Director of Visitor Experience

Summary

We are the nation's art museum, home to a renowned collection of over 160,000 works of art from antiquity to today. Millions of people come through our doors each year—with even more online—making us one of the most visited art museums in the world. Located on the National Mall, admission to the West and East Buildings, Sculpture Garden, special exhibitions, and public programs is always free.

Duties

The National Gallery of Art serves the nation by welcoming all people to explore and experience art, creativity, and our shared humanity. The National Gallery develops the understanding of art through collecting and exhibiting in ways that reflect our nation and its histories; preserving our collections for future generations; and delivering compelling public programs and events, engaging digital experiences and groundbreaking scholarship. This position is a critical, front-facing position tasked with leading and inspiring a diverse team of at least 35 staff and 250 volunteers in the delivery of first-in-class visitor services across the National Gallery's 25-acre campus. Reporting to the Deputy Chief Experience Officer, the incumbent serves as a key leader within an institution that welcomes up to four (4) million visitors annually. The Director navigates a complex and often high-profile calendar of daily operations, public programs, special events, and official visits while ensuring that hospitality, service quality, safety, accessibility, and operational readiness remain central to decision-making. Duties for this position include Direct visitor operations across onsite, telephone, email, and digital channels, including accessibility services, ticketing and registration, contact center services, and operational support for membership and public programs. Coordinate with institutional partners to improve service consistency, operational readiness, and accessibility. Translate visitor feedback and audience research into operating changes, training, and measurable improvements; guide cross-departmental initiatives through implementation and handoff. Oversee budgets; manage purchases and contracts and adjust resources to changing priorities. Develop workforce models, succession plans, and talent strategies that align staffing resources with institutional goals.

Requirements

Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement. For information on qualification requirements, see Qualification Standards Handbook for General Schedule Positions viewable on OPM Website. It is your responsibility to ensure that you submit appropriate documentation prior to the closing date. Your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations and must highlight your most relevant and significant experience as it relates to this job announcement. Be clear and specific when describing your work history since human resources cannot make assumptions regarding your experience. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Your resume must include the dates of all qualifying experience (from month/year to month/year) and the number of hours worked/volunteered per week.

Qualifications and evaluation

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses to the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Leadership Human Capital Management Accountability Customer Service Planning and Evaluating Problem Solving Partnering Project Management Interpersonal Skills Financial Management Workforce Planning and Evaluating A Subject Matter Expert (SME) will conduct a quality review of your application and supporting documentation to determine if your qualifications meet the criteria for referral to the selecting official. All qualified non-competitive applicants and all qualified Merit applicants will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. The National Gallery of Art uses an application tracking system to evaluate the responses you provide in the applicant assessment questionnaire to determine if you meet the minimum qualification requirements of this position. Then, the HR Office and/or Subject Matter Expert (SME) will conduct a quality review of your application and supporting documentation to determine if your qualifications meet the criteria for referral to the selecting official. You may preview questions for this vacancy.

Education

This position does not have an education requirement.

Benefits

The Federal Government offers a comprehensive benefits package. Please see Benefits at https://www.si.edu/OHR/benefits for a complete description. Flexible Spending Accounts - https://www.fsafeds.com/ Health Insurance - http://www.opm.gov/insure/health/index.asp Leave - http://www.opm.gov/oca/leave/index.asp Life Insurance - http://www.opm.gov/insure/life/index.asp Retirement Program - https://www.opm.gov/retirement-services/

How to apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The application process is as follows: Click on the "Apply Online" button on the upper right side of the page. You must have a USAJOBS account and be logged in. You must have a completed resume. (You may use the Resume Builder in USAJOBS) You must respond to all applicant assessment questions, carefully following all instructions provided. You will be able to upload additional supporting documentation, which may include, but not limited to transcripts, notification of personnel actions (SF-50), certifications and verification of veterans status (SF-15, DD-214) The complete application package, including any additional supporting documents required for this position is due in the National Gallery of Art Personnel Office on the closing date of the announcement by 11:59 PM Eastern Time. NOTE: Applicants who cannot apply on-line must request a hard copy application packet from the Agency Contact listed in the vacancy announcement via email. Resumes and/or supporting documentation alone will not be considered without the inclusion of a hard copy application packet. The complete package is due no later than 5:30 PM Eastern Time on the closing date of this announcement. The National Gallery of Art receives many applications for each job. Each application is reviewed carefully which may take a few weeks. You may also check your application status by logging into www.usajobs.gov and selecting the tab "My USAJOBS". You may check your application status by logging into www.usajobs.gov and selecting the tab "My USAJOBS".

Required documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes: Your Resume (no more than 2 pages)showing the applicant's name, email address, work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment, and duties performed to include pay plan, series, and grade level for relevant federal experience. Your resume must show complete information for each job entry to support minimum qualifications. Do not include the following types of information in your resume: Classified or government sensitive information Social Security Number (SSN) Photos of yourself Personal information, such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc. Encrypted and digitally signed documents Other supporting documents: Cover Letter, optional Most recent Performance Appraisal, optional SF-50 Your most recent Promotion, Within Grade Increase (WRI/WGI), or Appointment/Conversion SF-50 - Notification of Personnel Action showing you are/were in the competitive service and the highest grade or promotion potential held. Veterans Employment Opportunity Act, Veterans Recruitment Appointment, and 30% Disabled Veteran Eligible: DD-214, SF-15 Form and VA letter, or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions within 120 days. Schedule A, Persons with Disabilities Appointment Eligibles: Schedule A letter from a physician, local, state, or federal rehabilitation office citing your eligibility under 5 CFR 213.3102 (u). Certain Military Spouses Eligible under E.O. 13832: Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders; OR verification of the member's 100% disability (VA Letter); and/or verification of the member's death while on active duty (DD-1300 and Death Certificate) AND verification of the marriage to the service member (i.e., a marriage license or other legal documentation verifying marriage). Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.

Additional information

The National Gallery of Art fosters a fair workplace and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The EEO policy is found at: https://www.nga.gov/employment-opportunities/equal-employment-opportunity More than one selection may be made from this vacancy announcement. This position is not included in the bargaining unit. Relocation expenses will not be paid. Some positions may require completion of a probationary period of up to 1 (one) year. Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. EEO Policy: USAJOBS Help Center - Equal employment opportunity policy Reasonable Accommodation Policy: https://help.usajobs.gov/reasonable-accommodation Veterans Information: https://help.usajobs.gov/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/veterans Selective Service Registration: http://www.sss.gov/ Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment under Merit Promotion procedures, the veteran must be a preference eligible or a veteran separated after 3 years or more of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions. Noncompetitive Appointment Authorities: For more information on noncompetitive appointment authority eligibility requirements visit the following websites: Persons with Disabilities-Schedule A Special Hiring Authorities for Veterans Special Hiring Authority for Certain Military Spouses Other Special Appointment Authorities Reasonable Accommodation Requests: To learn more, please consult the following resources: Disability Employment - Reasonable Accommodations (OPM) How to contact an agency