Director, Office of Safety, Health and Environmental Management

About the role

Reporting to the Under Secretary for Finance and Administration/Chief Financial Officer, this position serves as the principal advisor to Smithsonian leadership on employee and visitor safety, fire and life safety, industrial hygiene, occupational health, environmental management, and radiation safety.

The incumbent represents the Smithsonian before federal, state, and local regulatory agencies and directs the Office of Safety, Health, and Environmental Management (OSHEM) and its programs.

What you will do

• Serves as principal advisor to the Secretary, Deputy Secretary/COO, Under Secretaries, and museum, research, and administrative leadership on matters relating to safety, occupational health, industrial hygiene, fire and life safety, environmental management, radiation protection, and the Smithsonian Scientific Dive Program.
• Provides executive leadership on highly technical and sensitive issues affecting employee, volunteer, and visitor safety; protection of facilities and collections; regulatory compliance; and institutional risk management.
• Develops policies, goals, priorities, and resource strategies that advance Institution-wide safety, health, fire protection, and environmental programs.
• Serves as Director of the Office of Safety, Health and Environmental Management (OSHEM), providing overall leadership and direction for the Office's programs, operations, personnel, and resources.
• Directs, through subordinate managers and supervisors, a multidisciplinary workforce of safety, fire protection, industrial hygiene, occupational health, environmental, radiation safety, and administrative professionals.
• Establishes strategic priorities, assesses program performance, and ensures alignment with Smithsonian mission requirements and regulatory obligations.
• Plans, directs, and evaluates Institution-wide safety, health, environmental, fire protection, and radiation safety programs designed to reduce risk, prevent injuries and losses, protect facilities and collections, and ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, codes, and standards.
• Advises senior leadership on significant program risks, emerging issues, compliance concerns, and organizational priorities, recommending corrective actions and strategic improvements.
• Oversees evaluation processes that assess museum and facility performance in safety, environmental management, and fire protection.
• Ensures significant deficiencies and compliance concerns are identified, prioritized, communicated to leadership, and tracked through resolution.
• Advises Smithsonian leadership regarding critical unresolved risks and compliance issues.
• Directs the development and implementation of environmental management, occupational health, industrial hygiene, and radiation safety policies and programs required to meet regulatory obligations and support Smithsonian operations.
• Provides oversight of compliance activities, environmental reviews, hazard assessment programs, medical monitoring, and radiation protection requirements.
• Serves as Smithsonian Fire Marshal and authority having jurisdiction for fire protection and life-safety matters.
• Directs policies, standards, and programs that ensure compliance with applicable fire and life-safety codes and support protection of Smithsonian facilities, collections, staff, and visitors.
• Oversees fire protection planning, code compliance, construction review, and fire prevention initiatives.
• Serves as Chair of the Smithsonian Safety Committee and provides leadership for Institution-wide safety awareness, training, risk reduction, accident prevention, and performance improvement initiatives.
• Oversees analysis of injury and loss trends, reviews significant incidents, and ensures implementation of corrective and preventive actions.
• Directs the planning, allocation, and management of appropriated funds supporting safety, health, fire protection, and environmental programs.
• Ensures effective stewardship of resources and alignment of funding with organizational priorities.
• Represents the Smithsonian in high-level policy discussions and serves as the Institution's principal representative with federal, state, and local regulatory agencies and external organizations on matters involving safety, health, fire protection, environmental management, and compliance.
• Provides authoritative guidance on significant policy issues, regulatory requirements, and program developments.
• Provides executive leadership for the development and implementation of improved management approaches, systems, and practices that enhance program effectiveness, efficiency, and accountability.
• Serves as the final authority on issues elevated beyond subordinate management levels and promotes continuous improvement through application of emerging best practices and regulatory developments.

Requirements

• Meets the basic qualifications and specialized experience as listed below.

How you will be evaluated

The qualifications listed in this document will be used along with your resume and your responses to the questions posed in the electronic application process to determine the candidates who will move forward in the evaluation process. When crafting your responses to the questions, please provide concise, detailed information on your background and experience.

