Human Resources Coordinator, Guest Services & Corporate

Smithsonian Institution; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 70,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, Dental & Vision Insurance

Transit/Commuter Benefits

403b Retirement Plan

Job summary

Smithsonian Institution is seeking an Human Resources Coordinator for Guest Services & Corporate in Washington, DC. The role primarily recruits for the Guest Services Group at NZCBI and supports other Smithsonian Enterprises units.

You will coordinate onboarding, maintain employee records in ADP Workforce Now and other HR systems, and assist with employee recognition, relations, and admin support to the HR Director.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in HR preferred with 2-3 years of administrative HR support experience.
• Experience in high-volume recruiting and candidate sourcing.
• Proficient with ADP Workforce Now and ATS systems.
• Proficiency in MS Office (Word and Excel).
• Ability to travel to all locations as required.

Responsibilities

• Recruiting & onboarding for the Guest Services Group and SE units.
• Manage onboarding, background checks, and new hire paperwork.
• Enter and maintain employee data in ADP Workforce Now and HRIS systems.
• Coordinate employee recognition and engagement activities.
• Support performance management and employee relations processes.
• Prepare reports and correspondence; provide general HR support.

Skills

Full cycle recruiting

Candidate sourcing

Customer service

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources or related field

Tools

ADP Workforce Now

Applicant Tracking Systems

MS Word

MS Excel

Social media recruiting

Job description

Human Resources Coordinator, Guest Services & Corporate

Application Deadline: 25 September 2026

Department: Smithsonian Enterprises

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Washington, DC

Reporting To: HR Director

Compensation: $70,000 - $75,000 / year

Description

OPEN DATE: September 21, 2026

CLOSING DATE: September 25, 2026

POSITION TYPE: Trust Fund

APPOINTMENT TYPE: Indefinite

SCHEDULE: Full Time

DUTY LOCATION: Washington, DC

Position sensitivity and risk: Low Risk
Who May Apply: Unit Only

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 Human Resources Coordinator serves as the primary recruiter for the Guest Services Group at the National Zoological Park and supports recruitment efforts for other Smithsonian Enterprises business units as assigned. The incumbent coordinates onboarding activities, maintains employee records and personnel transactions within ADP Workforce Now and other HR systems, coordinates employee recognition programs, assists with routine employee relations matters, and provides administrative support to the Director of Human Resources.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES, include but not limited to:

Recruiting & Onboarding:

• Serve as the primary recruiter for NZCBI Guest Services and other assigned SE units.
• Initiates staffing requisitions, updating the status of recruits, and completing all tasks associated with recruitment for the specific job, including composing vacancy announcements, and notifying applicants.
• Coordinates processes for candidates to go through the required pre- and post-appointment background process with the Smithsonian Office of Personnel Security.
• Works with HR Director and/or Recruiting Manager to review job offers.
• Conducts new employee orientation and processes all paperwork associated with the new hire.
• Responsible for verifying eligibility to work through the E-Verify system.

Benefits/HRIS Support:

• Process personnel actions including hires, transfers, promotions and separations.
• Enter and maintain employee data in ADP Workforce Now and other HRIS systems.
• Maintain personnel files and employment records.
• Complete employment verification requests and respond to HR inquiries.
• Assists the Benefits Manager in administering benefits plans, including enrollments, changes and terminations. Processes required documents through payroll and insurance providers to ensure accurate record-keeping and proper deductions.
• Assists with Open Season communication, enrollments, and preparation of benefit information packets.
• Review, bi-weekly, of benefit carrier invoices, as requested.

Performance Management:

• Assist Director with the Annual Performance Management Process using EPMS and/or tracking progress of appraisals and plans throughout the cycle for assigned units.

Employee Recognition:

• Coordinate employee recognition and service anniversary programs.
• Coordinate employee appreciation and engagement activities as requested.
• Support professional development and workforce engagement initiatives.

Employee Relations Support:

• Respond to routine employee and manager questions.
• Assist with low-level employee relations concerns and escalation as appropriate.

Departmental & General Support:

• Provide administrative and operational support to the Director of Human Resources.
• Coordinate meetings, calendars, interviews and departmental communications.
• Prepare reports, presentations and correspondence.
• Perform administrative duties including but not limited to photocopying, typing, filing, answering phones, answering routine HR questions and requests.
• Serves as backup to Office Manager.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources or related field preferred, with 2 -3 years of experience in an administrative HR support role or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience

• 2-3 or more years’ high volume recruiting experience with candidate sourcing & full cycle recruiting processes.
• Proficient with ADP Workforce Now, and Applicant Tracking systems.
• Proficiency in MS Office software, specifically Word and Excel
• Recruiting experience in a for profit retail, media or private industry business for both entry level and professional level jobs.
• Excellent customer service and relationship management skills.
• Knowledge of federal/state laws impacting recruitment and selection.
• Proven ability to represent the Smithsonian in a very professional and positive manner always, maintaining positive employee relations.
• Able to deliver results with little supervision and effectively manage and prioritize multiple projects and candidates.
• Social media savvy and high technological proficiency; ability to leverage social media to connect with top talent.
• Excellent communication skills—with an impressive reputation for building and maintaining relationships with people at all levels within the organization.
• Must have presence, poise, persuasiveness, and confidence to earn credibility with management, while also earning the trust and confidence of associates at all levels within the organization.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, takes initiative and finds opportunities to think ahead.
• Ability to exercise judgment and solve problems in sensitive situations.
• Excellent judgment and the ability to handle confidential information and compensation information.
• Must be able to travel to all locations as required.
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects/tasks.

Education completed outside the United States must be deemed equivalent to higher education programs of U.S. Institutions by an organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. This documentation is the responsibility of the applicant and should be included as part of your application package.

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 [e-mail]. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. To learn more, 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