Executive Assistant to the Director, Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage

Smithsonian Institution; Connecticut; On-site; USD 101,000 - 132,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player seeks a dedicated Executive Assistant to support the Director of the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. This role is pivotal in ensuring smooth operations, managing schedules, and facilitating communication. The ideal candidate will bring exceptional organizational skills and a commitment to cultural diversity, contributing to significant projects like the Smithsonian’s 250th anniversary celebrations. Join a dynamic team dedicated to inspiring generations through knowledge and discovery, and play a key role in a mission-driven organization that values collaboration and community engagement.

Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Transit/Commuter Benefits

403b Retirement Plan

Flexible Spending Account

Discounts for Smithsonian Memberships

Annual and Sick Leave

Family Friendly Leave

Qualifications

• Ability to coordinate a variety of activities within the organization.
• Skill in written and oral communication to support the Director.

Responsibilities

• Manage the Director’s calendar and appointments efficiently.
• Provide logistical support for meetings and travel arrangements.
• Handle communications and ensure the Director's workload is minimized.

Skills

Organizational Skills

Customer Service Principles

Written Communication

Oral Communication

Analytical Techniques

Job description

Executive Assistant to the Director, Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage

Application Deadline: 9 May 2025

Department: Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Washington, DC

Reporting To: Director, CFCH

Compensation: $101,401 - $131,826 / year

Description

OPEN DATE: May 2, 2025

CLOSING DATE: May 9, 2025

POSITION TYPE: Trust Fund

APPOINTMENT TYPE: Temporary Not-To-Exceed 12/12/2026

SCHEDULE: Full Time

DUTY LOCATION: Washington, DC

Position sensitivity and risk

Example: Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

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

The position is located at the Smithsonian Institution, Under Secretary for Museums & Culture, Center for Folklife & Cultural Heritage (CFCH). The Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage (CFCH) is a research and educational unit of the Smithsonian Institution. Through the power of culture, we increase understanding, strengthen communities, and reinforce our shared humanity. We are committed to sustaining cultural diversity across the United States and around the world through research, education, and community engagement. CFCH will be leading the Smithsonian’s signature 250th program, The Festival of Festivals, a month-long extended celebration of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, in the summer of 2026.

The incumbent of this position serves as the Executive Assistant to the Director, CFCH. The purpose of this position is to ensure that the Director manages and meets all priorities and obligations related to CFCH's contributions to the Smithsonian Institution’s celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States of America. This role translates directly into the unit leadership meeting and achieving its mission and objectives.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• The incumbent of this position serves as the Executive Assistant to the Director ensuring smooth operations in the front office by using excellent organizational skills, as well as exercising considerable diplomacy and tact. Ensures the Director's day-to-day operations run smoothly and efficiently, managing the flow of information and prioritizing tasks to minimize the Director’s workload.
• Manages the Director’s calendar, schedules all appointments and meetings and prepares a daily appointment schedule for the Director. Coordinates logistical arrangements for meetings called by the Director and provides detailed information in advance. Suggests ways to most efficiently alleviate heavy scheduling of the Director’s calendar. Provides background information on matters to be considered at scheduled meetings, by providing agendas and information on topics to be discussed. May prepare advance materials or set deadlines for materials required from staff; and briefs the Director prior to meetings.
• Arranges and prepares agendas and background material for a variety of meetings including regular staff meetings, senior leadership meetings, recurring and ad-hoc special purpose meetings, museum council subcommittee meetings, and meetings with officials from legislative and executive offices. Prepares agendas, taking minutes, and ensuring the Director has all necessary documents and information for meetings.
• Develops and maintains multiple database reports used within the department and across the Smithsonian to facilitate operations.
• Manages office; maintains the Director’s files, obtaining materials from other sources as necessary. Reviews files to determine what material should be retained, destroyed, transferred to other offices, or archived according to SI records disposition schedule.
• Provides a wide variety of logistical support to the Director including all travel arrangements.
• Monitors and facilitates all communications, including regular and electronic mail, telephone calls, and personal visits. Reviews proposals, inquiries, recommendations, and other communications; gathers, prepares, and analyzes for relevance and/or assures that background information is provided. Based on knowledge of Director’s preferences, forwards items not requiring the Director’s attention to the Director’s managers or other staff. Ensures that all written materials are in correct format and style and are free of spelling, typing or grammatical errors. Ensures that communications include the appropriate managers and staff.
• Carries out a broad range of special projects and assignments on behalf of the Director which involve administrative, policy, or operational matters, other special tasks of confidential or sensitive nature involving both administration and management issues may be assigned to the incumbent who will be expected to utilize the utmost discretion in accomplishing the work. Develops, analyzes, and disseminates information and resource data to meet established goals and objectives.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

Experience required for this position is as follows:

· Ability to plan and coordinate a wide variety of activities relating to the programs and activities of an organization and its department and sub-departments.

· Ability to employ customer service principles to respond to inquiries and assignments from multiple sources; to anticipate and respond to needs of the principal; to support the collaborations between the principal and other senior staff, senior SI management and other Smithsonian units.

· Ability to apply qualitative and quantitative techniques for analyzing and measuring the effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity of the unit’s objective and goals.

· Knowledge of organizational structures and management practices, policies and procedures, and the interrelationships among program and central offices.

· Skill in written communication to prepare, review and edit correspondence, email, and reports for the principal.

· Skill in oral communication to delegate on behalf of the principal, receive phone calls and guests, arrange meetings, prepare and review correspondence, brief executives and staff on issues of interest to the principal and plan for meetings, travel, and other commitments.

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 Marquinta Bell, [e-mail]. 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. We believe that a workforce comprising a variety of educational, cultural, and experiential backgrounds support and enhance our daily work life and contribute to the richness of our exhibitions and programs. See Smithsonian EEO program information: https://www.si.edu/oeesd.