- Salary
- $58k – $75k/yr
- Location
- Washington, DC
- Type
- Full-time
- Department
- Customer Service
- Education
- Master
Description
Management Support Specialist, IS-0301-07
Application Deadline: 20 July 2026
Department: National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute
Employment Type: Full Time
Location: Washington, DC
Reporting To: Chief Budget Officer
Compensation: $57,736 - $75,059 / year
Description
OPEN DATE: July 6, 2026
CLOSING DATE: July 20, 2026 (This job will close once 150 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 (NS)/Low Risk
Who May Apply:
Open to all qualified applicants
This is a career ladder opportunity with promotion potential to grade IS-9. Promotion to the next higher grade, up to IS-9, may occur at management’s discretion upon the supervisor’s recommendation, subject to the availability of funds, classification requirements, satisfactory performance, and the employee's qualifications.
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Who May Apply:
Open to all qualified applicants
This is a career ladder opportunity with promotion potential to grade IS-9. Promotion to the next higher grade, up to IS-9, may occur at management’s discretion upon the supervisor’s recommendation, subject to the availability of funds, classification requirements, satisfactory performance, and the employee's qualifications.
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 in the Finance and Administrative Services Division, Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI). The incumbent reports to the Supervisory Budget Officer and is responsible for providing procurement, financial, cash management/collections activities, and administrative support to NZCBI to include purchasing, property management, travel orders, and other operational needs associated with a unit and/or program. Serves as administrative contact for a major department encumbering a range of office requests to include programmatic, reimbursements, travel, and/or general office purchasing requests. Develops, analyzes, evaluates, and maintains internal cuff record systems, file organization, information and documentation systems, and other similar functions of administration for NZCBI Unit or Program staff. NZCBI has major facilities located at Rock Creek Park in Washington, DC and Front Royal, VA with a number of staff members located permanently in different areas of the country or overseas.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The incumbent serves as a Management Support Specialist (MSS) and provides administrative, financial, procurement, travel, and operational support to assigned programs. Major duties include:
Fund Management and Budget Administration
- Provides budget and financial management support for federal appropriations, trust funds, grants, and interagency transfers.
- Maintains, reconciles, and monitors financial records in PeopleSoft and internal tracking systems to ensure accuracy and compliance with Smithsonian policies and financial regulations.
- Tracks expenditures, analyzes spending trends, identifies discrepancies, and assists with corrective actions to support sound financial management.
- Prepares recurring financial reports, budget summaries, deposits, and cash management documentation.
- Supports revenue collection activities, donation tracking, cash handling operations, and cash management reporting.
Procurement and Financial Transactions
- Provides procurement support by preparing purchase requests, purchase orders, and purchase card transactions.
- Verifies funding availability and ensures procurement actions comply with Federal regulations, Smithsonian policies, and grant requirements.
- Coordinates vendor payments, resolves procurement and payment discrepancies, and maintains supporting documentation.
- Processes reimbursements, honoraria, and other financial transactions in Smithsonian financial systems.
- Assists in evaluating procurement activities for compliance, cost effectiveness, and operational efficiency.
Travel Administration
- Coordinates domestic and international travel arrangements for staff, interns, fellows, visitors, and invited guests.
- Prepares travel authorizations and vouchers and ensures compliance with Federal Travel Regulations and Smithsonian travel policies.
- Provides travel-related guidance and assists with resolving travel documentation and reimbursement issues.
- Reviews travel activity and identifies opportunities to improve efficiency and compliance.
Administrative and Operational Support
- Provides administrative support to management and program staff and serves as a point of contact for routine operational inquiries.
- Processes and verifies employee time and attendance records using WebTA.
- Maintains property and inventory records and supports equipment accountability efforts in accordance with Smithsonian policies.
- Assists with vendor management activities, document routing, records maintenance, and administrative operations.
- Evaluates administrative processes, identifies opportunities for improvement, and recommends solutions to enhance efficiency, effectiveness, and compliance.
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
- Knowledge of budget administration, financial management practices, and accounting principles sufficient to support the monitoring, tracking, and reconciliation of federal appropriations, trust funds, grants, gifts, and other funding sources.
- Knowledge of procurement, purchasing, contracting, and payment processes sufficient to assist with the preparation, processing, and tracking of procurement actions in accordance with Federal and Smithsonian policies and procedures.
- Knowledge of domestic and international travel regulations, travel card procedures, and travel administration processes sufficient to coordinate travel arrangements and process travel authorizations and vouchers.
- Knowledge of administrative operations, records management, property accountability, timekeeping, and office procedures sufficient to support program operations and maintain accurate records.
- Knowledge of financial, procurement, travel, and administrative systems sufficient to enter, track, analyze, and retrieve information and prepare reports.
- Knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Excel, and Word, and the ability to maintain spreadsheets, databases, and tracking systems.
- Skill in researching, analyzing, and resolving routine financial and administrative issues and identifying discrepancies requiring corrective action.
- Ability to interpret and apply policies, procedures, and regulations to a variety of administrative, financial, procurement, and travel-related matters.
- Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, and provide excellent customer service while working with staff, management, vendors, and external partners.
- Ability to organize and prioritize multiple assignments, meet deadlines, and work effectively in a fast-paced environment with competing priorities.
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 LaDonnys Biagas, [email protected]. 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 provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation should contact LaDonnys Biagas, [email protected]. 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
Skills
ExcelComplianceCustomer ServiceCash HandlingProcurement
