Public Affairs Specialist IS-1035-09

Public Affairs Specialist IS-1035-09 Application Deadline: 20 May 2026 Department: National Museum of African American History and Culture Employment Type: Full Time Location: Washington, DC Reporting To: Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist Compensation: $70,623 - $80,041 / year Description OPEN DATE: April 29, 2026 CLOSING DATE: May 20, 2026 POSITION TYPE: Trust Fund APPOINTMENT TYPE: Indefinite SCHEDULE: Full Time DUTY LOCATION: Washington, DC Position sensitivity and risk: Non-sensitive/Low Risk Open to all qualified applicants What are Trust Fund Positions? Trust Fund positions are unique to the Smithsonian. They are paid from a variety of sources, including the Smithsonian endowment, revenue from our business activities, donations, grants and contracts. Trust employees are not part of the civil service, nor does trust fund employment lead to Federal status. The salary ranges for trust positions are generally the same as for federal positions and in many cases trust and federal employees work side by side. Trust employees have their own benefit program, which may include Health, Dental & Vision Insurance, Life Insurance, Transit/Commuter Benefits, Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance, Annual and Sick Leave, Family Friendly Leave, 403b Retirement Plan, Discounts for Smithsonian Memberships, Museum Stores and Restaurants, Credit Union, Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center (Child Care), Flexible Spending Account (Health & Dependent Care). Conditions of Employment Pass Pre‑employment Background Check and Subsequent Background Investigation for position designated. Complete a Probationary Period. Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer. The position is open to all candidates eligible to work in the United States. Proof of eligibility to work in U.S. is not required to apply. Applicants must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. Summary The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the National Zoo. The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) is a national museum for the study and exhibition of African American history and culture.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

This position is in the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), Office of External Affairs, Office of Public Affairs under the direction of the Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist. The Office of Public Affairs (OPA) oversees media, marketing, communications, social media and web content for the museum and its related exhibitions, programs, collections and other initiatives. Respond in oral or written form to requests for information from members of the public, private organizations, media representatives, and the internal Office of External Affairs. Research, write, and edit news releases, fact sheets, photo credits and pitch letters/emails designed to attract media coverage for the museum. Establish and maintain relations with news media representatives to generate positive and high-volume news coverage of the museum’s activities and programs. Serve as coordinator for film crews and photography shoots in the museum’s gallery, offices, and collection storage sites. Keep track of requests and filming contracts, coordinates with the Central Office of Public Affairs compliance with contract and guidelines regarding Smithsonian Channel. Manage OPA’s photo files, regularly monitoring the image collection to respond to request from the media and to satisfy the requests from other divisions of the museum. Assist OPA staff with communication asset writing. Generate media reports and support departmental and institutional needs with metrics. Provide supervisor with assistance in accomplishing administrative tasks of the OPA including making travel arrangements for all museum‑related travel, maintaining office files, ordering office supplies, completing purchase order requests and other financial transactions.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

Experience: The ideal candidate should have demonstrated experience described as follows: Knowledge of news media operations, deadlines, time and space constraints, fact checking procedures, etc. Skill in planning and coordinating media interviews and television crews at media events that focus on issues for and about African American audiences and communities. Ability to communicate in writing. Skill in Microsoft Office Suite, Internet, and e‑mail systems to effectively prepare materials for posting on the Web and images for posting on site. Ability to communicate orally. Or Education: Two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master’s or equivalent degree related to the position may be substituted to meet the experience requirements. Or Combination: Education and experience may be combined to meet the basic qualifications. Education completed outside the United States must be deemed equivalent to higher education programs of U.S. Institutions by an organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. This documentation is the responsibility of the applicant and should be included as part of your application package. Benefits Relocation expenses are not paid. The Smithsonian Institution provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation should contact View email address on click.appcast.io. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case‑by‑case basis. To learn more, more detailed accommodation procedures may be consulted in the official institutional policies. Equal Opportunity Employer Statement The Smithsonian Institution is an Equal Opportunity Employer. To review The Smithsonian’s EEO program information, the official EEO program page can be accessed online. #J-18808-Ljbffr Smithsonian Institution