interview prep development manager

Tell me about yourself

Sure! My name is Nevaeh Gutierrez, and I graduated from Whittier College with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology. After graduating, I completed an AmeriCorps VISTA year, serving with two nonprofit organizations and gaining experience in development, events, communications, project management, and data analysis.

I first served with Cayenne Wellness Center, where I worked in public health advocacy and led the organization’s first Sickle Cell Disease Advocacy Day at the California State Capitol for more than 200 attendees. I coordinated the event logistics, legislative meetings, trainings, and outreach, and I also supported grant applications and a $15 million state funding initiative.

I then transitioned to L.A. Works, where I worked on communications, volunteer engagement, and analytics. I supported a Camp FAVE giving campaign by tracking outcomes and monitoring targeted Google Ads, and I also developed data-tracking systems and a Tableau dashboard to help evaluate communications performance.

Now that I’ve completed my service year, I’m looking to continue building my career in nonprofit development. I’m especially interested in affordable housing and housing equity, so I was really excited to see this opportunity with Habitat CFC. I think this role would allow me to build on the experience I already have while continuing to grow in fundraising and development.

Why are you interested in this role?

Im really interested in this role because I’m passionate about housing equity and affordable housing. I really value the work the org is leading to help families access affordable homeownership, and I’d be excited to contribute to that mission.

I’m also looking to continue building my career in nonprofit development, and this role feels like a great next step for me. I’d be able to bring the experience I’ve already gained while continuing to grow my skills in fundraising and development.

Tell me about a time you managed a fundraising event

One of the biggest events I managed was my organization’s first Sickle Cell Disease Advocacy Day at the California State Capitol. Since it was the first time we were doing the event, I was involved from the planning stage through execution.

I coordinated the logistics for more than 200 attendees and helped bring together a 15-member advocacy team, including organizing their trainings and more than 20 meetings with legislators. There were a lot of moving pieces, so my main focus was keeping everything organized, making sure people had what they needed, and keeping the event on track.

It was a great experience because I was able to take a really complex event from an idea to something that actually happened, and it taught me a lot about managing timelines, communicating with different stakeholders, and staying flexible when things changed.

Tell me about your fundraising experience

i’ve recently had some hands-on experience with fundraising, particularly through a giving campaign I supported at L.A. Works for Camp FAVE. I tracked the campaign’s outcomes and monitored the performance of our targeted Google Ads to see how our outreach was performing. That gave me experience using data to understand what was working and how we could improve our fundraising efforts.

I’ve also had some exposure to grant development and larger funding initiatives, but I’m really looking to build on that foundation and develop more experience with individual giving, donor relationships, and sponsorships. That’s one of the things that really interests me about this position.

What are you hoping to learn in this role?

I’m hoping to deepen my experience in nonprofit fundraising, especially when it comes to individual giving and building relationships with donors. I’ve had some exposure to fundraising through campaigns and grants, and I’m excited to learn more about the day-to-day development side while bringing the experience I already have.

What experience do you have with donor cultivation or stewardship?

I’ve had some experience with stewardship through my work with grant funders. While working at Cayenne Wellness Center, I stayed in regular contact with our contacts at Pfizer and Novo Nordisk, providing updates and maintaining those relationships throughout the grant process. It taught me how important it is to keep funders informed and build those relationships beyond just submitting an application.

Questions to ask Interviewer

1. What do you enjoy most working at Habitat for Humanity?

2. What would you want the person in this role to accomplish in their first six months?