Program Specialist Visa Sponsorship Jobs in Washington DC
Washington DC's concentration of federal agencies, international nonprofits, and policy-driven organizations makes it one of the strongest markets for program specialist roles in the country. Employers like the World Bank, USAID, and major government contractors actively hire for these positions, and many have established visa sponsorship programs for qualified international candidates.
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Get Access To All JobsSUPERVISORY VISITOR SERVICES PROGRAM SPECIALIST, IS-0301-13
Please note: the page you are viewing is for internal candidates only.
OPEN DATE: May 28, 2026
CLOSING DATE: June 2, 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:
SI Only
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
This position is located in the Smithsonian’s Institution (SI), Assistant Secretary for the Office of Communications and External Affairs at the Office of Visitor Services (OVS). OVS is responsible for setting standards and implementing practices that support the Smithsonian’s goal of offering exciting and relevant learning experiences to visitors of all ages, backgrounds and learning styles. The purpose of this position is to supervise the OVS staff, and provide day-to-day oversight and management of OVS operations, office administration and unit support.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Supervisory Duties
Manages the day-to-day operations of OVS. Exercises responsibility to:
- plan the work to be accomplished by subordinates;
- advise, counsel, and coach employees;
- evaluate work performance by subordinates;
- assign work to subordinates based on priorities;
- interview candidates for positions;
- listen to and resolve employee complaints and grievances;
- implement disciplinary measures;
- identify developmental and training needs;
- find ways to improve production or increase the quality of work directed;
- develop performance standards; and
- evaluate subordinates.
Strategic Program Planning & Oversight
Establishes the framework through which office activities, strategic goals and objectives, and priorities are set and accomplished and manages their implementation. Proposes new program approaches and components, analyzes resource implications as well as scope, time, cost, and quality of OVS programs; and advises on required financial and other resources. Assesses OVS activities to evaluate effectiveness and achievement of objectives. Determines appropriate funding requirements, evaluates options, and provides justifications as needed.
Visitor Experience & Volunteer Program Management
Provides strategic leadership and oversight for the Visitor Experience Program, ensuring effective, high quality service delivery across all Smithsonian units. Directs and evaluates daily operations, including the central call center and OVS managed public facing information systems. Guides the development, accuracy, and consistency of online and printed visitor information resources, and conducts ongoing review of visitor facing content on the website. Coordinates OVS outreach and promotional initiatives to strengthen public engagement. Monitors emerging trends in museum visitor experience and identifies opportunities for innovation, recommending strategies to enhance service delivery and align with institutional priorities.
Volunteer Management
Develops, and implements continuous improvement of volunteer management policies and processes, including onboarding, offboarding, recruitment, training, placement, and performance support for Smithsonian volunteers. Provides authoritative guidance on volunteer training and service standards for units across the Institution. Oversees volunteer operations at all visitor information desks within Smithsonian museums and the Smithsonian Visitor Center. Ensures volunteer management practices reflect current program needs and institutional expectations. Directs the collection, maintenance, and dissemination of volunteer program information, including updates to the OVS Intranet site. Manages all non-technical aspects of the volunteer management database. Promotes consistent frontline service standards across Smithsonian museums, galleries, and the National Zoo, and coordinates the work of volunteer coordinators to ensure alignment and uniformity of volunteer program practices.
OVS Training Initiatives
Leads the strategic direction, development, and oversight of OVS training initiatives, ensuring all curricula and training materials remain accurate, current, and responsive to emerging trends and the evolving needs of the Smithsonian. Provides authoritative guidance in designing and delivering training programs that support staff and volunteers with a variety of backgrounds, skill levels, and learning styles across both in-person and virtual environments. Ensures training efforts strengthen staff capabilities, reinforce institutional standards, and advance practices that enhance the overall visitor experience. Provides leadership shaping training content related to customer service, public information services, technology tools, visitor programs, institutional policies, and visitor safety for OVS staff, Smithsonian staff, and volunteers. Conducts assessments of institutional training needs, evaluates program effectiveness, and recommends improvements to advance OVS’s training strategy, outcomes, and alignment with organizational priorities.
Performs other duties as requested.
Other Significant Facts
May be required to work one or more holidays a year.
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
Education and Experience:
To qualify for this position, applicants must possess a bachelor’s degree (B.A.) from an accredited four-year college or university and/or 5-7 years of related experience (described below); or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Must possess a minimum of two (2) years of experience supervising staff and managing projects.
