Demo

Associate Director for Outreach and Engagement.

Smithsonian Institution
Washington, DC Full Time
POSTED ON 5/23/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 6/21/2026
Duties

The Associate Director for Outreach and Engagement directs and manages national museum partnerships, collaborative programming, and community engagement for SITES | Affiliations, as well as strategic oversight of the Smithsonian Affiliations program.

In This Position, You Will

  • Oversee and manage a network of more than 200 Affiliate museums and cultural organizations to foster and deepen national collaborations.
  • Develop creative, compelling programs and initiatives to engage audiences across the country with Smithsonian stories, including speaker series, educator workshops, internships, professional development, and convenings.
  • Lead community engagement efforts, particularly for the Museum on Main Street program, building on long-standing relationships with state humanities councils and other state partners.
  • Establish timeframes, responsibilities and resources among competing national engagement and outreach projects.
  • Perform a broad range of supervisory functions with respect to assigned staff, including subordinate supervisors or team leaders.
  • Build and maintain strong working relationships with other Smithsonian museums and centers, unit leadership, and Under Secretary for Education partners.
  • Coordinate and evaluate unit communication strategies, programs, and materials.

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

Qualifications

Experience: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal Service. For this position, specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience in cultivating and leading national networks of museums and cultural organizations, including managing collaborations, developing public and educational programs, and facilitating community engagement.

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

There is no 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.

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

Flexible Spending Accounts -

Health Insurance -

Leave -

Life Insurance -

Long Term Care Insurance -

Retirement Program -

Salary.com Estimation for Associate Director for Outreach and Engagement. in Washington, DC
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