VP, Project Management & Design

Application Deadline: 27 March 2026

Department: Smithsonian Enterprises

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Washington, DC

Reporting To: SVP, Retail Group

Compensation: $160,000 - $175,000 / year

Description

OPEN DATE: March 9, 2026                    CLOSING DATE: March 27, 2026            POSITION TYPE: Trust FundAPPOINTMENT TYPE: Indefinite SCHEDULE: Full Time DUTY LOCATION: Washington, DC 

Position sensitivity and risk: Low

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 VP, Project Management and Design coordinates with museum business liaisons, curators, Smithsonian Facilities-OPDC, OFMR, executive staff, and outside sources to establish and ensure SE projects are within Smithsonian established compliance guidelines, quality, and safety standards.  Works with Vice President of Merchandising, Directors of Store Operations, Vice President of Fulfillment and Concessions, and Director of Theaters to ensure new initiatives and improvements meet SI guidelines. 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Works in conjunction with museum business liaisons, curators, and executive staff for coordination and development of SE retail stores, restaurants, and other concession projects to meet SE objectives, museum initiatives, and Smithsonian Facilities (SF) Master Planning projects. 
• Meets monthly with Smithsonian Facilities Senior Management to update progress related to SE projects and new initiatives.
• Develops annual and 3-year budgets for Retail Capital initiatives and maintenance projects for Senior Leadership review and approval.
• Presents SE Retail initiated project plans, budgets, and proposed schedule to Museum stakeholders for acceptance and agreement.
• Collaborates with SE Finance and Accounting for issuance of Capital Appropriation Requests, fund transfers, review of depreciation and asset schedules, and project closeouts. 
• Interfaces with SI and museum executives to execute mission-based retail construction project opportunities.
• Collaborates with Retail Management staff on new product initiatives which may require new fixturing, equipment, or additional infrastructure support.
• Provides guidance to Graphic Designers to ensure provenance materials and signage follow established guidelines.  

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

Education and Experience: Bachelor's degree (BS) in a related field and ten to fifteen years related experience and training.  Advanced degree preferred.  Certification in PMP, PE, AIA, LEED or CMAA preferred.

• Minimum of ten years related experience and training where responsibilities were progressively increased and included multiple renovations and or new projects within Retail environments.
• 10 or more years of project management experience working with commercial construction industry, retail, and other capital improvement projects 
• Experience with Microsoft Office, including PowerPoint, Excel, and MS Project Manager. 
• Ability to apply knowledge of general retail operations to store design and fixtures.
• Must possess thorough knowledge of Construction Management practices.
• Strong proficiency in review of construction documents.
• Knowledge of retail market design concepts. 
• Store Design and Project Management in Museums a plus. 
• Demonstrated experience in dispute resolution and relationship building.
• Must have outstanding written and oral communication skills, as well as the ability to work in a collaborative team environment. 
• Well-developed analytical and critical thinking skills, excellent oral and written communication abilities, an entrepreneurial yet disciplined management style, and have a reputation for conducting themselves with integrity, both personally and professionally.
• Skill in preparing summaries of complex information for presentation to diverse audiences; ability to choose and execute the right communications, content, and presentation to reflect purpose and audience: briefings, presentations, memoranda, reports, etc.

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 SECareers@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