Entry Level Economic Development Jobs in Dallas, TX

OUR VISION: To Build a Thriving Community for ALL

OUR MISSION: To Empower individuals to achieve self-sufficiency and foster independence

If our Vision and Mission resonate with you, Metrocrest Services may be the place for you. We are looking for people whose values align with ours - individuals who are compassionate, collaborative, accountable, and committed to helping our neighbors achieve greater stability and independence.

ABOUT METROCREST SERVICES

Metrocrest Services exists to provide hope and build pathways to economic mobility for neighbors in the north Dallas area. We operate a whole-household, SDOH (Social Determinants of Health)-aligned model organized around five pillars: (1) Income (2) Health and Food (3) Workforce (4) Education/Training (5) Housing. Our neighbors are at the center of everything we do.

At Metrocrest, Neighbors-First is more than a phrase; it is how we work. We call the people we serve Neighbors because they are members of our community, not cases to be managed. We approach every interaction with dignity, curiosity, and a whole-household perspective, listening first, following through, and measuring our success by the progress our neighbors make. Every team member, regardless of role or title, is expected to embody and advance our Neighbor-First Values.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Metrocrest Services is seeking a relationship-focused, entry-level fundraising professional who is excited to build a career in nonprofit development. The Development Specialist plays a unique role on the Development team by combining fundraising operations with frontline community engagement. This position helps ensure the smooth execution of Metrocrest's fundraising program while building relationships that grow our pipeline of future major donors.

Working closely with the Director of Development, the Development Specialist plays an essential role in the day-to-day administration and operations of Metrocrest's fundraising program. Approximately half of the position is dedicated to fundraising operations, including gift processing, donor database management, reporting, sponsorship fulfillment, acknowledgements, donor correspondence, and maintaining accurate fundraising records. The other half focuses on community engagement through Metrocrest's Changemakers Annual Giving Program, cultivating grassroots support, building relationships with donors and community partners, and helping identify future major giving opportunities.

The Development Specialist role is ideal for someone who enjoys both the structure and detail of administrative work and the opportunity to build meaningful relationships that advance Metrocrest's mission.

This role primarily works from 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM Monday through Friday with evenings and weekends based on program needs.

KEY TRAITS

Building Relationships · Building Trust · Communication · Initiating Action · Continuous Learning · Adaptability · Follow-Up · Contributing to Team Success · Customer Focus · Innovation · Information Monitoring · Planning & Organizing

QUALIFYING TRAITS

• Culturally humble and equity-minded
• Thrives on behind-the-scenes work and understands that timely gift processing, accurate donor records, and exceptional follow-through are just as important as donor cultivation
• Takes pride in administrative excellence, recognizing that strong fundraising operations create exceptional donor experiences and enable successful fundraising efforts
• Energized by building relationships and introducing new people to a mission they believe in
• Naturally curious, organized, and proactive, recognizing that meaningful donor relationships begin long before a major gift conversation
• Understands that every annual donor, volunteer, event attendee, business owner, or community partner could become a future philanthropic leader
• Enjoys helping donors continue their journey with Metrocrest Services
• Maintains high levels of confidentiality, credibility, and professionalism in all neighbor and partner interactions
• Models Metrocrest Services neighbor-first values in every interaction with donors, partners, neighbors, and colleagues
• Owns assigned metrics as a personal measure of success; holds oneself accountable for achieving, tracking, and reporting on performance targets

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Two or more years of experience in fundraising, nonprofit, sales, marketing, customer service, account management, business development, or a related relationship-based profession
• Demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, Canva, donor management software

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience using Salesforce or another donor CRM
• Experience coordinating fundraising events or community engagement activities
• Experience with workplace giving, matching gifts, sponsorships, or annual giving programs

SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE

• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills
• Knowledge of fundraising best practices and donor stewardship
• Strong organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while meeting deadlines
• A passion for the nonprofit sector and a genuine commitment to the organization's mission
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team and independently with minimal supervision

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Community Engagement & Donor Qualification

• Serve as a visible ambassador for Metrocrest Services by representing the organization at networking events, community meetings, volunteer activities, and outreach opportunities
• Build relationships with businesses, civic organizations, faith communities, and community groups through outreach, networking, canvassing, events, and presentations to increase awareness of Metrocrest Services and identify opportunities for support
• Collaborate with internal leaders across Volunteer Engagement, Programs, and Marketing & Communications to cultivate existing relationships, evaluate philanthropic interest, and qualify prospective donors and partners for strategic cultivation by development and executive leadership
• Leverage engagement data, donor records, volunteer participation, event involvement, and prospect research to identify opportunities, prepare prospect profiles, and support fundraising strategies
• Maintain accurate documentation of donor interactions, prospect activity, and relationship history within Salesforce

Development Operations

• Process and acknowledge all charitable gifts, including online, mailed, event, matching, corporate, stock, and in-kind contributions
• Manage gift entry, imports, reconciliations, reporting, and relationships with online giving and workplace giving platforms
• Generate fundraising reports, maintain fundraising dashboards, and assist with revenue tracking and financial reconciliation
• Prepare sponsorship agreements, invoices, donor acknowledgement letters, tax receipts, stewardship communications, and other donor correspondence
• Ensure the integrity and accuracy of fundraising data to support reporting, stewardship, and strategic decision-making
• Track sponsorship commitments, benefit fulfillment, recognition opportunities, and event deliverables to ensure sponsors receive all promised benefits

Collaboration

• Work collaboratively with Development, Marketing & Communications, Finance, Volunteer Engagement, and Program staff to support fundraising initiatives and ensure exceptional donor experiences
• Participate in team meetings, planning sessions, and organizational events
• Works from 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM Monday through Friday with evenings and weekends based on program needs
• Perform other duties as assigned

WHY METROCREST SERVICES

This position offers the opportunity to gain hands-on experience across the full fundraising cycle - from development operations and annual giving to donor stewardship, community partnerships, prospect research, and pipeline development - while working alongside experienced fundraising professionals committed to mentoring the next generation of nonprofit leaders.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIP

The Development Specialist reports directly to the Director of Development

SALARY AND BENEFITS INFORMATION

• Salary for this FLSA-exempt position is commensurate with experience
• Employer-sponsored medical insurance through BCBSTX with employer contribution toward monthly premiums, effective the first day of the month following the date of hire)
• Employer-sponsored dental (Principal) and vision insurance, effective the first day of the month following the date of hire
• Employer-paid group term life insurance (Principal)
• Employer-paid long-term disability (Principal)
• 401(k) retirement plan with company matching 1/2:1 (up to 6%)
• Generous paid time off package, including vacation, personal time off, and paid holidays
• Paid parental leave
• Training and development opportunities
• Tuition reimbursement

WORK ENVIRONMENT & PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• The activity for this position requires the employee to work onsite in a climate-controlled office
• Ability to remain in a stationary position, such as standing or sitting, for up to 8 hours per day
• Ability to walk, move, and/or traverse as needed

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Metrocrest Services provides equal employment opportunity to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.

In accordance with the ADA, Metrocrest Services is willing to consider any reasonable accommodation.