Senior Vice President, Development

Job Title: Senior Vice President, Development 

Department: Development

Location: Remote/Virtual within the continental US

Reports to: Chief External Affairs

Direct Reports: Yes

Classification: Exempt 

Position type: Full-Time Employee

Pay Band: $135,000 - $186,000

 

Blue Star Families

Blue Star Families is the largest nonprofit dedicated to making military life better for families. Each year, we support over 1.5 million military- and veteran-connected family members through a national network of 300,000+ members and local chapters in communities across the country.

Our mission is simple and bold: We make military life awesome for families. 

We listen, share, partner, and act to deliver evidence-based, data-driven solutions that work for real people. We’re a lifestyle organization, a friend and neighbor, and a trusted partner. Our approach is collaborative, human-centered, and designed with the whole family in mind.

A Blue Star Family is one with an immediate family member — a spouse, parent, or child — actively serving in the U.S. Armed Forces, including the Guard and Reserves. These families face unique challenges: frequent relocations, deployments, career disruption, and isolation. We respond with research-informed programs that create connection, build resilience, and foster a true sense of belonging.

We serve with urgency but build trust over time — because change happens at the speed of trust. Whether we’re driving spouse employment, supporting caregivers, or helping communities welcome military families, we strive for upstream solutions.

Who We’re Looking For:

• Bold thinkers. Fast movers. Smart collaborators. People who want to build, lead, and drive measurable change — and who care deeply about making an impact that matters.

What You’ll Do Here:

• Solve complex challenges with data, heart, and humility
• Build cross-sector partnerships that get things done
• Help military families feel at home wherever they live

If you're ready to work in a high-performance, mission-driven environment — and to make life better for those who serve — Blue Star Families is where you belong.

 

General Description

The Senior Vice President of Development is responsible for developing and implementing comprehensive strategies for the Development Department that align with organizational goals and objectives. This role plays a critical part in shaping the long-term direction of the organization’s fundraising efforts and will provide input on the overall organizational strategy. The Senior Vice President will lead the Development Department, managing all fundraising channels and ensuring that the department’s initiatives are aligned with the broader business objectives and long-term goals of Blue Star Families (BSF).

 

This position requires someone with extensive experience in all aspects of fundraising, including, but not limited to, identifying and cultivating individual, corporate, and foundation donors, as well as managing major gifts, planned giving, capital campaigns, special events, and grant writing.

 

The Senior Vice President will report to the Chief External Affairs Officer and will collaborate closely with the Senior Vice President of External Affairs and other members of the senior leadership team to ensure that fundraising strategies support organizational priorities, secure essential funding for new initiatives, and cultivate and steward relationships with key donors.

 

As a fully remote organization, we rely on regular in-person gatherings to fulfill core business functions, including strategic planning, cross-functional collaboration, and culture-building. This role requires the ability to travel overnight several times per year to attend team offsites, leadership sessions, and company-wide events.

 

These events are critical to performing the essential functions of the role, enabling team alignment, effective decision-making, and strong interpersonal connection. Attendance and participation in these gatherings is a non-negotiable component of the position.

 

Key Job Functions

• Develop and execute comprehensive, multi-channel fundraising strategies for the organization, aligning with BSF’s goals and long-term business objectives.
• Provide input to  broader organizational strategies, ensuring that the Development Department's efforts align with and support the long-term vision and priorities of the organization.
• Lead and manage all aspects of fundraising, including direct marketing, individual giving, capital campaigns, major gifts, and endowments/bequests, ensuring all fundraising activities are effectively coordinated and implemented.
• Oversee the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of major gifts and long-term donor relationships, ensuring a diversified donor base that aligns with BSF’s mission and objectives.
• Work closely with senior leadership, including the Chief External Affairs Officer, to set and align short- and long-term fundraising goals, ensuring that Development initiatives contribute to achieving the organization's overall objectives.
• Manage a large, complex department, ensuring that all functions of the Development team are well-organized, efficiently executed, and strategically aligned with organizational goals.
• Lead and implement a capital campaign and high-level donor programs, ensuring that BSF meets its revenue goals for both ongoing and new initiatives.
• Provide leadership on the management of endowment and bequest programs to build and grow BSF’s long-term financial stability.
• Serve as a senior advisor to the Executive team on matters related to development and fundraising, providing strategic input to ensure department initiatives support the long-term vision of BSF.
• Maintain strong relationships with key donors, prospective funders, and partners to ensure continued and increasing support for BSF’s mission.
• Represent BSF at major donor events, conferences, and with key stakeholders, advancing the organization’s mission and visibility.
• Some travel is required to attend meetings, training, events, etc.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

 

Required Experience, Skills & Background

• Extensive professional experience (15+ years) in nonprofit development and fundraising, with in-depth knowledge and experience in all channels of fundraising,  identifying and cultivating individual, corporate, and foundation donors, as well as managing major gifts, planned giving, capital campaigns, annual fund, special events, and grant writing
• 7+ years managing a team of employees
• Bachelor’s degree in related field, advanced degree preferred
• Experience in developing and executing multi-channel fundraising strategies that support long-term organizational goals.
• Strong leadership and management skills, with the ability to oversee and direct a high-performing team within a larger divisional function.
• Experience with developing and managing major donor relationships, capital campaigns, and endowment programs.
• Outstanding communication and relationship-building skills, with a demonstrated ability to engage and influence key stakeholders and donors.
• Ability to work closely with senior leadership to develop and implement long-term strategies that support BSF’s mission and goals.
• Proven track record of achieving ambitious fundraising goals, including securing major gifts, managing large-scale fundraising initiatives, and building diverse funding pipelines.
• Strong organizational skills, with the ability to oversee complex projects and initiatives while maintaining strategic focus.
• Extensive experience with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems, preferably Salesforce, and familiarity with project management software, such as Hive.
• 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

 

Desired Experience, Skills & Background

• Master’s degree in public administration, nonprofit leadership, or in business
• Experience with membership-driven organizations.
• Familiarity with the military community.

 

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