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Posted: February 26, 2026 (0 days ago)

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Associate Director for Outreach and Engagement

Smithsonian Institution

Other Agencies and Independent Organizations

Fresh

Location

Salary

$121,785 - $158,322

per year

Closes

March 20, 2026

GS-12 Pay Grade

Base salary range: $74,441 - $96,770

Typical requirements: 1 year specialized experience at GS-11. Advanced degree + significant experience.

Note: Actual salary includes locality pay (15-40%+ depending on location).

Job Description

Summary

This role involves leading efforts to connect the Smithsonian with museums and cultural groups across the country, managing partnerships, and creating programs like workshops and events to share Smithsonian stories with wider audiences.

It's perfect for someone with experience in building networks and organizing educational initiatives in the cultural sector.

A good fit would be a leader who enjoys collaborating with diverse teams and driving national outreach projects.

Key Requirements

  • One year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-12 level in federal service
  • Demonstrated experience cultivating, managing, and leading networks of museums or cultural institutions
  • Experience facilitating collaborations with internal and external partners
  • Proven ability to develop public and educational programs, such as workshops, internships, and convenings
  • Supervisory experience, including managing staff, subordinate supervisors, or team leaders
  • Skills in strategic oversight of outreach and engagement programs
  • Ability to build and maintain relationships with institutional partners and leadership

Full Job Description

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 within the Outreach & Engagement Department, Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service-Smithsonian Affiliations (SITES), Under Secretary for Education (OUSE), Smithsonian Institution (SI) located in Washington, DC.

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, managing, and leading networks of museums or cultural institutions including facilitating collaborations, working with internal and external partners, and developing public and educational programs.

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. Major Duties:

The Associate Director for Outreach and Engagement directs and manages national outreach, collaborations and programming for SITES | Affiliations, including strategic oversight of the Smithsonian Affiliations program.

In this position, you will: Oversee and manage programs and regular communication between the Smithsonian and its more than 200 Affiliate museums and cultural organizations to foster and deepen national collaborations and partnerships.

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 outreach efforts for the Museum on Main Street program, building on its 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.

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Posted on USAJOBS: 2/26/2026 | Added to FreshGovJobs: 2/27/2026

Source: USAJOBS | ID: 26R-LJ-313459-DEU-SITES