Ten Questions to Ask a Director of Development Candidate

 A posting by Dania Toscano Miwa and James V. Toscano

We read in the recent report, UnderDeveloped, of significant problems in recruiting and retaining good development people and that average tenure now is often at two years or less. Moreover, all is not well in many relationships between Executive Directors (ED) and Development Directors (DD).

In an effort to promote transparency and clear up what is thought of as the “profound misunderstanding” about roles between and among the Board, ED and DD in an institution’s development program, we submit the following initial questions to recruitment and screening committees of nonprofits interviewing candidates for the DD position.

The Ice Breakers

These two questions will give insight not only into actual factual occurrences, but also what the candidates value in their work. Probes of each answer are well in order and should be done by various members of the committee to have a broad range of insight.

1. What is your most important success in fundraising and development?

2. What is your most important shortcoming or failure in fundraising and  development?

The Down and Dirty 

These questions get at the situations that lead to the most dysfunctional aspects of any development program. All three, Board, ED and DD should know how each thinks about their roles, as a fist step in developing the specific design and infrastructure of the program. If the new DD needs deep Board and/or ED support, and it is not in the DNA of the agency, regardless of whether it should be or not, we have the beginnings of the profound misunderstanding mentioned above.  The role of volunteers should also be ascertained, especially in expectations on staffing and special events. 

3. What is your expectation for the involvement of the Board of Directors, and particularly, the chair, in development?

4. What is your expectation for the involvement of the Executive Director in the development program?

5. What is your expectation for the participation of volunteers in the program?

The Essence 

To match what a candidate brings in strengths to the needs of the program is essential for many reasons, including the success of the candidate in the job and of the program in finding the resources needed to support mission. Successful development officers are not always suited to management of program. Managerial ability, training and experience need to be demonstrated and discussed in some depth. The candidate’s ideas of what success is, and how to achieve it, are telling insights into the overall character of the individual and a predictor of the job that will be done. This is more a conversation than a question.

6. What are your major strengths as a development officer? Will you continue to perform all or some of these? What functions will you delegate to other staff members?

7. What are your major strengths as an administrator? Your experience?

8. What are your expectations for success in this position? How will you specifically achieve these goals?

Telling the Tale

With turnover so rapid, especially in smaller organizations, it is important to gauge intent to remain at a position for a reasonable time period, perhaps three to five years or more in the current marketplace. Expectations on compensation and on rewards for achievement are critical to know and evaluate before any job is offered. While not the most important consideration in job satisfaction, these two elements can motivate achievement and long tenure.

9. How long do you expect to stay in this position should you be offered it?

10. What is your expectation on compensation? Do you expect to be paid a bonus? On what criteria would the bonus be based?

These ten questions open up the interview for the next series of more specific questions grounded in the organization, the job description and the goals for development.

Given the critical nature of the position, time and care must be taken to ensure as optimum a fit as possible. Because the development culture of organizations varies dramatically, there is no easy way to select a candidate. First, the organizations need to understand their culture; second they need to find someone who will fit, as well as improve performance and outcome; third, if a success, they need to retain, renew and grow.

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