How to Hire a Development Director

Recruit fundraising leadership for the work ahead

How to Hire a Development Director

Hire a Development Director by defining revenue responsibilities, donor strategy, team scope, systems, board partnership and the resources available to succeed.

Post a jobView posting options
Employer interviewing a development director candidate in an office

Employer action plan

Match the role to your fundraising model

01

Assess the portfolio

Identify current revenue sources, donor relationships, pipeline and operational gaps.

02

Set the leadership scope

Clarify individual-giving ownership, team supervision, executive partnership and board engagement.

03

Evaluate evidence

Ask candidates to explain strategy, execution, learning and results in relevant fundraising contexts.

04

Support the hire

Align expectations with staffing, systems, communications capacity and executive access.

What to prepare

Use a practical hiring checklist

Development Director titles vary. Candidates need to know whether the role leads a mature program, builds a function, manages a team, carries a personal portfolio or combines several responsibilities.

  • Separate strategic leadership from an unrealistic list of every fundraising task
  • Describe the current team and external support
  • Explain the board’s fundraising role
  • State compensation and location expectations
  • Use a role-specific scorecard
  • Plan donor and stakeholder introductions

Reach mission-driven professionals

Bring the opportunity to a focused audience

Foundation List helps nonprofits, foundations, schools, universities, healthcare organizations and associations reach professionals interested in mission-driven work.

Create an employer accountCompare plans

For job seekers

Review the complete posting, including responsibilities, compensation, location expectations and measures of success. Use Foundation List to compare current opportunities.

Search current jobs

Related resources

Continue building the hiring strategy

Employer hiring hubWrite better job descriptionsWhere to post nonprofit jobsReview the related career pageReview current postings

Questions and answers

Frequently asked questions

What should employers look for in a Development Director?

Look for relevant fundraising leadership, sound judgment, relationship management, planning, communication and evidence suited to the organization’s revenue model.

How can an organization attract strong fundraising candidates?

Provide a realistic role scope, transparent compensation, clear executive and board partnership, and enough resources to pursue the stated goals.

Design the role before you recruit

Define what the Development Director will actually own

A strong Development Director search starts with the revenue model, not the title. Employers should distinguish between major gifts, annual giving, institutional giving, events, corporate partnerships, planned giving, campaign work and development operations. A candidate who has excelled in one model may not be the right match for another.

Revenue ownership

Clarify which revenue streams the Development Director is directly accountable for and which are shared with the CEO, Executive Director, board or other staff.

Portfolio expectations

State whether the leader will personally qualify, cultivate, solicit and steward donors, and whether an established portfolio already exists.

Team and systems

Describe direct reports, database support, prospect research, communications resources, grant support and the CRM or donor system the team uses.

Interview with evidence

Use a Development Director scorecard

Interview questions should produce evidence about how the candidate thinks and operates. Ask for specific examples rather than general descriptions of fundraising philosophy.

  • How did the candidate build or inherit a donor portfolio and decide where to focus?
  • What did they personally own in a successful campaign, major gift effort or annual plan?
  • How have they partnered with an Executive Director, CEO or board members on donor engagement?
  • How do they use donor data, moves management and pipeline reporting?
  • What did they change when a fundraising strategy underperformed?
  • How have they developed or managed other fundraising staff?

What strong evidence sounds like

Look for clear descriptions of the candidate’s role, the context they inherited, the strategy they chose, the relationships they managed, the systems they used and what changed as a result. Avoid over-weighting charisma when the role also requires disciplined planning, follow-through and operational leadership.

Reference-check the real work

References can help confirm how the candidate works with donors, executives, peers and boards, how they handle pressure, and whether they build sustainable fundraising practices rather than relying on one-time wins.

Set the hire up to succeed

Plan the first 90 days before the offer is accepted

The strongest hire can struggle if expectations, access and resources are unclear. Before the Development Director starts, identify the relationships, information and decisions they will need early.

Start Typing