Job Description
Program Manager, IS-0340-13
Application Deadline: 8 September 2026
Department: National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute
Employment Type: Full Time
Location: Washington, DC
Reporting To: Director of Planning, Operations and Facilities
Compensation: $121,785 - $158,322 / year
OPEN DATE: August 24, 2026
CLOSING DATE: September 8, 2026 (This job will close once 200 applications are received which may be sooner than the closing date.)
POSITION TYPE: Trust Fund
APPOINTMENT TYPE: Temporary, Not to Exceed 3 years
SCHEDULE: Full Time
DUTY LOCATION: Washington, DC
Position sensitivity and risk:
Non-sensitive (NS)/Moderate Risk
Who May Apply: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.
- Applicants must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.
The incumbent serves as Program Manager for NZCBI's major institutional planning initiative. The position is responsible for planning, coordinating, integrating, and managing all activities associated with the development of a long-range planning effort to support significant federal investment in NZCBI facilities and infrastructure. The incumbent serves as the program lead responsible for directing NZCBI-wide planning activities and integrating multiple interdependent efforts into a unified institutional strategy.
Help shape the future of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute by turning plans for our facilities, animal care, conservation science, and visitor experience into a compelling, coordinated strategy for long-term federal investment. We’re looking for an exceptional project manager and strategic thinker, familiar with navigating federal funding requests, who can bring leaders and subject-matter experts together by managing multiple interconnected workstreams, and helping translate complex priorities into persuasive funding cases, executive-level materials, and clear implementation plans. This is a unique opportunity to guide a high-profile initiative from a vision through investment strategy and action.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Program Leadership and Coordination
- Lead the overall planning and coordination of NZCBI’s long-term investment initiative.
- Develop and manage project plans, schedules, milestones, decision-making processes, risk tracking, and progress reports.
- Coordinate work across NZCBI, the Smithsonian, and external partners; facilitate working groups and stakeholder meetings; and keep interconnected projects moving forward.
- Identify barriers, recommend solutions, and prepare briefings and updates for senior leadership.
Executive Advisory and Implementation Planning
- Help senior leaders evaluate competing priorities, funding needs, project timing, risks, and implementation options.
- Develop clear recommendations and analyses to support leadership decisions.
- Align NZCBI’s investment priorities with broader Smithsonian and federal priorities.
Documentation Integration and Development
- Bring together information from NZCBI’s strategic, facilities, science, collections, capital, and operational planning efforts into a unified investment strategy.
- Develop funding narratives, business cases, executive briefings, decision documents, presentations, and other justification materials.
- Ensure that priorities, timelines, costs, assumptions, and performance measures are consistent across related plans.
- Translate technical, scientific, operational, and facilities information into clear and persuasive materials for Smithsonian leadership, federal decision-makers, and other audiences.
Business Case and Justification Development
- Develop the business cases and analyses needed to support long-term investment and funding decisions.
- Assess funding options, costs, risks, project readiness, staffing needs, expected results, and return on investment.
- Apply knowledge of federal budget and appropriations processes to strengthen capital planning, budget requests, and federal funding proposals.
- Develop performance measures and compelling evidence-based narratives explaining NZCBI’s investment needs.
Contract Management
- Develop statements of work and other procurement materials for consulting and analytical support.
- Serve as a Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative, as assigned, and monitor contractor budgets, schedules, performance, and deliverables.
- Coordinate consultants and subject-matter experts and incorporate their work into the overall funding and investment strategy.
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
Successful candidates should demonstrate:
- Experience managing complex projects or programs involving multiple teams, priorities, deadlines, and stakeholders.
- Experience developing funding strategies, business cases, budget justifications, investment proposals, or similar decision-making materials.
- Knowledge of federal budget, appropriations, or capital planning processes and the ability to apply that knowledge to long-term funding initiatives.
- Strong analytical skills, including the ability to evaluate options, identify risks and dependencies, and develop practical recommendations.
- The ability to understand and connect information from different subject areas and translate complex material into clear, persuasive writing and presentations.
- Strong communication and relationship-building skills, including experience advising senior leaders and working effectively with technical experts and diverse stakeholders.
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 rejection of your application and may also result in termination after employment begins.
Join us in "Inspiring Generations through Knowledge and Discovery."
Resumes should include a description of your paid and non-paid work experience that is related to this job; starting and ending dates of job (month and year); and average number of hours worked per week.
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. After review of applicant resumes is complete, qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager.
Relocation expenses are not paid.
The Smithsonian Institution provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation should contact LaDonnys Biagas (BiagasL@si.edu). 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
