Job Description

Advancement Training and User Experience Manager IS- 0301-13

Application Deadline: 8 September 2026

Department: Office of Advancement

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Washington, DC

Reporting To: Director of Advancement Information Services

Compensation: $121,785 - $158,322 / year

Description

OPEN DATE: September 3, 2026

CLOSING DATE: September 9, 2026

POSITION TYPE: Trust Fund

APPOINTMENT TYPE: Permanent

SCHEDULE: Full Time

DUTY LOCATION: Washington, DC

Position sensitivity and risk:

Low Risk Non-Sensitive

Open to all qualified applicants

What are Trust Fund Positions?

Trust Fund positions are unique to the Smithsonian. They are paid for from a variety of sources, including the Smithsonian endowment, revenue from our business activities, donations, grants and contracts. Trust employees are not part of the civil service, nor does trust fund employment lead to Federal status. The salary ranges for trust positions are generally the same as for federal positions and in many cases trust and federal employees work side by side. Trust employees have their own benefit program, which may include Health, Dental & Vision Insurance, Life Insurance, Transit/Commuter Benefits, Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance, Annual and Sick Leave, Family Friendly Leave, 403b Retirement Plan, Discounts for Smithsonian Memberships, Museum Stores and Restaurants, Credit Union, Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center (Child Care), Flexible Spending Account (Health & Dependent Care).

Conditions of Employment

• Pass Pre-employment Background Check and Subsequent Background Investigation for position designated.
• Complete a Probationary Period.
• Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer.
• The position is open to all candidates eligible to work in the United States. Proof of eligibility to work in U.S. is not required to apply.
• This position is not eligible for U.S. work visa sponsorship.
• Applicants must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

OVERVIEW

Come join a team of dedicated staff at an exceptional time in the Smithsonian’s history during the Smithsonian Campaign for Our Shared Future. The Smithsonian has surpassed its $2.5 billion fundraising goal one full year ahead of schedule, a milestone that comes as the nation prepares to commemorate its 250th anniversary in 2026. This achievement marks the largest fundraising effort in the history of any cultural organization and represents a defining moment for the Institution and the country it serves. The Our Shared Future campaign has advanced the Smithsonian’s reach and impact, empowering the institution to find solutions to today’s most pressing challenges. The Smithsonian has built a model fundraising organization, driven by talented staff across our many museums, research centers, and cultural centers. This position offers exciting opportunities for the successful candidate to make a significant impact on the future of the Smithsonian. There is no better time to join this amazing Institution.

The Office of Advancement oversees and guides the fundraising efforts of the entire Smithsonian and is home to the central advancement organization for the Institution. In addition to raising significant support for a variety of Smithsonian initiatives, the Office of Advancement provides support services to advancement offices across the Institution. The office engages with staff throughout the Smithsonian in accomplishing their goals.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Advancement Training and User Experience Manager works in the Office of Advancement for the Smithsonian Institution. The incumbent functions as a team leader, playing a key role in the end user experience in Joint Audience and Membership Engagement System (JAMES).

The selected candidate will maintain the high level of service for Advancement users through the Service Now online JAMES Advancement and Membership portal (JAMHelp). The incumbent and her team effectively route user requests including reports, membership requests, gift registration requests, and other JAMES Advancement issues are resolved in a timely manner. This position delivers solutions to their best ability or triages issues to their own team, the appropriate AIST team, AIST Director or Office of Digital and Innovation (ODI). This position collaborates with each unit individually and collectively for training needs, onboarding support, and resolving IT issues as needed.

Training

• Leads the User Service and Support team in overseeing and thinking strategically about our existing training program, to deliver trainings in a digestible, flexible, and nimble manner.
• Provides solutions and training to end-users regarding prospect management, reporting, data loads, and other areas of the JAMES system. Leverage our LMS (Moodle) to deliver training, feedback, attendance, and surveys to further improve our Advancement training enterprise. Incorporate on-demand training, quick reference guides, and best practices to supplement any in-person or virtual training.

Management

• Supervises one IT Specialist and one Training Specialist will develop career growth plans, including more training and conferences for team members.
• Ensures work projects are prioritized and documented as SMART goals in their performance plans and reviewed twice per year.

Access Management

• Works with the Systems Management team and if needed, ODI to ensure onboarding and offboarding staff in Advancement is efficient, including hardware, JAMES access, and custom requests for specialized software.
• Maintains a tight audit on property purchased and ensures property tags are applied to applicable devices.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

Candidates may qualify for this position through a combination of education, demonstrated knowledge, and related professional experience.

• This position is not eligible for U.S. work visa sponsorship.
• Applicants must have authorization to work in the United States. Sponsorship is not available for this position.
• Bachelor’s degree is required.
• Five years of experience in fundraising training/education, and/or managing a service desk operation specific to fundraising.
• Demonstrates a passion for teaching, learning, and exploration, along with a strong interest in contributing to a dynamic and growing operation.
• Strong organizational, leadership, collaboration, and communication skills.
• Ability to manage a high-performing team in a fundraising role at a higher education institution or a large cultural/environmental organization.
• Expert knowledge of learning management systems, and service desk toolsets (Service Now preferred).
• Knowledge of relational databases such as Salesforce, Raiser’s Edge, Ellucian Advance, Banner recommended.
• As the Institution prepares to migrate to Salesforce, experience designing and delivering training within Salesforce Education Cloud, Nonprofit Cloud, or the Nonprofit Success Pack (NPSP) is highly desirable.

Applicants, who wish to qualify based on education completed outside the United States, must be deemed equivalent to higher education programs of U.S. Institutions by an organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. This documentation is the responsibility of the applicant and should be included as part of your application package.

Any false statement in your application may result in your application being rejected and may also result in termination after employment begins.

Application Instructions

Interested candidates must submit a resume detailing both paid and unpaid experience relevant to this position. The resume must include the start and end dates (month and year) for each position, as well as the average number of hours worked per week. While a cover letter is strongly encouraged, it is not required. All application materials must be submitted through the online application portal using the link provided above.

What To Expect Next: Once the vacancy announcement closes, a review of your resume will be compared against the qualification and experience requirements related to this job. Qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager and invited for an interview. If you are chosen for an interview you will need to provide multiple references, including title and contact information, who are familiar with your work and professional skills and abilities.

The Smithsonian Institution provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. To learn more, please review the Smithsonian’s Accommodation Procedures.

The Smithsonian Institution is an Equal Opportunity Employer. To review the Smithsonian’s EEO program information, please click the following: https://www.si.edu/oeo.