Experience required for this position is as follows:
- Extensive experience providing broad policy direction and exercising independent responsibility for planning, directing, and evaluating operational programs and staff.
- Experience overseeing visitor services, customer experience, volunteer management, training, and administrative support functions across multiple departments or locations.
- Demonstrated ability to manage large-scale programs that impact organization-wide operations, service delivery, and public engagement initiatives.
- Proven experience developing and implementing policies, procedures, and operational standards that improve consistency, effectiveness, and quality of service.
- Experience supervising staff by assigning work, establishing priorities, managing schedules, and ensuring timely completion of assignments.
- Strong background evaluating employee performance, providing coaching and counseling, and addressing performance and conduct issues.
- Experience interviewing candidates, recommending hiring actions, promotions, reassignments, and supporting workforce management initiatives.
- Demonstrated ability to identify employee developmental needs and coordinate training and professional development opportunities.
- Experience developing performance standards and implementing performance management practices that support organizational goals.
Technical experience
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 OCEA-ADMIN@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
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.
Apply Now
Application Deadline
June 02, 2026
Department
Office of Visitor Services
Employment Type
Full Time
Location
Washington, DC
Workplace type
Onsite
Compensation
$121,785 - $158,322 / year
SUPERVISORY VISITOR SERVICES PROGRAM SPECIALIST, IS-0301-13
Please note: the page you are viewing is for internal candidates only.
OPEN DATE: May 28, 2026
CLOSING DATE: June 2, 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:
SI Only
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
This position is located in the Smithsonian’s Institution (SI), Assistant Secretary for the Office of Communications and External Affairs at the Office of Visitor Services (OVS). OVS is responsible for setting standards and implementing practices that support the Smithsonian’s goal of offering exciting and relevant learning experiences to visitors of all ages, backgrounds and learning styles. The purpose of this position is to supervise the OVS staff, and provide day-to-day oversight and management of OVS operations, office administration and unit support.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Supervisory Duties
Manages the day-to-day operations of OVS. Exercises responsibility to:
- plan the work to be accomplished by subordinates;
- advise, counsel, and coach employees;
- evaluate work performance by subordinates;
- assign work to subordinates based on priorities;
- interview candidates for positions;
- listen to and resolve employee complaints and grievances;
- implement disciplinary measures;
- identify developmental and training needs;
- find ways to improve production or increase the quality of work directed;
- develop performance standards; and
- evaluate subordinates.
Strategic Program Planning & Oversight
Establishes the framework through which office activities, strategic goals and objectives, and priorities are set and accomplished and manages their implementation. Proposes new program approaches and components, analyzes resource implications as well as scope, time, cost, and quality of OVS programs; and advises on required financial and other resources. Assesses OVS activities to evaluate effectiveness and achievement of objectives. Determines appropriate funding requirements, evaluates options, and provides justifications as needed.
Visitor Experience & Volunteer Program Management
Provides strategic leadership and oversight for the Visitor Experience Program, ensuring effective, high quality service delivery across all Smithsonian units. Directs and evaluates daily operations, including the central call center and OVS managed public facing information systems. Guides the development, accuracy, and consistency of online and printed visitor information resources, and conducts ongoing review of visitor facing content on the website. Coordinates OVS outreach and promotional initiatives to strengthen public engagement. Monitors emerging trends in museum visitor experience and identifies opportunities for innovation, recommending strategies to enhance service delivery and align with institutional priorities.
Volunteer Management
Develops, and implements continuous improvement of volunteer management policies and processes, including onboarding, offboarding, recruitment, training, placement, and performance support for Smithsonian volunteers. Provides authoritative guidance on volunteer training and service standards for units across the Institution. Oversees volunteer operations at all visitor information desks within Smithsonian museums and the Smithsonian Visitor Center. Ensures volunteer management practices reflect current program needs and institutional expectations. Directs the collection, maintenance, and dissemination of volunteer program information, including updates to the OVS Intranet site. Manages all non-technical aspects of the volunteer management database. Promotes consistent frontline service standards across Smithsonian museums, galleries, and the National Zoo, and coordinates the work of volunteer coordinators to ensure alignment and uniformity of volunteer program practices.
