Management Support Specialist IS-0301-9

Smithsonian Institution•Washington, DC

13d•Onsite

About The Position

The Management Support Specialist supports cross-departmental planning and execution of priority initiatives by providing project management, coordination, and operational support. The incumbent helps translate goals into actionable workplans, ensures clear tracking and communication, and strengthens consistency in how projects are planned, documented, and delivered across teams. The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art opened in 1923 as America’s first national art museum and the first Asian art museum in the United States. It now stewards on of the world’s most important collections of Asian art, with works dating from antiquity to the present. The museum also hosts an unparalleled collection of 19th- and early 20th-century American art. Through an ambitious program of collecting, conservation, exhibitions, programming and research, both onsite and online, the museum serves as a global and national resource for understanding the arts and cultures of Asia and their interaction with America, past and present. By presenting the arts and cultures of Asia in their extraordinary richness, the museum furthers cross-cultural understanding and aims to exemplify foundational ideals of curiosity, creativity and respect. Located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the museum is free and open 364 days a year (closed Dec. 25). The Smithsonian is the world’s largest museum, education and research complex and welcomes millions of visitors yearly.

Requirements

One (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 level in the Federal service or comparable experience outside the Federal government.
Supporting or managing projects by developing and maintaining schedules, trackers, milestones, and action-item logs;
Coordinating meetings, preparing agendas/materials, documenting decisions, and tracking follow-ups to completion;
Producing written project deliverables (status reports, summaries, briefing notes, or project documentation);
Communicating with multiple stakeholders to gather inputs, coordinate deadlines, and resolve routine project issues.

Nice To Haves

A master’s or equivalent graduate degree, or two (2) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, in a field related to the work (e.g., project management, business/public administration, operations, management, organizational development, or a related field).

Responsibilities

Develops and maintains project plans, schedules, milestones, and dependencies for assigned initiatives; updates plans as scope, timing, and resource assumptions change.
Establishes appropriate milestones for required internal and external reviews so that assigned projects obtain necessary approvals to maintain schedule.
Tracks project deliverables and action items; monitors progress; identifies risks/issues; recommends mitigation steps; and escalates items requiring leadership decisions.
Facilitates project meetings (kickoffs, working sessions, status reviews): prepares agendas, captures decisions, documents action items, and follows up to ensure closure.
Coordinates across departments and external partners as needed to align inputs, confirm responsibilities, and support smooth handoffs.
Produces concise project communications and documentation (status updates, decision summaries, timelines, trackers, briefing notes) tailored to different audiences.
Provides day-to-day coordination and management of assigned projects, provides technical leadership and expert staff assistance for allocating and managing resources required to accomplish the work.
Develops and manages comprehensive project budgets and works closely with NMAA’s financial team and other teams to track exhibition costs.
Supports basic project budget/administrative coordination (as applicable): tracks procurement-related timelines, deliverables, and documentation; supports contract or vendor coordination in partnership with appropriate offices.
Maintains shared project files and documentation systems; promotes consistent use of tools/templates and supports continuous improvement of project management practices.
Performs other duties as assigned.