Fine Arts Specialist Job

Vacancy No. 5P-2025-0023 Department Public Buildings Service
Salary $87,758.00 to $126,198.00 Grade 12 to 12
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 12/13/2024 Close Date 12/27/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Chicago, ILIndianapolis, INDetroit, MIMinneapolis, MN


Summary

As a Fine Arts Specialist, you will contribute to the development of region-wide policy on a variety of diverse and complex technical, professional or administrative issues related to commissioning, installing, maintaining, and conserving works of art.

This position is located in the Public Buildings Service, Design & Construction Project Programs Division.

We are currently filling one vacancy, but additional vacancies may be filled as needed.

Duties

This position is located in the Public Buildings Service, Design & Construction Project Programs Division.  This division is responsible for implementation of national and regional design and construction policy in all production offices.

This position has job functions that must be executed within specific geographic locations. The official duty station is a federal facility, leased space, or an alternative worksite (typically the employee’s home) within the specified geographic area: Chicago, IL; Indianapolis, IN; Milwaukee, WI; Detroit, MI; Cleveland, OH; Cincinnati, OH; Columbus, OH and Minneapolis, MN. You will be expected to report to a specific GSA duty location at least two or more days a pay period depending upon the terms of the agency’s telework policy.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

  • Assembles Arts Panels incorporating representation from the community, client(s), and the A/E firm tasked with designing the project and surveys the cultural and artistic preferences of affected parties where the particular work of art is to be commissioned.
  • Conducts and represents management at meetings where substantive formal participation by local intergovernmental bodies, private firms, public and private organizations and private citizens can have major input in the development and decision-making process relative to projects, and manages all aspects of the Artist contract.
  • Serves as a member of the Source Selection Evaluation Board (SSEB), which includes conducting technical and price evaluations of artists' submissions.
  • Negotiates contracts and develops advertisements and contract specifications, and serves as the Contracting Officer's Representative for artist contracts, with authority to accept or reject the technical aspects of the submitted work. Ensures that the artist and/or contract A/E personnel comply with all applicable laws and regulations and approved design concepts.
  • Provides administrative and technical expertise in the areas of American art history, art acquisition and commissioning and related legal requirements.
  • Contributes to the development of region-wide policy on a variety of diverse and complex technical, professional or administrative issues related to commissioning, installing, maintaining, and conserving works of art.
  • Provides technical advice on complex work assignments in the arts program areas, which involve extremely difficult or controversial projects requiring highly specialized experience or broad policy interpretation.
  • Assists in the develop of scopes of work, negotiating artist contracts and coordinating the review of artist proposal submissions.
  • Reviews specific project goals and objectives; monitors the sequence and timing of key program events and milestones and evaluates overall program accomplishment and significant contributions in terms of regional goals and relationship to other organizations and administrative requirements.
  • Maintains ongoing liaison with project managers, building managers and other federal agency, private industry and contractor personnel for the purpose of exchanging current data regarding contemporary and public art and proposed changes in policies and program goals.
  • Overall, promotes program goals and develops consensus with all affected parties and organizations, with a view towards optimizing public relations and furthering the agency’s goals for its arts programs.
  • Conducts and documents bi-annual inspections of all fine art in the regional inventory.
  • Assists in the management of the regional fine arts inventory, which includes administering a bi-annual inspection cycle; assessing the results of inspections and establishing priorities and budget requirements for art conservation projects.
  • Ensures that emergency response and relocation plans include provisions for the immediate protection, relocation and/or emergency restoration of properties in the regional art inventory.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • US Citizens and National (Residents of American Samoa and Swains Island)
  • Meet all eligibility criteria within 30 days of the closing date
  • Register with Selective Service if you are a male born after 12/31/1959
  • Direct Deposit of salary check to financial organization required.

  • Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C or Non­Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the HR Office. Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service.
  • Serve a one year probationary period, if required.
  • Undergo and pass a background investigation (Tier 1 investigation level).
  • Have your identity and work status eligibility verified if you are not a GSA employee.  We will use the Department of Homeland Security’s e-Verify system for this. Any discrepancies must be resolved as a condition of continued employment.

Qualifications

For each job on your resume, provide:

  • the exact dates you held  each job (from month/year to month/year)
  • number of hours per week you worked (if part time).    

If you have volunteered your service through a National Service program (e.g., Peace Corps, Americorps), we encourage you to apply and include this experience on your resume.

