Operations, Events & Volunteer Coordinator

ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW

The John Bunker Sands Wetland Center is a nature center in Combine, Texas, outside of Dallas. Our primary mission is educating the public about water, wetlands, and wildlife and the need to conserve these essential resources. Our environmental education programs use the East Fork Water Reuse Project, a 2,000-acre wetland that supplies drinking water to area residents & a habitat for wildlife. We offer education classes for k-12 students, nature seminars, bird walks, boardwalk tours, scouting programs, and special events focused on the natural world, emphasizing activities for families. The Center’s miles of trails allow visitors and members of all ages to immerse themselves in a biologically diverse habitat hosting 300 species of birds, including bald eagles and scores of native mammals, insects, amphibians, and reptiles.

JOB OVERVIEW

The Operations, Events & Volunteer Coordinator ensures the smooth day-to-day operations of the John Bunker Sands Wetland Center by managing administrative systems, facilities, events logistics, and volunteer coordination. This role serves as the organizational backbone of the Wetland Center, supporting education, conservation, and public engagement. The coordinator works closely with the Executive Director and program staff to maintain operational readiness while supporting a welcoming and well-run visitor experience. This position is full time, Tuesday – Friday, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm and Saturday, 7:00 am – 4:00 pm, with occasional evenings.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Operations & Facilities Management

• Ensure the Center is open, operational, and visitor-ready during scheduled hours.
• Coordinate facility readiness, maintenance, and vendor services in collaboration with the North Texas Municipal Water District.
• Maintain relationships with contractors for cleaning, waste removal, HVAC, plumbing, septic, phone systems, fire alarms, and security systems.
• Maintain up-to-date emergency procedures, contacts, and documentation; support quarterly staff refreshers.
• Assess, purchase, and track operational supplies and equipment in alignment with approved budgets.
• Maintain protocols for Center technology, equipment use, and shared systems.

Front Desk, Visitor & Membership Systems

• Oversee front desk operations and visitor flow, including greeting guests and providing Wetland Center orientation.
• Maintain Wetland Center Nature Store operations including inventory tracking, pricing and sales reporting.
• Manage membership systems and records, ensuring accurate data collection and quarterly acknowledgements.
• Maintain accurate “master lists” of contacts (visitor, members, donors, teachers) in coordination with the Executive Director.
• Maintain secure documentation of system access and passwords in accordance with organizational protocols.

Events Coordination & Execution

• Coordinate logistics for all Wetland Center events, including public programs, rentals and fundraising events.
• Develop and maintain event timelines, checklists, run-of-show documents, and supply needs.
• Coordinate vendors, rentals, permits, and onsite setup/breakdown.
• Support onsite event execution, including occasional evenings.
• Assist the Executive Director with event logistics related to the annual fundraiser and other donor events.

Volunteer & Steward Coordination

• Manage volunteer and steward onboarding systems, including paperwork, background checks and compliance.
• Maintain volunteer databases, schedules and hour tracking for reporting purposes.
• Coordinate volunteer assignments for front desk coverage, events and stewardship activities.
• Support volunteer communications and scheduling logistics.
• Collaborate with education and conservation staff to ensure volunteers are prepared for assigned roles.

Finance & Administrative Support

• Process invoices, expense reports, deposits and reconciliations.
• Maintain accurate financial records and receipts in accordance with accounting protocols.
• Prepare monthly credit card and expense reports.
• Support tracking of restricted funds and documentation for transfers.

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS

Skill Requirements

• Strong organizational and systems-management skills, including scheduling, documentation, recordkeeping, and the ability to manage multiple priorities with accuracy and attention to detail.
• Experience coordinating logistics for events, programs, and public-facing operations in a nonprofit, museum, nature center, or similar setting.
• Experience managing volunteer or steward systems, including onboarding, scheduling, communication, and hour tracking.
• Working knowledge of administrative and operational processes, including basic financial tasks such as invoice processing, expense tracking, and reconciliation.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace, POS systems (including Square), and database or recordkeeping platforms.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with staff, volunteers, vendors, and external partners.
• Comfort working in a dynamic, onsite environment with shifting daily needs; valid driver’s license and reliable transportation required.

Qualities

• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and systems-minded, with the ability to manage workflows, documentation, and follow-through with reliability and accountability.
• Calm, adaptable, and solution-oriented in a dynamic, public-facing environment.
• Collaborative team player who supports staff success and mission delivery while serving as a central coordination point without supervisory authority.
• Professional, approachable, and confident when interacting with visitors, volunteers, partners, and vendors.
• Supportive of environmental education, conservation, and community engagement.

Education

• Minimum: College coursework or degree in business administration, nonprofit management, communications, or a related field

Experience

• Minimum: 3–5 years of experience in operations, office administration, event coordination, volunteer coordination, or nonprofit administration
• Preferred: Experience working in a nonprofit, museum, nature center, or public-facing educational organization