Job Opening: Manager, Veteran Programs

The Manager, Veteran Programs will oversee the day-to-day operations of VetFran, an IFA Foundation signature initiative designed to educate both veterans and franchisors about the unique match between the skills and aptitude of entrepreneurial veterans and the demands and opportunities of franchising. The Manager will be responsible for all aspects of the VetFran program, including overseeing membership, internal and external communications, and program engagement to ensure the continued and future success of the program.

The Manager will work with the IFA and IFA Foundation staff to successfully implement the program. Successful implementation will require strong communication skills, attention to detail, and a service-oriented attitude as well as an ability to work effectively with volunteer leaders, donors, and other partners of the IFA and the IFA Foundation. Key stakeholders involved with the VetFran program include franchise brands of all sizes, members of the franchise supplier community, and veteran service organizations, among others.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Membership:

Administer core membership functions, such as:
- Soliciting and securing new members,
- Coordinating and implementing the membership renewal process, and
- Clearly communicating the value proposition and opportunities to VetFran members to increase their engagement level.
Maintain membership database, ensuring data is accurate and up to date at all times.
Respond to internal and external information requests in regards to the VetFran program.
Work closely with the IFA staff to increase awareness and engagement across the IFA membership.

Education and engagement:

Responsible for the content and maintenance of the VetFran website. Work to continually increase traffic to the site and through to member company’s development portals.
Coordinate educational events (virtual and in person) across the nation featuring VetFran members to increase the number of veterans educated about opportunities in franchising.
Work closely with the IFA Foundation’s Diversity Institute to ensure the success of cross-over events and projects where the Diversity Institute and VetFran intersect.
Identify and engage with partners and IFA Foundation donors who can help enhance VetFran’s reach to the veteran community in order to increase participation and reach program fundraising goals.

Communication:

Responsible for coordinating VetFran’s social media presence (VetFran website blog site, LinkedIn, etc.), including creating new content and ensuring that VetFran content is prevalent across IFA, Foundation, and VetFran channels.
Collect and publish positive stories of veterans in franchising and work with IFA staff and members of the IFA and VetFran community to utilize their channels when appropriate.
Support outreach, communication, and engagement initiatives that contribute to overall IFA member growth, with a particular focus on franchisor engagement and retention in VetFran.
Work with IFA marketing and communications staff to align VetFran programming with IFA-wide communication strategies and reputation campaign programming.
Provide data, analytics, and insights on key priorities to VetFran and IFA key stakeholders.

Administration:

Serve as staff liaison to the VetFran Committee, made up of senior executives from franchise brands, franchisees, and franchise suppliers.
Manage all logistics associated with in-person and virtual meetings of the VetFran Committee, including the Executive Board of the Committee.
Ongoing maintenance of program dashboards and goal tracking on key deliverables on strategic initiatives.

Ideal experience

Three to five years of experience in related area such as communication, project management, program development, or a combination of education and experience.
Proficient in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), website development programs, database, and list management software.
Strong organizational skills; ability to multi-task; ability to meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
Strong interpersonal skills and an ability to manage and lead teams of volunteers.
Attention to detail.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including proofreading and editing.
Strong problem-solving skills and decision-making capability; resourceful team-player with the ability to work independently; forward looking thinker, who actively seeks opportunities and proposes solutions.

Please send your resume and cover letter to careers@franchise.org

The International Franchise Association is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status, or any other category prohibited by local, state or federal law. This policy applies to all aspects of employment, including recruitment, promotion, compensation, benefits, and termination. IFA is firmly committed to achieving an inclusive, diverse workforce that values every individual. We firmly believe that hiring individuals with varying perspectives and backgrounds contributes to our success as an organization, and we strive to create an environment that fosters inclusiveness.

About the International Franchise Association:
Celebrating over 60 years of excellence, education, and advocacy, the International Franchise Association (IFA) is the world’s oldest and largest organization representing franchising worldwide. IFA works through its government relations and public policy, media relations, and educational programs to protect, enhance and promote franchising and the approximately 790,492 franchise establishments that support nearly 8.4 million direct jobs, $825.4 billion of economic output for the U.S. economy, and almost 3 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). IFA members include franchise companies in over 300 different business format categories, individual franchisees, and companies that support the industry in marketing, law, technology, and business development.