Smithsonian Institution

Compensation

Full Description

Assistant Director, Integrated Communications (IS-1001-15) Application Deadline: 21 February 2026 Department: National Museum of American History Employment Type: Full Time Location: Washington, DC Reporting To: Associate Director, External Affairs Compensation: $169,279 - $197,200 / year Description OPEN DATE: January 23, 2026 CLOSING DATE: February 21, 2026 POSITION TYPE: Trust Fund APPOINTMENT TYPE: Indefinite SCHEDULE: Full Time DUTY LOCATION: Washington, DC Position sensitivity and risk: Non-Sensitive/Moderate Risk Who May Apply: Open to all qualified applicants What are Trust Fund Positions? Trust Fund positions are unique to the Smithsonian. They are paid for from a variety of sources, including the Smithsonian endowment, revenue from our business activities, donations, grants and contracts. Trust employees are not part of the civil service, nor does trust fund employment lead to Federal status. The salary ranges for trust positions are generally the same as for federal positions and in many cases trust and federal employees work side by side. Trust employees have their own benefit program, which may include Health, Dental & Vision Insurance, Life Insurance, Transit/Commuter Benefits, Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance, Annual and Sick Leave, Family Friendly Leave, 403b Retirement Plan, Discounts for Smithsonian Memberships, Museum Stores and Restaurants, Credit Union, Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center (Child Care), Flexible Spending Account (Health & Dependent Care). Conditions of Employment Pass Pre-employment Background Check and Subsequent Background Investigation for position designated. Complete a Probationary Period. Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer. The position is open to all candidates eligible to work in the United States. Proof of eligibility to work in U.S. is not required to apply. Applicants must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. OVERVIEW This position is located organizationally in External Affairs, National Museum of American History (NMAH), Under Secretary for Museums and Culture, Smithsonian Institution (SI). SI is a museum and research complex dedicated to the increase and diffusion of knowledge. NMAH is dedicated to empowering people to create a just and compassionate future by exploring, preserving and sharing the complexity of our past – NMAH has a strategic plan to create the country’s most accessible, inclusive, relevant and sustainable public history museum. This position leads museum-wide communication and marketing strategy, including: the development and management of all aspects of internal and external communications public and media relations activities social media marketing editorial services the development of new messaging and engagement strategies DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Plans, manages, directs and supervises all public and media relations activities, including both internal (to NMAH and SI) and external communications, to ensure that they support the enterprise mission, goals and vision. Leads the effort to establish and maintain a strong and consistent brand identity. Oversees and manages an interdisciplinary social media team charged with creating and levering content for NMAH presence across all social media properties (including website, blog, Facebook, X, Pinterest, Instagram, LinkedIn and Google+). Plans and carries out the full range of supervisory and managerial authorities. QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS Experience: To qualify for this position, applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the IS/GS-14 level. For this position, specialized experience is defined as 1) Working with public information or public relations in a museum, large cultural institution or similar organization; 2) Leading and motivating a team of professionals in public relations, communications, marketing, design, and web and social media; and 3) Developing and maintaining long- and short- term strategic planning. If you meet the above qualification requirements, you will be further evaluated against the below job-related competencies: Extensive, non-professional knowledge and understanding of American history and culture. Skill in communicating about American history with members of the news media. Mastery written and oral communications skills to convey information on complex issues to diverse target audiences. Any false statement in your application may result in rejection of your application and may also result in termination after employment begins. Join us in "Inspiring Generations through Knowledge and Discovery." Resumes should include a description of your paid and non-paid work experience that is related to this job; starting and ending dates of job (month and year); and average number of hours worked per week. What To Expect Next: Once the vacancy announcement closes, a review of your resume will be compared against the qualification and experience requirements related to this job. After review of applicant resumes is complete, qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager. Relocation expenses are not paid. The Smithsonian Institution provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation should contact NMAHApplications@si.edu. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. To learn more, please review the Smithsonian’s Accommodation Procedures. The Smithsonian Institution is an Equal Opportunity Employer. To review The Smithsonian's EEO program information, please click the following: https://www.si.edu/oeo