Visitor Experience and Accessibility Manager

Work schedule: Full-Time, Permanent
Appointment type: Federal
Agency: Other Agencies and Independent Organizations

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.

Major 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 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. 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. Applicants who meet or exceed minimum qualifications will be assigned to one of three category groups based on job-related criteria: Best Category - Meets the minimum qualification requirements and excels in most of the job related competencies above. Better Category - Meets the minimum qualification requirements and satisfies most of the job related competencies above. Good Category - Meets the minimum qualification requirements, but does not satisfy most of the job related competencies above to a substantive degree. This category rating process does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of three", but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category. A selecting official may make selections from the highest quality category (Best Category) provided no preference eligible in that category is passed over to select a non-preference eligible in that category unless the requirements of 5 U.S.C. 3317(b) or 3318(b) are satisfied. Preference eligibles who meet minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent must be listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-9 grade level or higher. Applicants who have not submitted a resume in the USAjobs system and/or have not answered all of the vacancy questions will not be considered for this position. You may preview questions for this vacancy.

How to apply

Click on the "Apply Online" button on the upper right side of the page. Please Note: You must apply for this position online through the 'Apply Online' button and submit required supplemental documents (if they are relevant to you). Your resume must be no more than two (2) pages. You may submit required documents by uploading them online during the application process. The complete application package, including any required documents, is due in the Smithsonian Office of Human Resources on the closing date of the announcement by 11:59 PM Eastern Time. If you are unable to apply online, paper applications may be accepted with prior approval of the Contact Person listed below. Additional Information: Tips on applying for Smithsonian jobs are available at www.sihr.si.edu/jobs.cfm. The Smithsonian does not pay relocation expenses but recruitment incentives may be authorized. The Smithsonian Institution is an equal opportunity employer. Additional information can be found on our website at (www.si.edu/oeesd).

What to expect next

At the end of the application process you will be able to create and save a PDF file that contains your responses to the assessment questions. You may save this file as initial receipt of your application. After the job announcement closes, you will receive an email from the Smithsonian with confirmation of receipt. The Smithsonian receives many applications for each job. Each application is reviewed carefully which may take a few weeks. We will send you an e-mail to update you as we go through phases of the application review process. You may also check your application status by logging into www.usajobs.gov and selecting the tab "My USAJOBS;" e-mailing vacancy.info@si.edu; or by contacting the Office of Human Resources Representative listed.

Source: USAJOBS (U.S. Office of Personnel Management) — https://www.usajobs.gov:443/job/888788500

Cite this job as: JOBnaru™ — https://jobnaru.com/en/jobs/visitor-experience-and-accessibility-manager-smithsonian-institution-washington · Posted 2026-10-14 · Original posting: www.usajobs.gov:443