Blue Star Connect Outdoors Leader Consultant

Independent Contractor: Blue Star Connect Outdoors Leader Consultant

Location:  Remote in Rapid City, South Dakota

Project Lead: Senior Manager of Family Impact Programs 

Position Type: Independent Contractor, approximately 30 hours per month through December 2025

Hourly range: $30-35 per hour

About Blue Star Families

Blue Star Families (BSF) is a national nonprofit dedicated to supporting military families by providing programming and resources while strengthening their connections to their local communities. We partner with businesses, government agencies, and local organizations to create impactful programs that empower and uplift military families.

Independent Contractor Engagement Terms:

This independent contractor will be retained solely for project-based, outcome-driven services and will not be an employee, agent, or representative of Blue Star Families. The independent contractor:

• Retains full autonomy over the method, schedule, and tools used to perform services.
• Is not assigned work hours, or internal recurring meetings, or internal systems access (email, software, etc.).
• Shall not use a BSF job title, business card, or name tag.
• Will not represent themselves as a BSF employee or agent to external stakeholders.

Project Based Scope of Work: 

• Plan and deliver independently organized, and regularly occurring outdoor recreation meetup opportunities for local families, with a target of one event per month, as seasonably appropriate.
• Coordinate as needed with staff at local national park sites for outdoor recreation activities. Contractor retains discretion over communications and partnerships. 
• Track and submit outdoor recreation opportunities using provided planning documents for visibility and support, at the Contractor’s discretion and in a manner consistent with agreed-upon deliverables.  
• Track and log attendance for Blue Star Connect Outdoors activities, utilizing tools or methods selected by the contractor that meet the basic reporting needs. 
• Develop and implement ideas for highlighting outdoor meetup activities via social media and Blue Star Neighborhood (ex. providing photographs and stories from events, helpful resources to get outdoors, or sharing “best of” outdoor activities), with content and frequency determined by the Contractor in alignment with overall project goals. 
• Disseminate printed or digital promotional materials to local civilian and military-facing community bulletin boards and networks, at the Contractor’s discretion regarding timing and method of distribution
• Identify and steward potential relationships with local parks and outdoor organizations to increase opportunities for engagement, exercising independent judgment in outreach and collaboration efforts. 

Required Qualifications

• Proven success in outdoor recreation and event coordination
• Experience in planning and executing events, including logistics and project management.
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships with military families, local community members, and key stakeholders. 

Deliverables & Payment Terms

All services shall be delivered in accordance with agreed deadlines and milestones. Payment structure to be outlined in a separate contract. BSF shall not direct how services are performed — only that deliverables meet agreed results.

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.