Clarification from the agency

This is a private funded position which does not confer competitive federal status to the incumbent. The selected candidate will be eligible for the federal government employment benefits package."

Strategic Thought Leadership: Develop and implement communications positioning strategies and overarching plans aimed at enhancing national recognition and institutional awareness. Partner closely with leadership in shaping the National Gallery’s narrative and identity, including developing and supporting institutional messaging, executive leadership remarks, talking points, Board relations, partner relations, and correspondence with members of the press.

Strategic Alignment: Ensure alignment of communication strategies with institutional strategic priorities, effectively translating organizational objectives into cohesive and impactful communication initiatives. Collaborate with senior leadership team members to design and execute an annual institutional communications approach aligned with the institution’s impact strategy and annual strategic goals for impact and audience reach.

Executive Counsel and Crisis Management: Anticipate and prepare for any potential reputational threats, including proactive crisis mitigation and reactive crisis communications. This will include leading media training for key staff; preparing briefing documents and leading briefing sessions ahead of key interviews or events; developing key messages and Q&As as needed. Working collaboratively across the institution, including with the Secretary General and Executive Leadership team, to create and maintain a strong crisis communications protocol.

Public Relations: Proactively lead and coordinate the National Gallery of Art’s national and global media relations efforts for exhibition and institutional campaigns; strategically manage its reputation on a global scale to maximize impact. Oversee public relations and media campaigns to tell compelling stories, raise the National Gallery of Art’s profile, and accurately position its brand, initiatives, and impact. Proactively and reactively engage with local, national, and international media to reinforce the National Gallery’s role as the nation’s art museum. Actively monitor and capitalize on emerging trends in media and public relations, including digital media and journalism. Establish processes and procedures that will enable “early warning” of potential issues that could impact the institution, or its reputation or brand.

Event Planning: Working alongside members of the communications team, coordinate and plan exhibition and programmatic press previews and press conferences, and other special events that increase institutional visibility and engage the media and key constituencies. Coordinate and facilitate media interviews with National Gallery leadership and curatorial team, as well as official visits of heads of state and other dignitaries. This includes event logistics, preparation of event scenarios, developing remarks and visual aids as needed, and staffing events as appropriate.

Strategic Management: Manage the Communications Department, including overseeing press relations and institutional communications. Establish and uphold best practices. Provide leadership and guidance to departmental staff of publicists, assistants, and interns, ensuring effective collaboration, modernization of practices, and achievement of departmental goals.

Stakeholder Engagement: Serve as a high-level ambassador for the organization; broaden awareness of the organization’s programs, events, and experts across key audiences. Establish and oversee high-profile local, national, and international communications opportunities, facilitating platforms for museum leadership to communicate strategic priorities.

Integrated Communications: Collaborate closely with the Audience Experience, Development, and Content Strategy and Branding departments to ensure key messages for exhibitions and initiatives, developed in collaboration with the Brand team, are reflected within press materials and external communications.

Budget Management and Forecasting: Forecast and manage communications and press budgets across initiatives, aligning financial resources with strategic priorities while effectively communicating the team’s needs to relevant stakeholders.

Collaborative Leadership: Serve as a central figure, liaising with leaders in external affairs, audience engagement, internal communications, brand management and marketing, content strategy, development, visitor experience and evaluation to help shape comprehensive communications strategies. Direct a range of partners, consultants, and team members to deliver a unified and responsive communications experience. Manage vendor relationships, liaise with internal colleagues and teams, and work with multiple external partners effectively to bring projects to life

Conditions of employment

• You must be a United States Citizen.
• This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
• Males must abide by Selective Service registration requirements.
• See "Other Information" section regarding Selective Service requirements.

Your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations and must highlight your most relevant and significant work experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to this job opportunity. 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

Specialized experience: For this positions you must have 52 weeks of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-15 in strategic communications, preferably within a museum, cultural institution, or large nonprofit setting.

Mandatory Qualifications:

You are required to submit separate narrative statements for each MTQ to receive consideration for this position. Please see the REQUIRED DOCUMENTS section for complete details regarding the page limitation and formatting requirement. Applicants must carefully review the information in the "How You Will Be Evaluated" section for important information and instructions pertaining to the multi-hurdle assessment process for this position.

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). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations and must highlight your most relevant and significant work experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to this job opportunity. 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.

If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses you provided in your online questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation before the vacancy closes, you may be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your evaluation rating may be adjusted accordingly.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Applications will be evaluated based on the quality and extent of accomplishments and experience as they relate to the Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs). This information will be obtained from the application and narrative statements. Failure to provide specific information in each of the narrative statements will result in you receiving a lower rating or disqualification. A minimum qualifications screening will be conducted by Human Resources. Eligible applicants will then be evaluated by evaluated by a screening panel composed of a diverse mix of senior executives and/or general officers selected from organizational and/or functional backgrounds relevant to this position. The panel will rate minimally qualified applicants in order to determine which candidates are considered  "Superior" (top), "Very Good" (middle), or "Acceptable" (bottom) category. Generally, only the individuals in the Superior (top) category will be referred to the Hiring Manager/Selection Official for interview. Please make sure you answer all questions and follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your evaluation.

Note: the Category Rating Process does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of three" instead Category Rating protects the rights of qualified veterans by placing them ahead of qualified non-preference eligibles within each category. Qualified preference-eligibles will be listed at the top of their assigned category and considered before qualified non-preference-eligibles in that same category. And preference eligible applicants that meet the qualification requirements for the position and have a compensable service-connected disability rating of ten percent or more are listed at the top of the superior (top) category, except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-9 level or higher. Your responses should be clear and concise and show a level of accomplishment and a degree of responsibility. We use a multi-step process to evaluate and refer applicants:

1. Screen for Eligibility and Minimum Requirements: Your application must show that you meet all requirements, including any minimum education and/or experience required for this position. You may be found "not qualified" if you do not possess the minimum competencies required for the position. If your application is incomplete, we may rate you as ineligible.

2. Ranking and Rating: You will be evaluated by a screening panel composed of a diverse mix of senior executives and/or general officers panel based on your responses to the mandatory technical qualification (MTQ) requirements stated in this announcement.

3. Referral: If you are among the Superior (best qualified) candidates, your application will be referred to the hiring manager/selecting official for consideration and possible interview.

In addition to a resume, each applicant is required to submit a comprehensive narrative statement addressing each MTQ individually.

• Your resume should include relevant work experience, applicable education and your contact information. For current or previous federal employees, include the pay plan, series and grade.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

1. Your Resume 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
• Required Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs): Maximum 2 pages per MTQ.

2. 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.

Next steps