Assistant Director

Summary

The Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the National Zoo. This position is located in the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), Smithsonian Institution (SI), Office of Strategic Partnerships (OSP). The (NMAAHC) is the national museum for the study and exhibition of African American history and culture.

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Duties

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The Assistant Director is responsible for the overall direction, planning, management, coordination, and strategic efforts of the Office of Strategic Partnerships (OSP) that develop and strengthen African American museums, African diaspora and other national and cultural heritage organizations.

In this position, you will:

• Plan, direct and manage OSP strategic efforts to develop and strengthen NMAAHC and other national and cultural heritage organizations.
• Act as liaison, facilitator and negotiator on timelines, purchases, equipment and space.
• Develop and finalize goals and objectives to support NMAAHC's mission, including ensuring both short and long-term OSP plans are executed.
• Deliver public services and products as well as collection and reporting of NMAAHC data. Compile and write proposals and reports for both constituents and donors.
• Represent public policy initiatives for OSP and NMAAHC professional communities, government agencies, and other museums at policy-related meetings.
• Develop African American and diaspora cultural heritage resources as well as strategic collaborations with professional constituent and partner organizations. Advise on communication programs and services, international relations, fellowships, visiting scholars and various partnerships.
• Oversee studies, collaborative projects and programs that raise awareness as well as determine solutions that garner support for African American heritage institutions.
• Manage personnel and financial resources within federal or SI guidelines as well as federal and trust short and long-term budgets. Ensure the planning, processing, justification and submission of budgets. Ensure reports are accurately prepared/submitted as well as timely and accurate.
• Direct Strategic Partnership staff and their performance. Develop performance standards, conduct mid-term performance feedback and evaluate employee performance within required timelines.
• Approve recommendations for a variety of personnel actions and act on conduct and discipline issues within OSP. Interview and select new hires.
• Plan and develop methodologies for achieving work goals and objectives and promote team building.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• Requires career/career-conditional status or eligibility.
• Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered with Selective Service.

Conditions of Employment

Qualification requirements, including one year time-in-grade at the next lower grade level for promotion candidates, must be met within 30 days of the job announcement closing date. See the 'Required Documents' section for additional information.

For information on qualification requirements, see Qualification Standards Handbook for General Schedule Positions viewable on OPM Website.

Qualifications

Experience: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-14 level in the Federal Service. For this position, specialized experience is defined as developing and coordinating short and long-term plans and objectives for museums and cultural heritage organizations and collaborating with stakeholders on strategic initiatives; developing and defending policy initiatives, strategic plans and outreach to advance and raise awareness of African American culture, history, and public programs; organizing, monitoring and analyzing financial and budgetary data, reconciling reports including prediction and forecasting and; reviewing, editing and approving written work of subordinates, writing employee performance plans, resolving conflicts, conducting mid and year-end performance reviews and hiring management.

Your resume must be no more than two (2) pages and should clearly demonstrate how your experience aligns with the responsibilities and specialized experience required for this position. Do not copy language directly from the vacancy announcement, as you will be deemed ineligible for consideration. Instead, provide detailed, descriptive information about your actual experience.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Part-time and/or unpaid experience related to this position will be considered to determine the total number of years and months of experience. Be sure to note the number of paid or unpaid hours worked each week.

Time-in-Grade Requirements: Under competitive merit promotion procedures, any individual who is currently holding, or who has held within the previous 52 weeks, a General Schedule position under a non-temporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service, must meet "time-in-grade" requirements (have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade of the grade for which you are applying).

Education

There is no positive education requirement for this position.

Additional information

This position is not included in the bargaining unit.

Recruitment Incentive: Recruitment incentive(s) may be authorized for this position. However, approval for incentives are contingent upon various availability. If authorized, certain incentives will require the incumbent to sign a service agreement to remain in the Federal government for a certain time period.

Note: This statement does not imply nor guarantee an incentive will be offered and paid.

Selections may be made for vacancies across the Smithsonian Institution (SI). By applying to this position, you agree to allow your application and other personal information to be shared with one or more SI hiring officials for employment consideration for same/similar positions within the location(s) identified in this announcement.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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The Smithsonian offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, vacation and sick leave, holidays, health/life insurance, accident insurance, and excellent retirement program options.

Please see Benefits at for a complete description.

Flexible Spending Accounts -

Health Insurance -

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Life Insurance -

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