For a brief video on creating a Federal resume, click here. 

The GS-12 salary range starts at $87,758 per year.  

Salary is determined by the location for which you are selected. 

If you are a new federal employee, your starting salary will likely be set at the Step 1 of the grade for which you are selected.  

To qualify, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level or higher in the Federal service. 

Specialized experience is experience providing administrative and technical expertise in the areas of American art history, art acquisition, commissioning and related legal requirements.  This experience should include:

  • Assisting in managing public art projects and/or programs that fulfill agency or institutional objectives;
  • Developing creative strategies to promote public understanding of new art commissions and interpretative materials for works of art in a public collection; 
  • Troubleshooting a diverse range of art-related projects and concerns, to include (but not limited to) issues involving installation, conservation, maintenance funding and implementation, artwork relocation ensuring conformance with environmental installation standards and legal requirements; and property disposal;
  • Making recommendations on key programmatic decisions related to art programs; and
  • Reviewing and assessing artist proposals where complex negotiations with client agencies, intergovernmental bodies and outside professionals are required.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

This position is eligible for the bargaining unit.
If you apply to this position and are selected, we will not ask about your criminal history before you receive a conditional job offer. If you believe you were asked about your criminal history improperly, contact the agency or visit GSA's webpage.
Relocation-related expenses are not approved and will be your responsibility.
Additional vacancies may be filled through this announcement in this or other GSA organizations within the same commuting area as needed; through other means; or not at all.

If you are eligible under Merit Promotion, you may also apply under Vacancy Announcement #5P-2025-0022. You must apply separately to each announcement to be considered for both.

GSA is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility that goes beyond our compliance with EEO regulations including: 

  • Valuing and embracing diversity, promoting equity, inclusion and accessibility, and expecting cultural competence; and
  • Fostering a work environment where all employees, customers and stakeholders feel respected and valued.
Our commitment is: 
  • Reflected in our policies, procedures and work environment;
  • Recognized by our employees, customers and stakeholders; and
  • Drives our efforts to recruit, attract, retain and engage the diverse workforce needed to achieve our mission.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

You will have access to many benefits including:

  • Health insurance (choose from a wide range of plans)
  • Life insurance coverage with several options
  • Sick leave and vacation time, including 11 paid holidays per year
  • Thrift Savings Plan (similar to a 401(k) plan)
  • Flexible work schedules
  • Transit and child care subsidies
  • Flexible spending accounts
  • Long-term care insurance
  • Training and development

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

We will use a method called Category Rating to assess your application.  Here’s how it will work:

You will be scored on the questions you answer during the application process, which will measure your possession of the following competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities:

  • Thorough knowledge of the field of American art history and contemporary art, which includes art commissioning, installation, conservation and maintenance, required to apply experimental theories and new developments to problems not treatable by accepted methods.
  • Knowledge of the principles and methods used in performing public outreach and educational functions related to arts programs. Skill in interpersonal relations and in written and oral communications required to explain and negotiate the requirements and implementation of art and fine arts initiatives and activities.
  • Knowledge of contracting and procurement practices as related to the administration of personal and professional services contracts, including the ability to develop and negotiate design and installation contracts, and to review contract drawings and artist proposals.
  • Knowledge of laws and regulations and guidelines pertaining to all Arts program requirements. Ability to assess administrative responsibilities in relation to proposed projects, and to provide sound and authoritative technical guidance on all issues related to fine arts collection maintenance.
  • Comprehensive analytical skills to apply a wide range of qualitative and quantitative techniques required for the assessment and improvement of the effectiveness and efficiency of the art and related programs; ability to identify problem areas, conduct research, select and evaluate technical data and to make decisions or recommendations for action based on consideration of all programmatic requirements and aspects of a problem.
  • Knowledge of the mission, functions and program goals for assigned areas of responsibility, including aesthetic, functional and operational relationships and requirements involving the design, fabrication, installation, maintenance and conservation of artwork in buildings.
  • Technical knowledge and ability to effectively accomplish major project tasks and milestones.

Your answers to the questions will be used to place you in one of the following categories and standard score ranges:

  • Best Qualified = Candidates scoring between 95 - 100
  • Well Qualified = Candidates scoring between 85 - 94 (Well Qualified for CTAP/ICTAP)
  • Qualified = Candidates scoring between 70 - 84

We will verify your answers to the questions in your resume.  If your resume doesn’t support your answers, we may lower your score, which could place you in a lower category.

