Lead Education Specialist

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 Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden (HMSG) is a leading voice for contemporary art and culture and provides a national platform for the art and artists of our time. Duties The Lead Education Specialist develops and oversees the museum’s educational programs, services, and materials, with a focus on youth and PreK–12 audiences. The role ensures high‑quality experiences for all museum visitors and provides leadership and mentorship to staff, volunteers, and interns in creating, coordinating, and delivering these programs. In this position, you will: Plan and carry out the full range of responsibilities related to assignment of work, coordination with other programs, management advisory services, and technical work direction. Manage and lead the conceptualization, design and development and direction of a broad slate of youth programs and activities for the museum. Identify the resources required for programs and activities and collaborate with museum senior leadership to secure them. Manage and oversee the annual budget and monitor its execution to ensure that budget projections are met. Requirements Conditions of employment Pass Pre-employment Background Investigation May need to complete a Probationary Period Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered with Selective Service. Conditions of Employment Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement. For information on qualification requirements, see Qualification Standards Handbook for General Schedule Positions on OPM website. The position requires a considerable amount of walking throughout the Museum, Plaza, and Sculpture Garden. Standing for extended periods to participate in public programs and interact with visitors is necessary. The incumbent may be required to move materials weighing up to 40 lbs. Qualifications Basic Qualifications: Degree: that included or was supplemented by major study in education or in a subject-matter field appropriate to the position. or Combination of education and experience -- courses equivalent to a major in education, or in a subject-matter field appropriate to the position, plus appropriate experience or additional course work that provided knowledge comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of the 4-year course of study described in A above. In addition to the basic qualification requirement above: Experience: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 level in the Federal Service.  For this position, specialized experience is defined as experience in a museum or educational institution serving PreK–12 audiences that includes: 1) Researching, writing, and producing educational materials; 2) Planning, implementing, and evaluating educational programs; and 3) Developing and managing budgets for education initiatives. 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. Or Education:  Three years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. Or a Combination: Education and experience may be combined to meet the basic qualifications. For a full explanation of this option please see the Qualification Standards. Special Instructions for Foreign Education: If you are qualifying by education and/or you have education completed in a foreign college/university described above, it is your responsibility to provide transcripts and proof of U.S. accreditation for foreign study. For instructions on where to fax these documents, see the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. Education There are basic education requirements 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. Benefits 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 https://www.si.edu/OHR/benefits for a complete description. Flexible Spending Accounts - https://www.fsafeds.com/ Health Insurance - http://www.opm.gov/insure/health/index.asp Leave - http://www.opm.gov/oca/leave/index.asp Life Insurance - http://www.opm.gov/insure/life/index.asp Long Term Care Insurance - http://www.ltcfeds.com Retirement Program - https://www.opm.gov/retirement-services/