Securing exceptional leadership in advancement and fundraising is crucial for any organization striving for growth and lasting impact. These roles not only drive essential revenue streams but also cultivate meaningful donor relationships and align efforts with the organization’s mission and values. To identify candidates who bring vision, strategy, and a dedication to diversity and inclusion, this set of interview questions will focus on assessing their leadership abilities, innovative thinking, and ability to inspire stakeholders. These questions are thoughtfully crafted to provide insight into how each candidate can elevate your organization’s development goals and foster a culture of collaboration and equity.

Development Leadership and Fundraising

• Can you walk us through your experience in designing and implementing development and fundraising strategies? What was your most significant success in this area, and how did you achieve it?
• How have you approached managing and expanding major donor portfolios? Can you share an example of how you secured a major gift or built a lasting donor relationship?
• What strategies have you found effective in diversifying revenue streams, such as endowments, foundation gifts, or legacy contributions?
• How do you engage with board members and executive leadership to align development goals with organizational priorities?
• Have you modernized or implemented new fundraising systems or technologies in your previous roles? If so, how did they impact your results?

Strategic Communications

• How do you approach creating comprehensive communication strategies that effectively amplify an organization’s mission and goals?
• Can you share an example of using data-driven insights to optimize a marketing or branding campaign?
• What role do you believe storytelling and branding play in inspiring donors and stakeholders? How have you applied these in your past work?

Team Leadership and Management

• Describe your leadership style when managing a team. How do you foster a high-performing and collaborative environment?
• How do you prioritize and delegate tasks when managing multiple projects and competing deadlines within a team?
• Describe a time when you had to handle a conflict or challenge within your team. How did you resolve it?

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

• How have you incorporated diversity, equity, and inclusion into your work, both internally with your team and externally when engaging donors and partners?
• Can you provide an example where your commitment to social justice or inclusivity positively influenced a program or initiative?
• How do you ensure an inclusive culture when developing donor campaigns to reach a wide and diverse audience?

Mission Alignment and Vision

• Reconstructing Judaism values reimagining Jewish life with a focus on diversity and justice. How do your personal values and professional experiences align with this mission?
• What is your vision for advancing Reconstructing Judaism’s development and communication strategies in the next 3–5 years?
• If hired, what would your immediate priorities be during your first six months in this role?
• What do you see as the biggest challenges for Reconstructing Judaism’s advancement efforts, and how would you address them?

Behavioral and Situational Questions

• Tell us about a time when you failed to meet fundraising expectations or goals. What did you learn, and how did you adjust your approach moving forward?
• Imagine you’re asked to develop a comprehensive fundraising campaign with limited resources. How would you plan and execute it to maximize impact?
• Describe a situation where you had to pivot strategies due to unexpected organizational challenges. How did you ensure continued progress toward goals?

These questions aim to assess the applicant’s leadership, strategic abilities, alignment with the mission, and commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion.