Director, Office of Safety, Health and Environmental Management

Smithsonian Institution • Washington, DC

3d

About The Position

Reporting to the Under Secretary for Finance and Administration/Chief Financial Officer, the Director serves as the principal advisor to Smithsonian leadership on employee and visitor safety, fire and life safety, industrial hygiene, occupational health, environmental management, radiation safety, and the Smithsonian Scientific Dive Program. The Director represents the Smithsonian before federal, state, and local regulatory agencies and directs the Office of Safety, Health and Environmental Management (OSHEM) and its programs.

The position provides executive leadership and direction for OSHEM’s programs, operations, personnel, and resources, including a highly technical staff of 40 employees and an annual budget in excess of $6 million. It leads multidisciplinary professionals and oversees Institution-wide safety, health, environmental, fire protection, and radiation safety programs. The Director develops policies, goals, priorities, and resource strategies; assesses program performance; advises leadership on risks and compliance concerns; and ensures significant deficiencies are addressed.

The Director serves as Smithsonian Fire Marshal and authority having jurisdiction for fire protection and life-safety matters, and chairs the Smithsonian Safety Committee. The role directs compliance, hazard assessment, environmental review, medical monitoring, radiation protection, fire protection planning, construction review, training, incident analysis, and corrective-action initiatives. It also manages appropriated funds and serves as the Smithsonian’s principal representative in external policy and regulatory matters.

The incumbent works under the broad direction of the Under Secretary for Finance and Administration/CFO and independently develops and directs OSHEM activities. Performance is assessed based on program effectiveness, goal attainment, operational productivity, cost containment, and internal controls. This is a Public Trust/High Risk position requiring pre-employment screening and a comprehensive background investigation for continued service.

Requirements

• Demonstrated managerial and leadership skills and competence to perform successfully in the position.
• A degree in an applicable subject matter field, or a combination of education and appropriate experience providing knowledge comparable to a four-year course of study in an applicable field.
• At least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-15 level.
• Expert knowledge and experience in occupational safety and health, fire protection, environmental management, and regulatory compliance.
• Experience planning, directing, and managing enterprise-wide safety, health, and environmental programs for a large agency, major organizational component, or comparable organization.
• Strategic leadership and direction across staff and visitor safety, fire protection, life safety, occupational health, and environmental management; ability to integrate complex programs, improve organizational effectiveness, and ensure compliance with policies, standards, and best practices.
• Interpersonal skills to build cooperative relationships and negotiate solutions across varied, complex, and sometimes opposing interests; ability to explain positions orally and in writing and gain acceptance from colleagues and stakeholders at all levels.
• Executive-level program planning, budgetary process, and resource-management knowledge and skill, including performance tracking and upward reporting systems and results-based performance measures.
• Skill in leading, supervising, and managing a multidisciplinary workforce, fostering teamwork and morale, and developing, attracting, retaining, and motivating employees.
• Pass a pre-employment background investigation.
• May need to complete a probationary period.
• Maintain a bank account for direct deposit/electronic transfer.
• Males born after December 31, 1959, must be registered with Selective Service.
• Meet applicable security screening and background investigation requirements for the Public Trust/High Risk designation.

Responsibilities

• Serve as principal advisor to the Secretary, Deputy Secretary/COO, Under Secretaries, and museum, research, and administrative leadership on safety, occupational health, industrial hygiene, fire and life safety, environmental management, radiation protection, and the Smithsonian Scientific Dive Program.
• Provide executive leadership on technical and sensitive issues affecting employee, volunteer, and visitor safety; protection of facilities and collections; regulatory compliance; and institutional risk management.
• Develop Institution-wide policies, goals, priorities, and resource strategies for safety, health, fire protection, and environmental programs.
• Direct OSHEM programs, operations, personnel, and resources, including a multidisciplinary workforce through subordinate managers and supervisors.
• Establish strategic priorities, assess program performance, and ensure alignment with Smithsonian mission requirements and regulatory obligations.
• Plan, direct, and evaluate Institution-wide safety, health, environmental, fire protection, and radiation safety programs to reduce risk, prevent injuries and losses, protect facilities and collections, and ensure compliance.
• Advise senior leadership on program risks, emerging issues, compliance concerns, and organizational priorities, and recommend corrective actions and strategic improvements.
• Oversee evaluations of museum and facility performance in safety, environmental management, and fire protection; ensure deficiencies and compliance concerns are communicated, prioritized, tracked, and resolved.
• Direct environmental management, occupational health, industrial hygiene, and radiation safety policies and programs, including compliance activities, environmental reviews, hazard assessments, medical monitoring, and radiation protection.
• Serve as Smithsonian Fire Marshal and authority having jurisdiction for fire protection and life-safety matters; direct related policies, standards, planning, code compliance, construction review, and fire prevention initiatives.
• Chair the Smithsonian Safety Committee and lead Institution-wide safety awareness, training, risk reduction, accident prevention, and performance improvement initiatives.
• Oversee injury and loss trend analysis, review significant incidents, and ensure corrective and preventive actions are implemented.
• Plan, allocate, and manage appropriated funds for safety, health, fire protection, and environmental programs, ensuring stewardship and alignment with priorities.
• Represent the Smithsonian in policy discussions and with regulatory agencies and external organizations on safety, health, fire protection, environmental management, and compliance.
• Provide authoritative guidance on significant policy issues, regulatory requirements, and program developments.
• Develop and implement improved management approaches, systems, and practices to enhance effectiveness, efficiency, and accountability; serve as final authority on issues elevated beyond subordinate management levels and promote continuous improvement.

Benefits

• Comprehensive federal employee benefits package; eligibility depends on position type.
• Smithsonian benefits program for federal and trust employees.
• Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center.
• Transportation benefits.
• Professional interest groups and employee advocacy groups.
• Special events, including brown bag lunches, an annual picnic, and an annual holiday party.
• Free lectures and behind-the-scenes tours.
• Employee discounts at theaters, shops, and after-hours events.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: No Education Listed