Smithsonian Seeks Lead for Broad Swath of Digital Transformation Efforts

The Smithsonian Institute, which manages the world largest set of museums and research facilities, is looking to hire a new digital transformation lead to work on the virtual experience at Smithsonian’s physical locations and online.

“The Head of Digital Transformation will be expected to conceptualize and execute an institutional digital transformation strategy, integrate and prioritize ongoing digital initiatives, ensure new and innovative ideas are considered and acted upon, and target a handful of key cultural and structural reforms needed to support a truly ‘One Smithsonian’ digital approach,” according to a job opening posted on USAJobs.gov.

The position will be tasked with planning and executing ways to use technology to improve several aspects of museum management, including:

• Audience experience and engagement, to include new customer relationship management tools and data analytics to “inform strategic decision-making and to adopt a visitor engagement strategy that takes a holistic view of the audience experience across all visitor touch points—digital and physical—and for all audience communities.”
• Infrastructure support and integration, including an audit of all digital resources, talent and media and a plan to supplement with additional resources where needed.
• Learning and development resources to help Smithsonian employees gain new digital skills.
• Collections management and capacity building, including prioritizing the digitization process with an eye toward K-12 education and race and community with “a workflow that makes the digitization of content a transparent and collaborative process.”
• Leading digital preservation efforts of physical assets.
• Develop a plan for outreach and partnership building with external partners, “including corporate entities, donors and Smithsonian board members.”

The institute is offering a salary range of $144,482 to $287,237 a year.

To be eligible, applicants must be able to show a track record of management and leadership and at least “one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-15 level.” That experience could include “leading and implementing an enterprise-wide digital transformation strategy across a large, complex organization with myriad stakeholders,” the job posting states.

While a bachelor's degree from a four-year college is preferred, significant experience “comparable to that normally acquired through successful completion of a four-year course of study” is also acceptable.

Applicants will have to go through an extensive background check for a public trust/high-risk position, though will not require a security clearance. The position also does not require a drug test.

The position is open to the general public, or as the job posting puts it: “U.S. citizens, nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.”

The position is also flexible for telework options, as the work is based out of Smithsonian headquarters in Washington, D.C., but “is open to candidates who wish to reside in other locations within the United States.”

The application window closes on Feb. 3.