Associate Director for Planning and Project Management

Smithsonian InstitutionWashington, District of Columbiausajobspublished 10/22/2026
Must-have:Principal

About the company

The Smithsonian American Women's History Museum expands the story of America through the often-untold accounts and accomplishments of women—individually and collectively—to better understand our past and inspire our future. The museum's goal is to create space for women's history on the National Mall in Washington, DC, deepen our nation's stories, and inspire conversation, connection, and change. The museum's ultimate vision is a more representative history, a more collective future.

Your tasks

The Associate Director for Planning and Project Management will be responsible for providing advice to leadership on the feasibility of projects and the resources required. In this position, you will: Provide strategic direction and oversight to, and coordination of, exhibition planning and implementation, capital projects, facilities management and organization planning initiatives. Collaborate with project managers, architects, engineers and contractors to establish project scope, schedules, budgets and performance expectations. Direct planning and implementation of permanent, temporary, traveling and special exhibitions. Establish project management frameworks, govern processes and performance metrics for major initiatives. Supervise staff and contractor personnel possessing technical expertise in varied disciplines and who are engaged in multiple facilities projects. Oversee facilities operations, maintenance planning and facility improvement initiatives.

Requirements

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 experience leading complex capital, facilities, and exhibition projects in a museum, cultural, educational, or similarly complex institution environment, including managing project scopes, schedules, budgets, contracts, and controls; directing multidisciplinary staff and contractors; overseeing facility and exhibition planning and implementation; and resolving complex technical issues and competing priorities. 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.

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.