Fundraising and Development Specialist
Methuen Youth & Community Center
10 Ditson Place, Methuen, MA
Employment Type: Full-time
Reports To: Executive Director
Compensation: $55,000–$60,000 annually, commensurate with experience
Schedule: Full-time; occasional evening and weekend availability required for events
About the Organization
The Methuen Youth & Community Center (MYCC), operated by the Leadership & Literacy Foundation, is a community-centered space where young people and families can learn, create, connect, and thrive.
MYCC brings together youth development, arts, leadership, wellness, education, and community partnerships to expand opportunities for Methuen residents.
Position Summary
The Fundraising and Development Specialist is a hands-on member of MYCC’s team who will work closely with the Executive Director to implement the organization’s fundraising strategy and strengthen relationships with donors, sponsors, businesses, and community partners.
The Executive Director establishes MYCC’s fundraising strategy and priorities, leads key donor and organizational relationships, and serves as the organization’s primary representative. The Fundraising and Development Specialist will translate that direction into coordinated action by managing fundraising activities, special events, donor communications, stewardship, records, timelines, and follow-through.
This position requires someone who can understand the Executive Director’s vision, anticipate next steps, adapt as priorities evolve, and reliably move projects from planning through completion. The Specialist will serve as a trusted partner who keeps fundraising activities organized, maintains strong communication with donors and partners, and ensures that commitments are completed accurately and on time.
The ideal candidate is highly organized, warm and confident with people, attentive to detail, eager to learn, and comfortable working in a growing, community-based organization. This person should be able to take initiative within an established strategy, receive and apply feedback, solve problems, and represent MYCC with professionalism and enthusiasm.
Grant writing is not a primary responsibility of this position. However, the Specialist will coordinate with the Executive Director and external grant support to maintain consistent donor information, program outcomes, impact stories, and organizational fundraising priorities.
Key Responsibilities
Fundraising Implementation and Coordination
- Work under the strategic direction of the Executive Director to implement MYCC’s annual fundraising plan and support established revenue goals.
- Translate fundraising priorities into clear work plans, timelines, outreach activities, assignments, and measurable next steps.
- Maintain a comprehensive fundraising calendar that includes campaigns, events, sponsorship deadlines, donor communications, acknowledgments, and stewardship activities.
- Monitor deadlines, outstanding commitments, and follow-up needs, keeping the Executive Director informed of progress, challenges, and decisions requiring executive involvement.
- Prepare materials, background information, talking points, and follow-up communications to support the Executive Director’s donor meetings, sponsorship conversations, and fundraising solicitations.
- Identify opportunities to improve fundraising processes, strengthen donor engagement, and increase efficiency while remaining aligned with organizational priorities.
Events and Sponsorships
- Plan and coordinate fundraising, cultivation, and community events, including MYCC’s annual golf tournament, donor receptions, community events, and other special initiatives.
- Manage event work plans, budgets, sponsorship outreach, vendors, registration, guest communications, volunteer assignments, event-day logistics, acknowledgments, and post-event follow-up.
- Develop and maintain sponsor prospect lists, coordinate sponsorship outreach, track commitments and payments, and ensure that all sponsor benefits and recognition are fulfilled.
- Work with the Executive Director to identify event prospects, sponsors, community leaders, and other individuals who should receive personalized outreach.
- Create welcoming, mission-centered event experiences that help attendees understand MYCC’s impact and encourage continued involvement.
- Evaluate event participation, revenue, expenses, sponsorship results, and follow-up opportunities and provide recommendations for future events.
Annual Giving and Donor Engagement
- Coordinate MYCC’s annual giving campaign, including drafting appeal language, preparing mailing and digital outreach lists, managing production schedules, and tracking responses.
- Build and maintain positive relationships with individual donors, corporate sponsors, local businesses, and community supporters through timely, thoughtful, and personal communication.
- Support the Executive Director in cultivating major donors and key organizational relationships by coordinating meetings, preparing information, documenting next steps, and ensuring prompt follow-through.
- Manage routine donor and sponsor communications while elevating major opportunities, sensitive matters, and strategic relationship decisions to the Executive Director.
- Serve as a welcoming MYCC representative at events by greeting guests, connecting attendees to the organization’s mission, learning about their interests, and identifying opportunities for deeper engagement.
- Coordinate donor tours, meetings, check-ins, and other cultivation and stewardship activities.
