Director, Office of Safety, Health and Environmental Management

Summary

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.

Duties

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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

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Conditions of employment

• Pass Pre-Employment Background Investigation
• May need to complete a Probationary Period
• Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer
• Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered with Selective Service

Meets the basic qualifications and specialized experience as listed below.

Qualifications

BASIC QUALIFICATIONSApplicants must clearly demonstrate the necessary level of managerial and leadership skills and competence to perform successfully in this position. This includes a degree in an applicable subject matter field, or a combination of education and appropriate experience that provides knowledge comparable to that normally acquired through successful completion of a four-year course of study in an applicable subject matter field.SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCEIn addition, applicants must have one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-15 level. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated expert knowledge and experience in occupational safety and health, fire protection, environmental management, and regulatory compliance; and planning, directing, and managing enterprise-wide safety, health, and environmental programs for a large agency, major organizational component, or comparable organization.

The applications that meet the basic qualifications will be evaluated further against the following criteria:

1. Skill in providing strategic leadership and direction through extensive managerial and executive expertise across a broad range of disciplines, including staff and visitor safety, fire protection, life safety, occupational health, and environmental management. This includes the ability to integrate complex programs, drive organizational effectiveness, and ensure compliance with applicable policies, standards, and best practices.
2. Interpersonal skills in building cooperative relationships and negotiating solutions that address varied, complex and occasionally opposing interests. This includes explaining positions/solutions, both orally and in writing, and gaining acceptance by museum colleagues, and customers/managers at all levels.
3. Knowledge and skill in executive level program planning, budgetary process, and resource management including developing program/project performance tracking and upward reporting systems; and establishing results-based performance measures.
4. Skill in leading, supervising, and managing a multi-disciplined and talented workforce, including fostering teamwork and high morale as well as developing, attracting, retaining and motivating employees.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

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.

Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

The Smithsonian offers a comprehensive benefits program for both federal and trust employees. See www.sihr.si.edu 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.

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.