Within each category, veterans will receive selection priority over non-veterans.

Additional hurdle assessments, such as narrative responses or other assessments, may be administered to applicants who meet the requirements of the first hurdle, e.g., the minimum qualification requirements. If additional assessments are used, you will be provided with further instructions.

If you are eligible under Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan or GSA’s Career Transition Assistance Plan(ICTAP/CTAP), you must receive a score of 85 or higher to receive priority.


You may preview questions for this vacancy.

Required Documents

ALL required documents must be submitted before the closing date. Review the following list to determine what you need to submit.

Your resume showing applicant's name, email address, work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment and duties performed.

If you are claiming veterans’ preference:
(a) Copy of your Certificate of Release or Discharge From Active Duty, DD-214 that shows your type of discharge and the dates of your active duty service.
(b) If you are claiming 10-point preference or derived preference (a spouse, widow or widower, or parent of a deceased or disabled veteran), submit both of the following in addition to the DD-214:  (1) completed SF-15 form; and (2) proof of your entitlement (refer to SF-15 for complete list).

If you are active duty military - Certification on a letterhead from your military branch that includes your rank, character of service (must be under honorable conditions) & military service dates including discharge/release date (must be no later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted).

If you are ICTAP/CTAP eligible - submit a, b, and c: (a) proof of eligibility including agency notice; (b) SF-50, and (c) most recent performance appraisal.

Current or Former Political Appointees: Submit SF-50.  

How to Apply

Submit a complete online application including any required documents prior to 11:59 pm Eastern Time on the closing date of the announcement. You can modify or complete your application any time before the deadline. Simply return to USAJOBS, select the vacancy, and update your application.  For more detailed instructions on how to apply, click here: Apply for a GSA Job.

If you are having issues applying to this announcement, you should switch to a different browser, network or device. Note: Your firewall may block your transfer from USAJOBS to your GSA application. 

To begin, click the Apply Online button on the vacancy announcement.

  • Sign in or register on USAJobs and select a resume and documents to include in your application.
  • Once you have clicked Apply for this position now, you will be taken to the GSA site to complete the application process.
  • Click the Apply To This Vacancy and complete all steps in the application process until the Confirmation indicates your application is complete. If you click Return to USAJobs or get timed out prior to receiving confirmation, your application will not be submitted and cannot be considered for this vacancy.
  • Note: Review the REQUIRED DOCUMENTS section of this announcement to determine which apply to you and must be submitted online. You may choose one or more of the following options to submit your document(s): Upload (from your computer) or USAJOBS (click the "USAJOBS" link to complete the transfer process).

Need Assistance? 

  • Questions or issues completing an application and/or submitting documentation - contact mgshelp@monster.com or 1-866-656-6831 Monday-Friday 7AM - 7PM EST, except for Federal holidays
  • Specific questions on the position - contact the HR representative (Monday-Friday during normal business hours) listed on the announcement, prior to the application deadline

You must receive HR approval before deviating from these instructions.

Be sure to APPLY EARLY as most assessments must be completed fully and submitted before the announcement closing.

Agency contact information

Theresa Gibbs
Phone
(312) 353-8177
Fax
000-000-0000
Email
theresa.gibbs@gsa.gov
Address
GSA, Public Buildings Service
General Services Administration (GSA)
Office of Human Resources Management (OHRM)
1800 F Street NW
Washington, District of Columbia 20405
United States
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

After the closing date/deadline:

  1. ELIGIBILITY/QUALIFICATIONS: Applicant eligibility and qualifications are reviewed.
  2. REFERRAL TO MANAGEMENT: Eligible/Qualified applicants are referred to management for review and possible interview.
  3. SELECTION/TENTATIVE JOB OFFER: If a selection is made, a Tentative Offer is extended to the selectee and suitability and/or security background investigation is conducted.
  4. FINAL JOB OFFER: A final job offer is made (typically within 40 days after the closing date/deadline for applications).
  5. FINAL COMMUNICATION TO APPLICANTS: Once the position is filled, we will notify you of your status. You may also check your application status by logging into USAJOBS and clicking “Track this Application” on the Applicant Dashboard.

Thank you for your interest in working for U.S. General Services Administration!


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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