest in the arts and a knowledge of the art industry is essential.

The desired candidate would have:

A highly organised and goal-driven individual with a passion for art
Problem-solving skills
Ability to multitask and pay attention to detail
Ability to remain calm under pressure and can excel under time-sensitive deadlines
Discretion and professionalism 
Client-centric approach 
Great telephone skills
Able to identify opportunities for upselling and cross-selling

Why work for Plowden & Smith?

We work with some of the world’s most rare, beautiful and interesting artworks, artefacts, and national and international collections.

Work in a stimulating, creative environment
Access to company ICOM cards for free entry to a range of international museums & galleries
Opportunities throughout the year to attend preview nights and private view events
Personal Continued Professional Development fund
Child Care Voucher Scheme
Cycle to Work Scheme

The job holder will report to the Head of Operations.
Start date: As soon as possible.

No agencies, please. Must have the right to live and work in the UK.

Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis. However please note we do amend or withdraw our jobs and reserve the right to do so at any time, including prior to any advertised closing date. So, if you are interested in this role, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

We’d love to hear from you if you’re interested in this position. Please send a CV and brief cover letter explaining why you’re right for the role to: kate.goad@plowden-smith.com

Administrator

We are looking to recruit a full-time Administrator. The state-of-the-art studios and offices are an inspiring environment where no two days are the same. You’ll need to bring great organisational skills, be detail driven and work efficiently in a fast-paced environment. Communication skills are indispensable for effective interactions with conservators, office staff, suppliers, clients, and other stakeholders. Knowledge of art history and the art industry is advantageous but not strictly essential.

Initial conversations will take place remotely. Selected candidates will then be invited to interview at our office. As part of this stage, they will also be asked to complete a short-written task using word and excel.

Position: Full-time position, on-site
Salary: Dependant on experience (please note this is a junior position)

Administrator Key Responsibilities

Front of House

Be the first point of contact for general telephone enquiries, emails to our info inbox and visitors to the studio.
Responsible for producing collection/delivery notes and distributing post.
Ensure the client services areas are neat and tidy.

Administration

Manage the purchase of supplies in line with conservator/treatment needs.
Administrate/process the documentation for artworks coming in/out of the studio.
Ensure paperwork, location records and identification tags are up to date for artworks.
Administrate the twice weekly collection and delivery van run.
Keep on top of long-term storage administration and provide a monthly report to the Head of Client Services.
Provide administrative support to the Studio Manager, the Client Services & Operations team.
Support the weekly Operations meeting by supplying documents and data to support this session.

Skills & Requirements

The role would ideally suit someone who has previously worked as an auction house or gallery administrator, or has front of house experience within a gallery, fine art shipper, auction house or insurance sector, although other experience will be considered.

The desired candidate would have:

Great telephone skills
Exceptional organisational skills.
Ability to multitask and pay attention to detail.
A strong communicator, who is efficient and thrives in a fast-paced environment.
Discretion and professionalism. 
Client-centric approach. 
Experience of Airtable would be advantageous.

How to Apply

We’d love to hear from you if you’re interested in this position. Please send a CV and brief cover letter explaining why you’re right for the role to: kate.goad@plowden-smith.com

The job holder will report to the Head of Client services and Head of Operations.
Start date: As soon as possible.

No agencies, please. Must have the right to live and work in the UK.