Public Affairs Specialist (IS-1001-11)

Job Type: Location Type: Not Specified

 

Public Affairs Specialist (IS-1001-11)

Application Deadline: 27 August 2025

Department: National Museum of Asian Art

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Washington, DC

Compensation: $84,601 – $109,975 / year

Description

OPEN DATE: August 6, 2025

CLOSING DATE: August 27, 2025

POSITION TYPE: Trust Fund

APPOINTMENT TYPE: Indefinite

SCHEDULE: Full Time

DUTY LOCATION: Washington, DC

Position sensitivity and risk: Non-sensitive/Low risk

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

About the National Museum of Asian Art

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art (NMAA) is committed to preserving, exhibiting, researching, and interpreting art in ways that deepen the public and scholarly understandings of Asia and the world. NMAA opened in 1923 as America’s first national art museum and the first Asian art museum in the United States. The museum now stewards one of the world’s most important collections of Asian art, with works dating from antiquity to the present, from China, Japan, Korea, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the pre-Islamic Near East, and the Islamic world (inclusive of Central Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa). The museum also stewards an important collection of nineteenth- and early twentieth-century American art.

Today, NMAA is emerging as a leading national and global resource for understanding the arts, cultures, and societies of Asia, especially at their intersection with America. Guided by the belief that the future of art museums lies in collaboration, increased access, and transparency, NMAA is fostering new ways to engage with its audiences while maintaining its commitment to excellence.

NMAA celebrated its centennial in 2023 and is determined to make the museum’s second century as accomplished as its first. The museum is building on its core strengths-the quality and depth of our collections, scholarship, and conservation-while embracing experimentation and new approaches to its work. The museum is transforming digitally, physically, and programmatically to draw in new audiences to celebrate, learn, and connect with Asian and American art and cultures, past and present.

Located on the National Mall in Washington, DC, the museum is free and open 364 days a year. The Smithsonian, which is the world’s largest museum complex, welcomes twenty to thirty million visitors yearly. For more information about the National Museum of Asian Art, please visit asia.si.edu.

The Opportunity

The National Museum of Asian Art (NMAA) is seeking an experienced, creative, and strategic communicator to serve as our Public Affairs Specialist.

In this pivotal role, our Public Affairs Specialist will be responsible for developing and executing comprehensive media strategies to enhance the museum’s visibility, promote its exhibitions, programs, and research, and engage diverse audiences locally, nationally, and internationally. This position will serve as the museum’s primary spokesperson, cultivating strong relationships with journalists and media outlets across various platforms.

The ideal candidate will bring expertise in strategic communications and media relations. A passion for the NMAA’s mission to deepen the public’s understanding of the art and culture of Asia is also essential.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
• Crafting and implementing innovative media relations plans aligned with the museum’s strategic goals
• Developing compelling press materials, including press releases, media advisories, and talking points
• Proactively pitching stories and cultivating relationships with key media contacts
• Managing media inquiries and coordinating interviews with museum leadership and staff
• Overseeing press events and media previews
• Providing strategic counsel to museum leadership on media relations issues, including proactive and reactive strategies related to reputational management
• Acting as a liaison with the Smithsonian Institution’s Office of Public Affairs
• Training and preparing museum spokespeople for media interviews, public appearances, and press briefings
• Managing media relations budgets, including contracts with external media consultants, press event expenses, and tracking ROI of media efforts
• Monitoring media coverage and analyzing its effectiveness
• Collaborating closely with marketing, communications, and museum teams to ensure consistent messaging
• Managing the museum’s online press room and media database working in partnership with the Smithsonian’s central media relations team
• Staying abreast of industry trends and best practices in media relations and digital communications
• Working collaboratively within the museum’s marketing, content and social media team, manage external media relations firm to ensure alignment with instructional priorities

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

Education: To qualify for this position, applicants must possess a bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university, with a major in education or in a subject-matter field appropriate to the position. A master’s degree is preferred.

In addition to the Education qualification requirement above:

Experience: To qualify for this position, applicants must possess 3-5 years of related experience that demonstrates possession of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities required for this position:
• A minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in media relations, preferably within a cultural institution, non-profit organization, or museum setting
• Proven success in developing and implementing high-impact media campaigns that result in significant, positive media coverage
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with demonstrated ability to craft clear, concise, and compelling messaging for diverse audiences
• Established relationships with national and international media outlets
• Strong knowledge of the media landscape, including print, broadcast, and digital platforms; familiarity with international media is highly desirable
• Demonstrated project management experience, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines
• Experience in managing crisis communications effectively and strategically
• Excellent interpersonal skills and a demonstrated ability to build and maintain effective working relationships
• A strong interest in, and knowledge of, Asian art and culture is highly desirable
• Proficiency in languages relevant to the museum’s collections (e.g., Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Persian) is considered an asset

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 [nmaa-hr@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 (https://www.si.edu/OEO/IndividualswithDisabilities).

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