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Blue Star Families · 2 weeks ago

Associate Director, Government Affairs

Washington DC Area

Full-time

Hybrid

Senior Level, Lead/Staff

$79K/yr - $109K/yr

5+ years exp

Blue Star Families is the largest nonprofit dedicated to improving military life for families. The Associate Director of Government Affairs will manage advocacy efforts with Congress and the Administration, develop coalitions, monitor legislation, and prepare advocacy materials to support military and veteran families.

Communities

Responsibilities

Manage and execute BSF advocacy strategy with Congress and the Administration, including occasional fly-ins by staff and volunteers

Develop and maintain coalitions with other VSOs and MSOs

Monitor legislative activity and media developments to inform BSF’s advocacy strategy

Prepare essential advocacy materials, including testimony and issue briefs

Represent BSF at public events and through social media to maintain a positive public presence

Leverage BSF research, including the annual MFLS to drive policy solutions

Manage administrative staff and execute administrative requirements for the GA team (e.g., scheduling, use of Salesforce, Hive, Google Suite)

Collaborate with other BSF departments, including Communications, Research, Chapters and Outposts, Development, etc

Contribute to evidence-based policy recommendation development and expand BSF's thought leadership in military and Veteran family issues

Assist with supervision and training of qualified personnel, interns, and fellows

Represent Blue Star Families at community events and networking opportunities to elevate the chapter’s visibility and mission

Perform other duties as assigned

Qualification

Advocacy strategyLegislative processStakeholder engagementPublic speakingSocial media useCoalition buildingWritten communicationData analysisRelationship managementMilitary family knowledgeProblem-solvingTeam collaboration

Required

Bachelor's degree plus 5-7 years of experience in policy, public affairs, or advocacy

A passion for improving life for military service members, veterans, and their families

Regular engagement with Congress

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including public speaking and social media use

Daily consumer of media covering current events and military-veteran community

Proven ability to build and enhance relationships with key stakeholders across political, military, and organizational leadership

Capacity to identify emerging issues and develop unique, innovative solutions

Must be able to work independently, manage ambiguity, and deliver results in a fast-paced environment

Ability to work well in a hybrid remote/in-person environment, and ability to collaborate with a largely-remote BSF staff

Local travel requirements required outside of your home office throughout the National Capital Region

Ability to travel out of town overnight several times per year for staff offsites, planning retreats, and company-wide events. These gatherings are essential for connection, brainstorming, and staying strategically aligned across teams. Participation is required as a core part of the role

May be required to work nights, weekends, and holidays as necessary to carry out key job functions

Ability to lift and carry supplies and equipment up to 30 lbs