Strategic Project Coordinator

The National Restaurant Association and National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation are proud to represent a respected industry built on hospitality, opportunity, and quality of life. Like the industry we serve, our culture is dynamic, diverse, inclusive, and grounded in trust, collaboration, hospitality, and innovation. These values guide our work and shape what we seek in a highly resourceful, action-oriented, and organized Strategic Project Coordinator.

This highly visible role provides a unique opportunity to support the connected operations of the Association and Educational Foundation, including serving a key role for our Restaurant Association partners.

Reporting to the VP, Operations, you will support a wide range of initiatives, data and reporting needs, and day-to-day operational activities. As the Strategic Project Coordinator, you will manage assignments start to finish, collaborate across teams, develop materials for key meetings, monitor metrics, and support other priority areas of work.

Ideal candidates have at least five years of experience in operations, account management, project coordination, or a related role, with a proven ability to manage multiple projects, priorities, and deliverables. Experience working within a startup environment is a plus. Candidates must be highly proficient in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook, and experienced in using AI tools and technologies to improve efficiency, productivity, and processes.

This role requires a self-starter with strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, exceptional follow‑through, clear communication, and a strong sense of accountability. You will thrive if you are energized by a fast-paced, fluid work environment, and are known for a steady, can-do attitude.

This position is based out of our Washington, DC office and requires onsite work Monday through Wednesday, with flexibility to work remotely on Thursday and Friday.

As the Strategic Project Coordinator, your work will be essential to advancing operational excellence across the organization. We look forward to hearing from you!

We are proud to offer our team members comprehensive benefits, designed to support their financial, professional, and personal well-being. In addition to outstanding healthcare coverage (medical, dental and vision), competitive salaries, generous vacation and leave time, we offer a matching 401(k) plan, a unique collection of corporate discounts and memberships, as well as programs to support career and skills development, including learning and tuition assistance, and so much more.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a trusted partner to operations leadership, helping move priorities forward across the organization.
• Manage assignments from start to finish, including defining the work, gathering needed information, coordinating next steps, and delivering high-quality results with minimal oversight.
• Support internal and external meetings by clarifying the purpose, desired outcome, problem to solve, and decisions needed; prepare the data, materials, and presentations required to support productive discussion.
• Track and visualize progress against scorecard goals and department dashboards, including gathering data from multiple systems and stakeholders, reconciling information, and flagging data quality issues.
• Maintain State Restaurant Association contact lists, distribution lists, and inquiry directories; coordinate recurring meeting cadences and reporting rhythms; and support logistics and briefing materials.
• Conduct independent research using AI tools and other sources, quickly turning information into clear summaries, insights, and recommendations.
• Identify opportunities to simplify work, improve processes, and build repeatable systems that help the team operate more efficiently.
• Create clean, professional deliverables using PowerPoint, Excel, and Word.
• Partner closely with Facilities, Membership, Human Resources, and other teams in a role that supports work across the organization.
• Coordinate across departments, serving as a connective point to keep initiatives moving, aligned, and on track.
• Stay organized across multiple priorities, follow through reliably, and help ensure work is completed accurately and on time.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree and 5+ years of relevant experience in operations, project coordination, account management, or a similar role.
• Strong generalist mindset, with the flexibility to move between different types of work, projects, and priorities.
• Self-starter who can take direction, ask thoughtful questions, and work independently once expectations are clear.
• Comfortable working through ambiguity, gathering information, and figuring out practical next steps.
• Ability to think beyond logistics and help clarify the purpose of a meeting, including the goal, decision needed, desired outcome, and materials required.
• Strong data skills, including tracking metrics against goals, working in spreadsheets, pulling information from multiple systems, identifying inconsistencies, and turning data into clear visuals or summaries.
• Active user of AI tools to research, summarize information, improve efficiency, and support faster, better work.
• Natural ability to simplify complexity, improve processes, and create repeatable systems that make work easier for others.
• Sound judgment and discretion when handling sensitive, confidential, or evolving information.
• Excellent proficiency in PowerPoint, Excel, Word, and Outlook, with the ability to quickly learn additional tools and systems as needed.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present information clearly and professionally.
• Strong organization, attention to detail, follow-through, and ability to manage multiple priorities at the same time.
• Comfortable managing recurring operational processes, including contact lists, distribution lists, meeting cadences, reporting rhythms, and related administrative workflows.
• Ability to travel; anticpate 1-2 times per year.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The National Restaurant Association, National Restaurant Association Solutions, LLC, and The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (together, “Company”) is committed to equal employment opportunity, and it is Company's policy to take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

It is our policy to recruit, hire, train, and promote persons in all job titles, and ensure that all other personnel actions are administered, without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status and disability, or other legally protected status, and we will ensure that all employment decisions are based only on valid job requirements.

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.

For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.