OVS Training Initiatives
Leads the strategic direction, development, and oversight of OVS training initiatives, ensuring all curricula and training materials remain accurate, current, and responsive to emerging trends and the evolving needs of the Smithsonian. Provides authoritative guidance in designing and delivering training programs that support staff and volunteers with a variety of backgrounds, skill levels, and learning styles across both in-person and virtual environments. Ensures training efforts strengthen staff capabilities, reinforce institutional standards, and advance practices that enhance the overall visitor experience. Provides leadership shaping training content related to customer service, public information services, technology tools, visitor programs, institutional policies, and visitor safety for OVS staff, Smithsonian staff, and volunteers. Conducts assessments of institutional training needs, evaluates program effectiveness, and recommends improvements to advance OVS’s training strategy, outcomes, and alignment with organizational priorities.
Performs other duties as requested.
Other Significant Facts
May be required to work one or more holidays a year.
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
Education and Experience:
To qualify for this position, applicants must possess a bachelor’s degree (B.A.) from an accredited four-year college or university and/or 5-7 years of related experience (described below); or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Must possess a minimum of two (2) years of experience supervising staff and managing projects.
Experience required for this position is as follows:
- Extensive experience providing broad policy direction and exercising independent responsibility for planning, directing, and evaluating operational programs and staff.
- Experience overseeing visitor services, customer experience, volunteer management, training, and administrative support functions across multiple departments or locations.
- Demonstrated ability to manage large-scale programs that impact organization-wide operations, service delivery, and public engagement initiatives.
- Proven experience developing and implementing policies, procedures, and operational standards that improve consistency, effectiveness, and quality of service.
- Experience supervising staff by assigning work, establishing priorities, managing schedules, and ensuring timely completion of assignments.
- Strong background evaluating employee performance, providing coaching and counseling, and addressing performance and conduct issues.
- Experience interviewing candidates, recommending hiring actions, promotions, reassignments, and supporting workforce management initiatives.
- Demonstrated ability to identify employee developmental needs and coordinate training and professional development opportunities.
- Experience developing performance standards and implementing performance management practices that support organizational goals.
Technical experience
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 OCEA-ADMIN@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
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.
Apply Now
Application Deadline
June 02, 2026
Department
Office of Visitor Services
Employment Type
Full Time
Location
Washington, DC
Workplace type
Onsite
Compensation
$121,785 - $158,322 / year
Program Specialist Job Roles in Washington DC
See all 47+ Program Specialist Jobs in Washington DC
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Search Program Specialist Jobs in Washington DCProgram Specialist Jobs in Washington DC: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies sponsor visas for program specialists in Washington DC?
Federal government contractors such as Booz Allen Hamilton, Leidos, and SAIC regularly sponsor program specialists through H-1B visas. International organizations like the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and Inter-American Development Bank hire program specialists and often sponsor through G-4 or H-1B pathways. Nonprofits and policy institutes, including RAND Corporation and Urban Institute, also have sponsorship track records for this role.
Which visa types are most common for program specialist roles in Washington DC?
The H-1B is the most common visa for program specialist roles in Washington DC, particularly at private contractors and nonprofits. Candidates at international organizations like the World Bank or IMF may qualify for G-4 visas tied to those institutions. Applicants with extraordinary ability in policy or program management may also explore the O-1 visa, though it requires a substantially documented track record.
How to find program specialist visa sponsorship jobs in Washington DC?
Migrate Mate filters job listings specifically by visa sponsorship status, so you can search program specialist roles in Washington DC without sifting through positions that won't support international candidates. The platform aggregates openings from federal contractors, international organizations, and nonprofits, which are the primary employers of program specialists in DC. Setting up alerts for this role and location keeps new sponsorship-eligible listings in front of you as they're posted.
Which areas within Washington DC have the most program specialist sponsorship jobs?
Most program specialist sponsorship opportunities concentrate in the core DC metro area, particularly in neighborhoods near Capitol Hill, Foggy Bottom, and the K Street corridor where federal agencies, international bodies, and policy organizations are headquartered. The broader metro region, including Bethesda and Arlington, also hosts a significant share of openings through government contractors and defense-adjacent firms with active sponsorship programs.
Are there any DC-specific considerations for program specialist visa sponsorship?
Washington DC's program specialist market is heavily shaped by federal funding cycles and policy priorities, which can affect hiring volume year to year. Because many employers in this space are nonprofits or international organizations rather than commercial firms, they may have more flexibility in how they structure sponsorship compared to for-profit employers. Program specialists should confirm whether a prospective employer is a registered H-1B sponsor before investing significant time in an application process.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored program specialist jobs in Washington DC?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.