Application Deadline: 15 December 2025
Department: Office of Finance & Accounting
Location: Washington, DC
Compensation: $167,603 - $195,200 / year
Description
OPEN DATE: December 2, 2025
CLOSING DATE: December 15, 2025
POSITION TYPE: Trust Fund
APPOINTMENT TYPE: Indefinite
SCHEDULE: Full Time
DUTY LOCATION: Washington, DC
Position sensitivity and risk:
Non-Sensitive-High Risk
Open to all qualified applicants
What are Trust 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.
OVERVIEW
This position is located organizationally in Risk Management, Office of Finance and Accounting (OF&A), Under Secretary for Finance and Administration, Smithsonian Institution (SI).
SI is the world’s largest museum and research complex dedicated to the increase and diffusion of knowledge. OF&A is responsible for the management and integrity of SI’s:
- financial assets - financial operations
- financial reporting
- financial records
- financial policies and procedures - central accounting and financial services
This position oversees SI’s overall:
- internal controls (IC)
- insurance management (IM)
- enterprise risk management (ERM)
… supporting the Deputy Chief Financial Officer/Controller (DCFO). The position reports to the DCFO but takes substantial direction directly from the Under Secretary/CFO and other senior staff.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Supervision
Supervises positions at the GS-13 and -14 levels. Exercises technical and administrative supervisory controls that are in keeping with a first-level supervisory position. Sets priorities for quarterly and annual goals. Develops performance standards and rates performance. Recommends promotions, within grade increases, overtime and travel. Hears and resolves complaints from employees and effects minor disciplinary measures as warranted. Identifies and provides for training needs. Mentors and coaches’ direct reports.
Risk Program Management
Provides organizational leadership to the IC, IM and ERM functions. Determines scope of projects, coordinates and assures compliance with completion dates and revises documentation for conformance to current law, policy and standards. Develops and implements short- and long-term plans. Plans and manages a budget. Evaluates requirements and develops policy guidelines. Provides program and audit information to the Board of Regents and its committees. Provides advice and recommendations on a range of financial and risk management issues to senior management and SI units.
Internal Controls
Serves as a technical expert in financial and management internal controls. Provides technical advice and expert analysis on various internal control matters by serving as the primary OF&A liaison to the Internal Review Group and the Risk Champion Council. Reviews, designs, modifies and publishes directives and policies regarding internal controls. Collaborates with OF&A and other stakeholders to review current SI policies, identifies internal controls requirements and develops quantitative and qualitative test procedures to evaluate the effectiveness of those controls. Establishes and manages a risk-based internal control program. Provides oversight and technical guidance and support to managers and unit staff as they conduct risk assessments. Plans and scopes internal control assessments of financial and financial reporting systems. Leads recurring processes that affirm adherence to internal controls policies by SI units through the collection of assurance statements and associated evidentiary documentation. Addresses audit recommendations where internal control processes and procedures did not meet standard. Creates and strengthens mitigation of fraud, waste and abuse. Reviews risk assessments and determine the sufficiency of planned internal control reviews in support of assurance statements. Evaluates support for completed assurance statements as they become due.
Insurance and Claim Management
Leads the analysis and evaluation of programs and policies related to the investigation and evaluation of claims against SI. Performs studies and analyses of program operations and policies to determine their effectiveness, currency and general applicability. Identifies and analyzes exposure to losses through surveying SI activities, data and reports. Investigates the Institution’s most complex and problematic incidents and accidents. Determines whether risk exposures should be insured externally or internally; procures and administers insurance coverage and risk funds. Identifies property loss exposures and obtains levels of insurance coverage required. Oversees the purchase of property, casualty and marine insurance. Provides the Office of Contracting and Personal Property Management (OCon&PPM) with policy guidelines for risk transfer and insurance provisions for its contracting activities, including construction contracts. Coordinates the administration of insured and uninsured claims against SI and for property and collections damage. Approves claims submitted to insurers for covered losses.
ERM and Audit
Develops and coordinates the Institution’s ERM program. Provides key inputs to committees that oversee ERM and ensures alignment with organization objectives. Promotes program maturity. Manages different ERM governance levels to continue their efficiency and progress. Provides high level presentations and materials to senior leadership. Provides high level presentations and materials to Board committees. Manages and leads the tracking of and response to open audits and findings. Ensures audit responses are reviewed by the Under Secretary before providing them to the Office of Inspector General (OIG). Assists units in identifying policy changes needed to ultimately close findings.
Performs other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
Education and Experience: Example: To qualify for this position, applicants must possess a bachelor’s degree (B.A.) from an accredited four-year college or university and/or 3-5 years of related experience (described below); or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Specialized Experience required for this position is as follows:
Requires substantial expertise in the management of financial, business and legal risk in a highly diverse environment that includes museums, remote research sites, traveling exhibitions and zoo.
Work requires the ability to limit SI’s exposure through negotiated contract terms and settlements.
Requires non-professional expertise in financial and management internal controls, development, design and evaluation.
Requires mastery, non-professional knowledge of financial management procedures, financial statement preparation and general accounting practices.
Requires high level, non-professional knowledge and competency in audit reporting procedures and guidelines issued by Office of Management and Budget, Treasury and General Accountability Office. Requires knowledge of a wide range of qualitative and quantitative analytical methods, techniques and principles to conduct general administration of a wide range of insurance claims
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
(OHRTrustBranch@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 (https://www.si.edu/OEO/IndividualswithDisabilities).
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
