Chief Communities Officer

The role

The Chief Communities Officer will lead the national community engagement strategy and oversee the organization's community ecosystem. This executive will scale Chapters, Outposts, and volunteer networks to ensure military families experience connection and support.

What you will do

• Define and execute a scalable, national model for community engagement
• Expand presence in new and existing markets through Chapters, Volunteer engagement, and Outposts
• Partner with the Chief Impact Officer and Research and Evaluation team to establish metrics
• Identify and prioritize new markets based on mission impact and sustainability
• Launch and strengthen community infrastructure for long-term success
• Ensure strong performance, alignment, and sustainability across Chapters
• Support local partnerships and funding strategies
• Build and scale a national volunteer strategy
• Lead and develop a team of senior leaders
• Partner cross-functionally with Development, National Programs, Strategic Alliances, and Research & Evaluation

Required qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in nonprofit management, business administration, or a related field
• 10+ years of senior leadership experience in nonprofit management, community engagement, or mission-driven organizations
• Proven success scaling national programs, networks, or multi-market initiatives
• Experience leading leaders and building high-performing teams
• Strong track record of partnership development and fundraising alignment
• Strategic mindset with the ability to ‘think in white space’, execute and drive measurable outcomes
• Exceptional communication and executive presence
• Willingness and ability to work nights, weekends, or holidays as required
• Ability to travel overnight several times per year for required in-person gatherings
• Must reside in the National Capital Region

Nice to have

• Advanced degree
• Familiarity with the military community
• Familiarity with membership-driven or volunteer-powered organizations

About the company

Blue Star Families is a nonprofit dedicated to making military life better for families. They support over 1.5 million military- and veteran-connected family members through a national network of members and local chapters.