Vice President of Legal and Human Resources

Job Title: Vice President of Legal and Human Resources

Department: Headquarters

Location: Hybrid, Washington, D.C.

Reports to: President

Direct Reports: Yes

Classification: Exempt

Position type: Full Time Employee

Anticipated Pay Range at Commencement of Employment:: $128,000 - $177,000

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

Reporting to the President and serving as a member of the executive leadership team, the Vice President of Legal and Human Resources is a trusted advisor to organizational leadership and the Board of Directors. This position provides strategic leadership for the Human Resources function while also serving as the organization's primary legal resource.

This role combines leadership with significant hands-on legal practice. As the sole in-house attorney, the Vice President of Legal and Human Resources personally manages a broad range of legal matters, including contract review and negotiation, employment law counseling, governance, compliance, investigations, intellectual property, privacy, fundraising, and operational legal issues. The role requires a practical and solutions-oriented leader who can balance legal risk with organizational objectives, build strong partnerships across departments, and help move initiatives forward in a thoughtful and compliant manner.

The Vice President of Legal and Human Resources also oversees the Human Resources function, providing leadership on workforce strategy, employee relations, organizational change, policy development, talent management, and employment compliance. This role ensures that legal, compliance, and people strategies work together to support organizational effectiveness, mission impact, and long-term sustainability.

This is a hybrid position requiring regular on-site presence in a Blue Star Families office in addition to remote work. In-person attendance in a Blue Star Families office is an essential function of the role and is necessary to support collaboration, communication, and the successful performance of essential job responsibilities.

Periodic overnight travel is an essential function of the role. Team members are required to travel several times per year to attend meetings, trainings, offsites, and organization-wide events. Attendance and participation in these in-person gatherings are necessary to support collaboration, organizational alignment, and the successful performance of essential job responsibilities.

Key Job Functions

Legal Leadership and Counsel

• Serve as the organization's primary legal advisor on a broad range of matters, including contracts, employment law, governance, compliance, privacy, intellectual property, fundraising, and nonprofit operations.
• Personally draft, review, negotiate, and manage a wide variety of agreements, including vendor agreements, software and technology contracts, partnership agreements, memoranda of understanding, grant agreements, sponsorship agreements, and federal grant subaward agreements.
• Independently manage the organization's contract portfolio and contract review process, ensuring agreements appropriately protect organizational interests while supporting business objectives.
• Partner with organizational leaders to structure initiatives, relationships, and transactions that advance strategic priorities while appropriately managing legal, financial, operational, and reputational risk.
• Provide practical legal guidance and day-to-day support to staff and leadership across all departments.
• Advise leadership on legal issues affecting charitable programs, fundraising activities, marketing initiatives, advocacy efforts, and emerging organizational opportunities.
• Monitor legal and regulatory developments affecting nonprofit organizations and advise leadership regarding potential impacts and required actions.
• Develop, implement, and maintain legal policies, procedures, and internal controls to support organizational compliance and operational effectiveness.
• Coordinate and manage relationships with outside counsel and specialized legal advisors, serving as the primary internal point of contact and business lead.
• Manage legal disputes, claims, and threatened litigation, coordinating with outside counsel and insurance carriers as appropriate.
• Protect and support the organization's intellectual property, trademarks, brand assets, and related rights.
• Oversee legal aspects of privacy, cybersecurity, data protection, and information governance initiatives in partnership with internal stakeholders and external advisors.

Human Resources Leadership

• Provide executive leadership and oversight of the Human Resources function, ensuring alignment between people strategies and organizational goals.
• Lead and develop the Human Resources team, fostering a culture of accountability, service, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Advise organizational leadership on employee relations matters, performance management, disciplinary actions, workplace investigations, restructurings, reductions in force, and other sensitive personnel issues.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations, including wage and hour requirements, leave laws, workplace accommodations, equal employment opportunity obligations, and multi-state employment requirements.
• Direct workplace investigations involving allegations of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, policy violations, and other employee concerns.
• Guide the development, implementation, and administration of Human Resources policies, procedures, and programs.
• Provide legal oversight and strategic guidance regarding compensation practices, employee benefits, workforce planning, and talent management initiatives.
• Partner with organizational leaders to address workforce challenges, organizational change initiatives, succession planning, and employee engagement efforts.
• Support the development of a positive, inclusive, and legally compliant workplace culture that reflects organizational values.

Risk Management, Governance, and Compliance

• Lead enterprise risk management efforts by identifying, assessing, and mitigating legal, operational, compliance, and reputational risks.
• Advise executive leadership and the Board of Directors on governance matters, fiduciary responsibilities, and organizational risk.
• Support Board and committee operations, including governance-related documentation, policies, and compliance requirements.
• Oversee organizational compliance programs and internal investigations, recommending corrective actions and policy improvements when necessary.
• Manage relationships with insurers, evaluate coverage needs, and oversee compliance with insurance requirements.
• Develop and deliver training, resources, and guidance related to legal compliance, ethics, risk management, employment practices, and organizational policies.
• Support organizational audits, regulatory inquiries, and compliance reviews as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Experience, Skills, Background

• 10+ years of progressively responsible legal experience, preferably including nonprofit, employment, corporate, or in-house counsel experience.
• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school.
• Active membership in good standing with at least one U.S. State Bar.
• Significant experience independently handling complex legal matters, including contract drafting, negotiation, employment law counseling, and regulatory compliance.
• Experience leading Human Resources functions, employment law compliance efforts, or related people operations initiatives.
• Demonstrated experience managing people, teams, or organizational functions.
• Deep knowledge of employment law, nonprofit governance, risk management, compliance, and contract law.
• Strong business acumen and ability to balance legal risk with operational and mission objectives.
• Exceptional judgment, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to translate complex legal concepts into practical business guidance.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and operate effectively in a fast-paced environment with a high degree of autonomy and accountability.
• Ability to build trusted relationships across all levels of the organization.
• Ability to travel locally as required to perform essential job responsibilities
• Ability to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as necessary to perform essential job responsibilities.
• Ability to travel overnight on a limited basis to attend meetings, trainings, conferences, and organizational events.

Desired Experience, Skills & Background

• Experience overseeing Human Resources operations within a multi-state workforce.
• Experience supporting federal grants, cooperative agreements, or other federally funded programs.
• Experience with contract lifecycle management systems and process improvement initiatives.
• Familiarity with privacy, cybersecurity, and data governance issues.
• Familiarity with membership-driven organizations.
• Familiarity with military and Veteran communities.

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?

• Mission-driven work supporting military service members and their families
• Flexible work options (remote, or hybrid depending on the role)
• Competitive salary
• Comprehensive benefits, including health, dental, and vision insurance
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer match
• Flexible Spending Accounts, life insurance, and disability insurance
• Communications allowance
• Professional development and career growth opportunities
• PCS leave for Active Duty military spouses