Duties

Summary

This position is located in the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), U.S. Botanic Garden (USBG), Public Programs Division. The selectee will serve as the Public Programs Manager and manage planning, developing and carrying out programs, interpretation and exhibits that fulfill the USBG's educational mission and serve a diverse audience. The selectee will also serve on the USBG's senior management team, contributing to all aspects of the organization's operations.

Learn more here: US Botanic Garden

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

The U.S. Botanic Garden is comprised of approximately 70 positions organized into Administrative Services Division, Public Programs Division, Horticulture Division and an Operations Division. The USBG is dedicated to demonstrating the aesthetic, cultural, economic, therapeutic and ecological importance of plants to the well-being of humans. To meet this mission, the USBG provides memorable, educational experiences to over 1 million visitors annually, strives to break down barriers of inclusion, and hosts numerous congressional events each year.

Duties quoted at GS-14 level include:

Education and Information Activities

• Develops and manages educational programs that further the USBG's mission, are accessible to a diversity of audiences, and enhance public knowledge of botany, horticulture, conservation and agriculture. Works closely with USBG and AOC colleagues and local and national partners to accomplish these goals. Develops educational initiatives and resources to foster greater and more effective involvement of public gardens, educational institutions and other organizations in increasing public knowledge and appreciation of plants, gardening and agriculture. Utilizes diverse modes of information delivery, such as classes, conferences, demonstrations, distance learning, exhibits, informal learning, lectures, media coverage, mobile technology, publications, social media, tours and workshops. Manages the development of educational programming that breaks down barriers of inclusion for underserved populations.
• Serves as an expert in biological sciences or in informal education in museum or public garden settings. Oversees scientific interpretive content development to ensure that interpretive signs and exhibits represent accurate information conveyed in a manner relevant and accessible to a diverse audience. Maintains collaborative relationships with professionals at other botanic gardens and museums, as well as with colleagues at other education, community, and research institutions.
• Manages the administration of volunteers who facilitate visitor services and help maintain the plants and gardens of the USBG. Manages the preparation and dissemination of printed and online USBG educational and interpretive materials, visitor brochures, program flyers, volunteer training manuals, audio tour and other educational and visitor services documents. Develops outreach materials in plant conservation, sustainable gardening, horticulture, urban agriculture and other botanical topics to serve a diverse audience in the D.C. area and across the nation.

Exhibit Planning and Development

• Develops long-range exhibit plans in conjunction with the Exhibits Committee, on which the manager serves as a voting member. Reviews and approves exhibit designs and concepts. Makes initial proposals, prepares conceptual outlines and budgets, coordinates and writes interpretation, assembles objects and graphics, coordinates design and production and ensures exhibits are installed properly and on time.
• Develops annual and multi-year plans of creative exhibits for all venues in the USBG. Ensures that exhibits are in service to the Garden's mission, are accessible and relevant to a diversity of audiences, and are integrated into the full scope and delivery of USBG educational offerings such as lectures, workshops, festivals, demonstrations and displays.
• Negotiates cooperative agreements, partnerships, exchanges, loans and arrangements for traveling exhibits.

Supervisory Duties

• Exercises the full range of supervisory responsibilities for a team of educators and other assigned employees.
• Provides guidance on and ensures accountability of performance management.
• Ensures nondiscriminatory equal employment opportunity (EEO) practices for the area under supervision in the following: (1) merit promotion of employees and recruitment and hiring of applicants; (2) fair treatment of all employees; (3) encouragement and recognition of employee achievements; (4) career development of employees; and (5) full utilization of their skills.

Management, Planning and Evaluation

• Designs and manages the USBG education program to inform and educate diverse audiences about plants. Evaluates program components for trends and recommends revisions or new programs to meet projected goals. Identifies and develops data and metrics required for the management and direction of educational programs and initiatives.
• Plans and implements audience studies, focus groups, visitor surveys and other methods of data collection for use in planning educational displays and public programs. Summarizes data and prepares reports on visitor attendance, demographics and experiences.

Duties continued in Requirements field:

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
Yes

Promotion Potential
14

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen.
• You must be able to pass a drug test.
• Your resume and question responses must demonstrate the job-related KSAs.
• You must meet the definition of specialized experience.

***NOTE: The position requires flexibility in work schedule. Work on weekends, evening, and holidays is required.***

Duties continued:

• Initiates and reviews purchase requisitions, quote requests, scope of work statements, technical specs and other activities associated with procurement of goods and services for the Public Programs team. Serves as a Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR) to ensure that contracted work proceeds according to quality standards that meet program goals and serve the mission of the U.S. Botanic Garden.
• Analyzes work requirements and determines staff, supplies, financial and other resources needed to offer world class educational programming and exhibits to over one million public visitors each year.

Qualifications

You must meet the United States Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements (including specialized experience and/or educational requirements) for the advertised position. You must meet all eligibility and qualifications requirements by the closing date of the job announcement. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on the OPM web site at OPM classification standards

Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level.

Candidates for the GS-13 grade level must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service.

Specialized experience is defined as having experience in 5 of the following: (1) Developing, managing and administering public education programs in botany, biology, ecology, natural science, environmental science, horticulture, conservation or agriculture; (2) Planning and developing educational programs and hands-on activities for adults, youth or families; (3) Working collaboratively on exhibits, festivals, coordinating events or visitor services on plant science; (4) Enhancing public awareness of educational activities via website, handout, brochure, exhibit or other visitor communication vehicles; (5) Gathering, analyzing and presenting data to include developing reporting metrics and evaluations of educational programs; (6) Providing administrative and technical leadership or supervision to employees; (7) Administering a volunteer program.

Candidates for the GS-14 grade level must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service.

