Clarification from the agency

Current Smithsonian Institution Internal Employees/Agency Employees Only may apply including current Smithsonian Institution employees with Federal career/career-conditional status or eligibility. More than one selection may be made from this announcement.

The Collections Department supports collections accountability, preservation, and access to foster responsible collections stewardship and facilitate collections use.  The primary purpose of the position is to manage the NMAH Registration Program, which ensures accountability and legal control of the collections in the Museum’s custody.

In this position, you will:

• Serves as NMAH Registrar with responsibility and authority to plan, recommend policy, coordinate, and implement all aspects of the registration program.
  
  
• Analyzes, assesses, and provides expert advice to the NMAH staff and management on the legality, ethics, and appropriateness of the Museum’s collection activities and actions.
  
  
• Plans and carries out the full range of supervisory and managerial authorities related to assignment of work, coordination with other programs, management advisory services, technical work direction, setting performance standards and evaluating subordinates, making selections for nonsupervisory positions, resolving complaints, initiating disciplinary actions, identifying training needs, recommending for awards, and determining means to improve productivity of the staff.
  
  
• Advises and assists in the broad collections management program, project, and resource planning, and resource allocation, by serving on project teams, such as the Collections Department Leadership Team.

• Serves as Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative (COTR) Level II certification. 

Conditions of employment

• Requires career/career-conditional status or eligibility.
• Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered with Selective Service.
• May be required to serve an 18-month probationary period for supervisors.

Conditions of Employment

Qualification requirements, including one year time-in-grade at the next lower grade level for promotion candidates, must be met within 30 days of the job announcement closing date. See the 'Required Documents' section for additional information.

For information on qualification requirements, see Qualification Standards Handbook for General Schedule Positions viewable on OPM Website.

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 the experience includes 1) providing oversight on the accountability and legal control of collections in a museum 2) applying museum registration principles to ensure legal and ethical accountability for collections, including acquisitions, loans, shipping, receiving, and documentation, and 3) advising on complex legal, ethical, and risk management issues related to collections transactions.

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.

In an effort to streamline our hiring process, SI employees whose current position of record is in the same job series (1001) and who are in a (Federal competitive or excepted service appointment) as this advertised position, are not required to submit a transcript with your application package. However, if selected, you will be required to provide a copy of your transcript before your start date in the position.

Time-in-Grade Requirements: Under competitive merit promotion procedures, any individual who is currently holding, or who has held within the previous 52 weeks, a General Schedule position under a non-temporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service, must meet "time-in-grade" requirements (have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade of the grade for which you are applying).

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your application will be evaluated first for the basic qualifications described above. The applications that meet the basic qualifications will be evaluated further against the following criteria:

1. Comprehensive knowledge of NMAH and SI collections management policies and practices.
2. Mastery of, and skill in the application of the legal, ethical, and professional concepts, issues, and practices relating to registration program areas.
3. Ability to supervise staff, and plan, distribute, coordinate, and monitor work assignments of others.
4. Exceptional oral, written and interpersonal communications skills to prepare high-level briefings, presentations and reports.

Important Note:

Your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses to the occupational questionnaire or other assessment tool for consistency. If a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than is supported by your resume, you will be assigned a rating commensurate to your described experience. Your resume should provide detailed information regarding how your education and experience relate to this position, including the major duties and qualifications criteria listed.