Van Cleef & Arpels Senior Manager, Heritage Operations

About Van Cleef & Arpels

Van Cleef & Arpels is a storied maison of high jewelry renowned for exceptional craftsmanship, poetic creativity and an extensive historical archive. The maison combines artisanal savoir-faire with cultural programming and exhibitions to preserve its legacy; as an employer it is characterized by rigorous standards, an emphasis on conservation, and collaboration between creative, curatorial and commercial teams.

Role & Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day operations of the heritage department, including archives, permanent collections, conservation and storage facilities.
• Develop and implement policies and procedures for preventive conservation, handling, packing, shipping and secure storage of high-value jewellery and archival material.
• Direct and supervise a multidisciplinary team of conservators, registrars and collections staff; recruit, mentor and set performance objectives.
• Manage incoming and outgoing loans and exhibition programs: prepare condition reports, coordinate logistics, insurance, customs/export documentation and vendor contracts.
• Maintain and enhance collections documentation systems and catalogues; oversee digital imaging, provenance research and metadata standards.
• Prepare and manage departmental budgets, capital requests for conservation projects, and relationships with external conservation studios and service providers.
• Act as primary liaison with curators, legal, compliance, security and retail leadership on matters relating to heritage, exhibitions and events.
• Design and lead cross-functional projects to increase accessibility of the collection while safeguarding conservation priorities and brand integrity.

Qualifications

• Proven ability to manage and lead a collections, conservation or archives team within a museum, cultural institution or luxury house.
• Demonstrable expertise in preventive conservation, condition reporting, packing/crating and object handling for jewellery and delicate artifacts.
• Extensive experience coordinating domestic and international loans, including insurance, customs, CITES (when applicable) and logistics.
• Strong project and budget management skills, with experience engaging external vendors and conservation laboratories.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the capacity to represent the maison to external cultural partners and stakeholders.

Skills

Experience

Typically requires 7–10+ years of progressive experience in museum collections management, conservation or heritage operations, with demonstrable responsibility for loans, exhibitions and staff management; prior exposure to high-jewelry or luxury brand collections is strongly preferred.

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Museum Studies, Conservation, Art History or related field required; Master’s degree or professional conservation qualifications preferred.

Workplace

Culture

The maison cultivates a culture of meticulous craftsmanship, intellectual curiosity and custodial responsibility toward its patrimony. Teams operate with a blend of artisanal sensitivity and institutional rigour, collaborating closely across creative, curatorial and commercial functions to safeguard and share the collection.

About Cerulean

Cerulean is the definitive career portal for the global luxury industry. We match exceptional professionals with exclusive opportunities at the world's most prestigious brands. From haute couture and fine watchmaking to prestige beauty, hospitality, and boutique retail, Cerulean centralises luxury employment to help you find the career for which you were destined.