Specialized experience is defined as having experience in 6 of the following: (1) Developing, managing and administering public education programs in botany, biology, ecology, natural science, environmental science, horticulture, conservation or agriculture; (2) Planning and developing educational programs and hands-on activities for adults, youth or families; (3) Working collaboratively on exhibits, festivals, events or visitor services on plant science; (4) Enhancing public awareness of educational activities via website, handout, brochure, exhibit or other visitor communication vehicles; (5) Gathering, analyzing and presenting data to include developing reporting metrics and evaluations of educational programs; (6) Providing administrative and technical leadership or supervision to employees; (7) Administering a volunteer program.

A Master's degree in education, botany, horticulture, agriculture, ecology, environmental science, natural science, conservation, or related field is preferred but not required.

Education

This position has promotion potential to the GS-14. A bachelor's degree or higher is required for all AOC positions at grade GS-14 and above. Advancement to the GS-14 is contingent upon possession or attainment of a bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university.

***A copy of your transcript(s) and/or diploma will be required upon selection if applying for the GS-14.***

Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part of foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree.

You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing if selected.

Additional information

Welcome Veterans. The Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) gives veterans' preference rights in the legislative branch to certain veterans as applied by the Congressional Accountability Act. Veterans' preference is applied on this vacancy announcement. If you are a veteran and have been separated under honorable conditions, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility; SF-15, if applicable; and Department of Veterans Affairs documentation of disability, if applicable. For more information, please visit OPM vet guide

If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System. If you are exempt from registration under Selective Service Law, you must provide appropriate proof of exemption. Please visit the Selective Service System website for more information.

DRUG TESTING: The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is a Drug Free Workplace. As part of the AOC's suitability assessment, a candidate tentatively selected for a position who is not currently an AOC employee is required to submit to screening for illegal drug use. Satisfactory completion of a drug test is a condition of employment with the Agency. A candidate must test negative prior to being eligible for appointment into a position. We will schedule, provide and cover the cost for the drug test.

The selectee(s) under the vacancy announcement for this position is subject to a criminal record check by the U.S. Capitol Police and satisfactory adjudication to be eligible for employment at the Architect of the Capitol.

The Architect of the Capitol is an E-VERIFY Participant. E-VERIFY is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee's Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment authorization in the United States. If you are selected for this position, the documentation that you present for purposes of completing the DHS Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-VERIFY" electronic system. For more information on E-Verify, please visit http://www.dhs.gov/files/programs/gc_1185221678150.shtm

The Architect of the Capitol is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information and/or disability.

This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Moving expenses are not authorized.

Relocation expenses are not authorized.

Probationary Period - A newly appointed selectee is subject to the completion of a one-year trial/probationary period, regardless of whether or not a trial/probationary period has been completed previously with the Architect of the Capitol or another Federal agency.

This vacancy announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies in any of the jurisdictions of the Architect of the Capitol.

All application materials become the property of the Architect of the Capitol.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Review your resume and responses carefully. Your eligibility for consideration and qualifications for the position will be determined based upon a review of your detailed resume and your responses to job specific self-assessment questions.

Your resume will be evaluated based on evidence of your ability to demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) for this position, possession of any specialized experience, and how well your background and experience relates to the self-assessment questions in the job announcement. The self-assessment questions relate to the following knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies:

• Knowledge of either 1) botany, ecology, horticulture, agriculture, conservation, or natural or environmental science; or 2) informal museum- or garden-based education, to initiate, plan, analyze and evaluate educational programs, exhibits and interpretation.
• Knowledge of the principles, methods, practices and techniques of education to conceptualize, develop, implement, and evaluate educational public programs and exhibits for diverse audiences.
• Knowledge to develop and oversee botanical education curricula with USBG employees and volunteers, and in collaboration with individuals at public gardens, universities, museums, educational organizations, research institutions, schools, community groups and other federal agencies.
• Ability to gather, analyze and present data to produce effective and credible evaluations and summaries of USBG programs.
• Ability to review and analyze design and construction drawings to develop and evaluate exhibits and displays.
• Ability to provide administrative supervision for assigned employees.
• Ability to plan and execute budgets and oversee contractors and contract management and administration.

Your responses to the self-assessment questions serve as the basis for your initial rating. You will receive a numerical score based on your responses to these questions. Next, your responses will be evaluated by a Human Resources Specialist and/or a subject matter expert against the information provided in your resume and optional cover letter. Your resume must support your answers to the self-assessment questions. Falsifying your background, education and/or experience is cause for non-selection or disqualification from further consideration.

Please note that a complete application is required for consideration. (Please review the "Required Documents" section of this job announcement to see what must be included in a complete application).

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Other

Drug test required
Yes

Required Documents

The Architect of the Capitol's job application process is designed to ensure that we only ask you for the information that is absolutely needed to evaluate your qualifications and eligibility for the position.

To apply for this position, you only need to submit online the following: a) your resume and 2) answer the online vacancy assessment questionnaire. The online questionnaire contains eligibility and screening questions and other relevant supplemental information. No additional documentation or attachment is required at the time of application.

We ask that you prepare and submit a resume that best describes fully your background experience, skills, abilities, education, training and other relevant credentials. The resume should include dates of employment.

Nothing further is required until it is requested by the staff of the Human Capital Management Division. If additional documentation is required for a position, you will be asked to provide it during the selection process or upon selection. At that point, we may ask you to submit documentation to support statements made in your resume.

For example, we may ask you to provide documents such as college transcripts, copy of diploma or proof of Federal employment status. If the position requires a license or certification, we will ask candidate(s) to provide proof at the time of selection.

If you are claiming veterans' preference, we may ask you to submit proof of Veterans preference (DD-214, and, if claiming 10-point preference, the SF-15 plus proof required by that form).

If you fail to provide the required documents, we will withdraw a tentative job offer made and/or remove you from further consideration.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.