Special Assistant to the CEO

Blue Star Families•Washington, DC

23h•$87,000 - $120,000•Onsite

About The Position

This is a unique opportunity to work closely with a visionary founder in growing what has already become the largest nonprofit in America supporting military families at both the national and local level. Under the CEO’s leadership BSF has grown consistently 20 percent year over year for 16 years. The Special Assistant to the CEO is a demanding position that will allow an individual to have a large effect on a critical mission, engage with senior leaders in Government, military, corporate and nonprofit sectors, and learn how to lead a complex and fast growing organization. The Special Assistant to the CEO serves as the primary point of contact enabling the CEO’s success in the complex role of representing Blue Star Families and growing its influences and resources to meet its expanding mission. This is a complex and exciting position for a high energy, strategically creative individual. The position involves all aspects of preparation and cross-organization integration regarding the CEO’s demanding schedule and extensive communications. This is a high-trust, high-impact role that integrates elements of logistics, strategy, and communications into a single function. The individual will operate at the center of the CEO’s work—ensuring her time is strategically allocated, and she is well prepared and resourced to create meaningful outcomes. This is an in-office role requiring on-site presence in our office in Washington DC up to five days per week, given the real-time coordination, executive proximity, and rapid decision-making required to support the CEO effectively. In addition the special assistant will accompany and support the CEO at meetings, engagements and events in DC and occasionally beyond the local area. In addition, this role requires the ability to travel overnight several times per year to attend team offsites, leadership sessions, and company-wide events. These engagements are mandatory to this position. Frequent local and occasional overnight travel are essential functions of this position. Desired traits include having strong EQ and the ability to think, respond and produce quickly in a fast moving environment.

Requirements

Relevant experience in executive office, political, policy, nonprofit, or high-level external affairs environments.
Bachelor’s degree required, or equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience
Proven experience in roles such as Chief of Staff, senior scheduler, executive office lead, campaign senior staff, or equivalent high-trust operator roles
Exceptional judgment in prioritization, with the ability to distinguish high-impact opportunities from low-value demands
Strong executive presence with demonstrated ability to operate confidently with senior leaders, including CEOs, governors, military leaders, and other high-profile stakeholders
Exceptional writing ability, with demonstrated experience drafting executive-level communications, speeches, or public-facing materials in a senior voice
Demonstrated ability to manage complex logistics, competing priorities, and fast-moving environments with precision and calm
High level of discretion and confidentiality in handling sensitive relationships and information
Strong organizational and systems-thinking skills, with experience managing structured follow-up and accountability systems
Ability to operate independently while maintaining alignment with executive intent and organizational priorities
Ability to work on-site in a full-time, five-days-per-week in-office capacity
Ability to travel locally on a regular basis to support meetings, convenings, and external engagements in the surrounding region
Ability to assist with event logistics, including the physical setup or transport of materials and supplies (up to approximately 30 lbs), as part of supporting on-site engagements and convenings
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 to attend meetings, trainings, events, etc.

Nice To Haves

Masters degree in public policy, political science, public administration, communications, or related field preferred
Background in congressional (Hill), White House, campaign, gubernatorial/state political, policy, or equivalent high-level government or political environments strongly preferred
Familiarity with military, veteran, or national security ecosystems and stakeholder networks
Experience supporting or managing high-profile external engagement strategies for senior leaders
Background in external affairs, government relations, philanthropy, or partnership development
Experience working with communications teams or public relations partners on executive messaging
Familiarity with CRM systems (Salesforce preferred) and relationship tracking tools
Experience managing or coordinating high-level convenings, conferences, or stakeholder events
Strong understanding of cross-sector influence networks (policy, corporate, philanthropic, media)
Comfort operating in mission-driven, fast-evolving organizational environments undergoing growth and transformation

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary owner of the CEO’s time architecture, managing the calendar as a strategic asset rather than an administrative function
Evaluate, triage, and prioritize inbound requests for CEO engagement, exercising strong strategic judgment on relevance and impact
Design and manage intentional travel and engagement strategies aligned with organizational priorities and growth objectives
Identify, map, and maintain awareness of key external stakeholders and influence networks across policy, corporate, philanthropic, and media sectors
Proactively secure high-value opportunities for CEO participation in convenings, forums, partnerships, and strategic meetings
Drive introductions and cultivate access to decision-makers and networks that advance organizational visibility and influence
Lead preparation of executive briefing materials for all external engagements, ensuring clarity of objectives, messaging, and stakeholder context
Ensure the CEO is fully prepared for every engagement with concise, high-quality briefing documents and talking points
Partner with internal teams to align briefing materials with organizational strategy, programmatic priorities, and current initiatives
Support consistency of CEO narrative and voice in coordination with Communications and external public relations partners
Draft and refine select CEO communications, including social media content tied to engagements, travel, and key moments, as well as priority correspondence
Serve as the CEO’s primary in-room coordinator at high-profile events and convenings, managing flow, timing, and stakeholder engagement
Ensure optimal use of CEO time during events by actively managing access, priorities, and real-time engagement decisions
Capture insights, commitments, and outcomes from meetings and external engagements
Own and maintain a structured follow-up system to ensure timely execution of commitments and relationship continuity
Track opportunities, relationships, and strategic engagements tied to CEO external activity
Coordinate across internal teams—including Communications, Development, Programs, and Government Relations—to ensure alignment and readiness for CEO engagements
Serve as a central coordination point for CEO-related initiatives, ensuring seamless integration between external engagements and internal execution
Perform other duties as assigned