Applicants who meet or exceed minimum qualifications will be assigned to one of three category groups based on job-related criteria: Best Category - Meets the minimum qualification requirements and excels in most of the job-related competencies set forth above.

Better Category - Meets the minimum qualification requirements and satisfies most of the job-related competencies set forth above. Good Category - Meets the minimum qualification requirements but does not satisfy most of the job-related competencies set forth above to a substantive degree.

This category rating process does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of three” but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category.

A selecting official may make selections from the highest quality category (Best Category) provided no preference eligible in that category is passed over to select a non-preference eligible in that category unless the requirements of 5 U.S.C. 3317(b) or 3318(b) are satisfied.

Preference eligibles who meet minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent must be listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-9 grade level or higher.

Applicants who have not submitted a resume in the USAJobs system will not be considered for this position. Important Note: Your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses to the occupational questionnaire or other assessment tool for consistency.

If a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than supported by your resume, you will be assigned a rating commensurate to your described experience. Your resume should provide sufficient information regarding how your education and experience relate to the major duties and qualifications criteria listed for this position.

PART-TIME OR UNPAID EXPERIENCE: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid work on the same basis as for paid experience. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities.

To receive credit for such experience you must indicate clearly the nature of the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the average number of hours per week spent in such employment. You may preview questions for this vacancy.

Documents you must provide

• Resume Proof of Veteran's Preference - DD214 (Member 4 Copy), if you are a veteran.
• Additionally, applicants claiming 10-point preference must complete Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, as well as additional documentation required by the SF-15, such as a VA letter.
• Unofficial school transcripts, if the position has an education requirement or if you are using education to qualify.
• If selected for the position, you must provide an official transcript before appointment.
• Proof of U.S. accreditation for foreign study, if applicable.

Benefits

The Smithsonian offers a comprehensive benefits program for both federal and trust employees. See *** for details. We also offer a rich program of services and opportunities to balance and enhance your work life.

They include: Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center (an accredited educational program for children between the ages of 3 months to 6 years), transportation benefits, professional interest groups, employee advocacy groups, special events such as brown bag lunches, an annual picnic on the Mall, an annual holiday party, free lectures, behind-the-scenes tours and employee discounts at our theaters, shops and after hours events.

These and other programs have made the Smithsonian one of the top places to work in the government.

What to expect next

After you apply and the position has closed, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. We usually have a large response to senior level positions and it may take some time to effectively review application packages. We will contact you by email as decisions are made.

Additional information

SUPERVISORY CONTROLS The incumbent works under the broad direction of the Under Secretary for Finance and Administration/CFO and independently develops and directs all aspects of OSHEM programs and activities.

Exercises a high degree of managerial and executive knowledge and abilities as well as professional expertise across a broad spectrum of disciplines that encompasses staff and visitor safety, fire protection life safety, occupational health and environmental management.

Performance is appraised primarily in terms of overall effectiveness in the attainment of program goals and objectives, productivity of operations, establishment of effective cost containment systems, and sound internal program controls.

As Director, OSHEM, the incumbent is responsible for providing leadership, direction, and management for the SI-wide programs administered by the Office.

The incumbent provides executive direction and administration for complex, diverse, and highly technical institution wide safety, fire protection, industrial hygiene and occupational health, environmental management, and radiation protection programs for the Smithsonian Institution.

The Director manages an office with an annual budget in excess of $6 million and oversees a highly technical staff of 40 employees. SECURITY LEVEL This position has been reviewed to determine the level of POSITION SENSITIVITY. Based on the nature of the work, the position has been determined to be Public Trust/HIGH RISK.

This designation will require (1) a pre-employment Security Agency Check (SAC) for the prospective incumbent; and (2) a subsequent comprehensive background investigation and favorable adjudication in order to continue in the position.

EEO The Smithsonian Institution does not discriminate against in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, age, membership in an employee organization or other non-merit factors.

REASONABLE ACCOMODATION The Smithsonian provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need an accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the contact person listed in this announcement. The decision on granting a reasonable accommodation will be made on a case by case basis.

RELOCATION Relocation expenses will not be paid.