Senior Manager, Event Stewardship and Protocol

Job Title: Senior Manager, Event Stewardship and Protocol

Department: External Affairs

Location: Virtual/Remote from the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area

Reports to: Vice President, Events

Classification: Exempt

Position Type: Full-Time Employee

Pay Band: $67,278 - $91,023

Blue Star Families

Blue Star Families is a growing non-profit (Military Service Organization (MSO)) with a history of delivering innovative solutions. We're the team that senior DoD leaders seek out when they want ground truth on issues facing our military families. Our team members are motivated individuals that help each other do remarkable things for military families to bridge the civilian-military divide every day.   We deliver first-class solutions that transform the military experience for military family members.  We operate in an agile arena where great minds come together to make life better for military members and their families.  We focus on data-driven insights while understanding the value of spirited storytelling.   And we do all this in a highly flexible, virtual environment with great benefits!  Our diverse and inclusive environment fosters a sense of belonging among our team resulting in innovative and creative decision-making.

Are you ready to make a difference for the families of those who serve our great nation?  We are the ideal match for the innovator, the out-of-the-box, strategic thinker who understands the value of social impact.

General Description

The Senior Manager, Event Stewardship and Protocol is responsible for creating, implementing, and administering a comprehensive program to ensure that key stakeholders (e.g., senior military, donors, government and elected officials, partners, and celebrities), are effectively stewarded and engaged at BSF events. This role encompasses all aspects of stewardship, including creating and managing  invitation lists, writing invitations and follow-up correspondence, developing stewardship and engagement plans, and database management for all relevant events ranging in size from 10 to 1,000. The Senior Manager will help to create meaningful and memorable experiences for all stakeholders.

Events may include cultivation events, large stakeholder gatherings (e.g., Celebration and annual Stakeholder event), chapter-led events, member events, campaign events (e.g., Do Your Part and Welcome Week), congressional events, and virtual events. The Senior Manager will execute all phases of stewardship and protocol, ensuring that Blue Star Families fulfills its responsibilities while enhancing donor relations and engagement.

*The Senior Manager must reside in the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area

Key Job Functions

• Oversee the daily operations of stewardship activities, including appropriate military and civilian protocol, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and donor intent.
• Manage invitation lists, invitations, follow-up correspondence and database management for all relevant events.
• Design, plan, and manage stewardship initiatives to enhance donor relations and engagement.
• Utilize exceptional writing skills to craft communications, reports, and event materials that resonate with stakeholders.
• Conduct outreach to engage new and potential stakeholders with Blue Star Families, particularly within government and military sectors.
• Assist in creating a smooth stakeholder experience at events, including appropriate on-site engagement and seating arrangements.
• Help to create meaningful and memorable experiences for all stakeholders.
• Develop and manage comprehensive stewardship reports and events for major donors and stakeholders, highlighting the impact of their contributions.
• Produce detailed, centralized impact reports to provide accountability for all funds, aggregating sensitive data from multiple sources, including program outcomes and financial management.
• Conceptualize and implement integrated donor relations activities, fostering long-term loyalty through engagement, recognition societies, and stewardship initiatives.
• Maintain a high level of accountability, gratitude, and responsiveness to donors, including individuals, corporations, and foundations, while recognizing key segments such as major and estate donors.
• Serve as the liaison between the development team and various departments (e.g., finance, program management, executive leadership) for agreements, reporting, and compliance.
• Conduct training sessions for development staff and partners to ensure best practices in agreement management, recognition, and stewardship to mitigate risk.
• Analyze processes and documentation annually to identify improvements in engagement and stewardship strategies.
• Collaborate with team leaders to review data that facilitates informed decision-making regarding stewardship and engagement initiatives.
• Identify and implement best practices to align stewardship, engagement, and reporting with national standards and meet donor expectations.
• Ensure accurate recording of stewardship requirements in the organization’s database and related systems.
• Perform other duties as assigned. 

Required Experience, Skills & Background

• 4-7 years years of related experience in stakeholder stewardship
• Extensive experience working with government and military entities, demonstrating a strong understanding of the unique needs and expectations of these stakeholders.
• Bachelor’s degree in a related field
• Exceptional writing skills, with the ability to convey complex information clearly and compellingly.
• Residency in the DC metro area is required to facilitate engagement with local stakeholders and attend events.
• Ability to produce high-‐quality work on deadline; comfortable managing multiple projects, priorities and deadlines in a fast-‐paced environment.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Flexibility with work schedule in support of deadlines and events.
• Commitment to the highest standards of professionalism.
• Regular local travel is required to attend meetings, events, etc.
• May be required to work nights, weekends, and holidays as necessary to carry out key job functions.
• Limited out-of-town, overnight travel may be required. 
• Ability to lift and carry supplies and equipment up to 30 lbs.

Desired Experience, Skills & Background

• Experience with membership driven organizations.
• Experience with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems; familiarity with Salesforce.

More About Blue Star Families

Blue Star Families empowers military and Veteran families to thrive by connecting them with their civilian neighbors — both people and organizations — to create strong communities of mutual support. We believe we're all stronger when we take care of one another.

Our groundbreaking research is raising the nation's awareness of the unique challenges of military family life. With the help of neighbors across the country, Blue Star Families is overcoming the isolation and alienation of frequent moves, deployments, and reduced support from the government. Our innovative programs are solving specific challenges for military families, including fighting economic insecurity with resources that foster spouse career development, creating family strength with rich family programming, and providing critical peer support for caregivers, whose numbers are only increasing.

Blue Star Families is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. 

EEO Policy

Blue Star Families is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Why Blue Star Families?

• Virtual/remote nonprofit organization that moves with you (position specific)
• Career growth opportunities
• Excellent benefits (403(b) with matching, Flexible Spending, Life Insurance, Short-Term Disability, Communications Allowance, and more)
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS) Leave for Active Duty Military Spouses
• On-the-job professional development training
• Front-line opportunity to positively impact the military experience
• Competitive salaries
• Workplace flexibility