Summary
The Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum, education, and research complex. The National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) is a major bureau of the Smithsonian Institution that is responsible for the acquisition, curation, and preservation of collections of objects and specimens of natural history, which tells the history of the planet and a record of human interaction with the environment and one another. This Vacancy Announcement will close once 150 applications are received.
Duties
The Visitor Experience and Accessibility Manager has responsibility for overseeing all aspects of the operation and administration of the Visitor Experience, Accessibility, and Volunteer Program. In this position, you will: Oversee and support the day-to-day operations of visitor and accessibility services and learning spaces to ensure effective and consistent service delivery. Implement established policies and procedures governing visitor flow, service protocols, and public engagement activities. Provide guidance, assign work, monitor performance, and support employee development. Participate in hiring, preparing performance plans and evaluations, and recommending awards or corrective actions as appropriate. Plan, coordinate, and implement visitor experience, accessibility, and volunteer programs within established frameworks and priorities set by leadership. Track program performance metrics, analyze visitor feedback and operational data, and recommend improvements Coordinate volunteer program operations, including recruitment, onboarding, training, and communication, using established procedures and practices. Coordinate with internal stakeholders to support program activities and ensure visitor service considerations are addressed.
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 on OPM website. Additional Requirements: A Tuesday through Saturday work schedule is required. In addition, this position will require the selectee to work occasional evenings. This position requires standing, walking, and moving throughout museum spaces or outside of the museum for extended periods while supporting program delivery. Some lifting or carrying of educational materials may be required. Physical demands are consistent with those of a museum and office environment. Work is performed primarily in museum spaces, classrooms, and office settings. The environment involves everyday risks typical of public and office environments. Some activities may occur in laboratory or collections areas, requiring adherence to established safety protocols and the use of appropriate protective attire.
Education
There are no basic education requirements for this position.
How you will be evaluated
Applicants for this position may be evaluated in multiple stages. The first stage is an evaluation of your responses to the online multiple-choice questions that assess your experience, education, and/or training for the job related competencies below: Knowledge of museum visitor experience and service delivery practices (including visitor communication, wayfinding, customer service, engagement techniques) sufficient to implement, evaluate, and improve programs in a large museum environment. Ability to supervise and accomplish work through staff, including providing guidance, monitoring performance, supporting employee development, hiring, evaluating, and recommending awards or corrective actions for a diverse staff. Knowledge of accessibility practices, assistive technologies, and applicable standards (e.g., ADA and Smithsonian directives) to support inclusive services. Knowledge of volunteer program operations, including recruitment, training, evaluation, and coordination to support a large volunteer workforce. Ability to communicate verbally effectively at all levels to interact with tact and diplomacy among diverse audiences. Ability to communicate effectively at all levels to interact with tact and diplomacy in preparing clear materials. BASIS OF RATING: Once the announcement closes, your application will be automatically evaluated and rated by the system and a Human Resources Specialist. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your application and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the occupational questionnaire. The numeric rating you receive is based on your responses to the questionnaire. The score is a measure of the degree to which your background matches the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of this position. If, after the Human Resources Specialist reviews your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that the score you have received is not a true reflection of your qualifications and/or experience, your score can and will be adjusted to more accurately reflect the information you provided that support your abilities. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Your resume should provide detailed information regarding how your education and experience relate to this position, including the major duties and qualifications criteria listed. Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA): If you are applying for a VEOA appointment, you must be a veteran and must be honorably separated and either a preference eligible or have substantially completed 3 or more years of active service. ("Active Service" under this law means active duty in a uniformed service and includes full-time training duty, annual training duty, full-time National Guard duty, and attendance, while in the active service, at a school designated as a service school by law or by the Secretary concerned.) A veteran who is released under honorable conditions shortly before completing a 3-year tour is also eligible. 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 You may preview questions for this vacancy.