Personal Assistant Visa Sponsorship Jobs in Washington DC

Description

OPEN DATE: April 16, 2026

CLOSING DATE: April 30, 2026 (This job will close once 100 applications are received which may be sooner than the closing date.)

POSITION TYPE: Trust Fund
APPOINTMENT TYPE: Indefinite
SCHEDULE: Full-Time
DUTY LOCATION: Washington, DC

Position sensitivity and risk:

Non-Sensitive/Low 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.

Overview

The Executive Assistant to the Director and primary liaison from the Director’s office to the Board of Trustees for the Smithsonian’s Archives of American Art (AAA) plays a pivotal role in the organization. This role works closely with AAA’s staff, particularly senior staff, peers across the Smithsonian Institution, and AAA’s Board of Directors to ensure AAA meets its strategic goals and organizational priorities. This position is responsible for a wide variety of administrative duties, general support, and coordination on numerous projects and programs within the Director’s office. It is the public face of the Director’s office for a range of contacts within and beyond the institution, including internationally.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Key responsibilities include:
- Organizing and undertaking administrative work to promote the efficient operation of the Director’s office, including scheduling, travel arrangements, expense reporting, purchase orders and contracts, correspondence, file management, and onboarding new staff reporting to the Director.
- Serving as the primary liaison between the nonprofit Board of Trustees (the advisory body for the Archives of American Art) and the Director’s office and AAA staff, and providing support to the Board of Trustees, including internal communications; meeting scheduling, agendas, and minutes; and fostering positive engagement between AAA and its Board.
- Preparing internal communications, including staff communications and meetings on behalf of the Director, the triannual report to the Board of Trustees, and handbook for the Board of Trustees.
- Supporting the execution of projects in the Director’s office, including the implementation of AAA’s strategic plan, assessment of organizational performance and impact, and other special initiatives.
- Providing a positive customer service experience on behalf of the Director’s office for the variety of individuals, internal and external to the organization, interacting with the office, including office visitors.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

Education and Experience:

To qualify for this position, applicants must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the IS-7 level performing administrative duties as detailed below, or a Master's or equivalent graduate degree or two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related.

Knowledge and experience required for this role include, but are not limited to:
- Established project management and administrative practices, techniques, and methodologies in order to plan, coordinate, prioritize, and execute tasks and projects with efficiency and accuracy.
- Nonprofit/advisory board roles and responsibilities, including governance.
- Analytical skills to research, gather, and evaluate information, and to prepare findings.
- Oral and written skills to draft, prepare, and produce a variety of documents, including correspondence, reports, meeting agendas and minutes, with efficiency and accuracy.
- Interpersonal skills to foster productive and cooperative relationships both within the organization and with outside parties, and to work effectively with individuals at all levels with tact, discretion, and consideration.
- Skills in computer applications and software, including the Microsoft Office suite of tools (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook, Teams), Adobe Creative Cloud, and travel systems such as Concur.
- Knowledge of basic financial principles for accurate and efficient expense reporting, purchase order and contract preparation.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Work is in an office setting.

Please Note:

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.

The Smithsonian Institution values and seeks a diverse workforce. 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 [whaleysl@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.

The Smithsonian Institution values and seeks a diverse workforce. Join us in "Inspiring Generations through Knowledge and Discovery."

About Smithsonian Institution

Founded in 1846, the Smithsonian is the world’s largest museum and research complex of 21 museums and galleries, the National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, and 14 education and research facilities. There are more than 6,500 Smithsonian employees, including approximately 500 scientists. The total number of objects, works of art and specimens at the Smithsonian is estimated at more than 157 million.