Donor Stewardship and Development Operations
- Maintain accurate and confidential donor and prospect records, gift documentation, sponsorship commitments, contact notes, relationship histories, and acknowledgment schedules.
- Ensure that gifts, pledges, sponsorships, and in-kind contributions are recorded accurately and acknowledged promptly.
- Prepare donor acknowledgment letters, sponsorship materials, stewardship updates, campaign communications, and fundraising reports in coordination with the Executive Director and finance staff.
- Establish dependable systems for tracking donor communications, commitments, deadlines, next steps, and relationship-building opportunities.
- Track fundraising performance, event revenue and expenses, campaign progress, donor retention, sponsorship activity, and other key indicators.
- Provide regular fundraising updates to the Executive Director, including completed activities, upcoming priorities, outstanding follow-up, and areas requiring executive attention.
- Protect confidential donor, financial, organizational, youth, and family information and exercise sound judgment when handling sensitive matters.
Impact Communications and Recognition
- Gather program outcomes, participation information, youth and family stories, photographs, testimonials, and other impact information for fundraising communications, with all appropriate permissions.
- Work with program staff and community partners to ensure that fundraising materials accurately and respectfully represent MYCC’s programs and impact.
- Support donor and sponsor recognition across events, printed materials, the MYCC website, social media, recognition displays, and other communications in collaboration with MYCC’s marketing support.
- Help ensure that donors and sponsors receive the recognition, updates, and engagement opportunities promised by MYCC.
Community Representation and Teamwork
- Represent MYCC professionally at community meetings, networking events, business gatherings, and partner activities, as requested by the Executive Director.
- Develop a strong understanding of MYCC’s programs, participants, partnerships, funding priorities, and community impact.
- Work collaboratively with the Executive Director, finance staff, program staff, marketing support, volunteers, consultants, board members, and community partners.
- Adapt to changing priorities and provide dependable support in a growing organization where teamwork, initiative, and follow-through are essential.
- Perform other development-related duties that advance MYCC’s mission and fundraising goals.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in nonprofit management, communications, business, marketing, public relations, or a related field. Equivalent relevant professional experience may be considered.
- Three to five years of experience in fundraising, development, donor relations, event management, sponsorships, or a related nonprofit role.
- Demonstrated experience coordinating successful fundraising events, campaigns, sponsorships, donor communications, or community engagement initiatives.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to draft clear, persuasive, accurate, and audience-appropriate materials.
- Strong project management, organization, follow-through, and attention to detail.
- Demonstrated ability to take strategic direction and turn it into organized, timely, and effective action.
- Ability to work closely and collaboratively with an Executive Director while exercising initiative, sound judgment, discretion, and appropriate independence.
- Proficiency with spreadsheets, donor databases or CRM systems, email platforms, online fundraising tools, and standard office technology.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, adapt to changing circumstances, and maintain accurate records.
- Experience working with youth-serving organizations, community centers, educational programs, or the Greater Methuen/Lawrence community is preferred but not required.
Core Competencies
- Highly organized, analytical, and attentive to detail
- Warm, positive, and relationship-centered
- Dependable and committed to consistent follow-through
- Able to listen, learn, adapt, and apply feedback
- Proactive in anticipating needs and identifying next steps
- Comfortable working closely with and supporting the leadership of the Executive Director
- Skilled at moving projects from direction and planning through implementation and completion
- Professional and discreet when working with donors, partners, and confidential information
- Collaborative, flexible, and willing to contribute wherever needed
- Results-focused and accountable for deadlines and commitments
- Genuinely enthusiastic about MYCC’s mission and the young people and families it serves
Working Conditions
This position is primarily based at the Methuen Youth & Community Center and requires regular interaction with staff, youth, families, donors, volunteers, vendors, board members, and community partners.
The position includes occasional evening and weekend work connected to fundraising, cultivation, and community events. Local travel may occasionally be required for meetings, networking activities, donor visits, and community gatherings.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals to perform the essential functions of the position.
How to Apply
Please submit a résumé and cover letter describing your fundraising, event management, donor relations, and project coordination experience, as well as your interest in the Methuen Youth & Community Center.
The cover letter should also describe your experience working closely with organizational leadership, managing multiple fundraising priorities, and moving projects from direction through successful completion.
Application Deadline: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Submit Application To: [email protected]
The Methuen Youth & Community Center is operated by the Leadership & Literacy Foundation, Inc.
The Leadership & Literacy Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome candidates who reflect the diversity of the community we serve.
Pay: $55,000.00 - $60,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
