Assistant Director (Collections)

Security Clearance

Other

Duties

The primary purpose of this position is to oversee the stewardship, management, access, use, and care of the museum's collections, as well as the staff who manage the object and archival collections. You exercise supervisory and managerial authority, develop project scopes, resources, and timelines, participate in strategic long‐term program planning, and develop collections policy, stewardship practices, and communication. In this position, you: Provide overall management and direction for the care and stewardship of the NMAI collections through department managers with subject‐matter expertise in collections management, registration, conservation, photography, and archives. Contribute to, develop, write, and implement formal plans, policies, procedures, and guidelines for all facets of NMAI's collections efforts, working closely with department heads and staff in stakeholder departments. Serve as an expert resource and advisor for planning and implementing the long‐term development of the Collections Information System. Support the accuracy and completeness of the collections information database through research on items in the collections and through collaboration with Native peoples in settings such as oral history, place‐name research, community archaeology, and traditional knowledge. Participate with other assistant directors in NMAI's senior management policy, planning, and operational activities. Represent the Collections and Stewardship program through active participation on NMAI committees and advisory groups. Recommend courses of action regarding budget priorities, staffing needs, responsibilities, and workload distribution.

Requirements

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-13 level in the Federal Service. For this position, specialized experience is defined as 1) applying museum collections management policies and procedures; 2) developing, implementing, and updating operational and strategic plans for collections; 3) establishing criteria and written guidelines for collections stewardship; and 4) coordinating collections care, inventory control, acquisitions, loans, and conservation activities for a large and culturally significant collection representing indigenous people. 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.

Education

Education can't be substituted for experience at this grade level.

Other 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. Noncompetitive Appointment Authorities: The following links contain information on the eligibility requirements to be considered under a noncompetitive appointing authority: Primary Appointing Authorities for Career and Career-Conditional Appointments Hiring Authorities for Veterans People with Disabilities

Operates national museums, research centers, and the National Zoo.