In a sector defined by change: volatile funding, shifting donor priorities, localisation, and rising expectations for measurable impact, more professionals are exploring new roles while organisations seek leaders who can deliver results fast. To support both sides, we’ve created a practical guide to help you prepare effectively for interviews, with a focus on competency‑ and outcomes‑based approaches that are increasingly shaping hiring decisions across global development.

At SRI Executive, we partner closely with clients and candidates. We help organisations design and deliver robust competency‑based assessments, while equipping candidates with the insight and preparation to perform at their best. This dual perspective means better decisions, reduced risk, and stronger outcomes for everyone involved.

Why competency‑ and outcomes‑based interviews work 

Competency‑based (also known as Outcomes-based) interviewing is rooted in a straightforward principle: past behaviour is a strong indicator of future performance. Rather than testing abstract puzzles or theoretical knowledge, these interviews explore how a candidate has handled real situations that mirror the demands of the role.

Traditional interviews often rely on broad prompts such as “Tell me about yourself,” or hypothetical puzzles. While these can surface personality or lateral thinking, they rarely predict whether someone will deliver in role‑specific contexts. Structured approaches, such as competency‑based interviews, are evidence‑driven. They emphasise concrete examples of professional behaviour linked to the capabilities and results the role requires.

Competency‑Based Interviews go a step further by placing results at the centre: what changed because of your actions? In today’s uncertain environment, this method gives hiring panels decision confidence by connecting past achievements with the outcomes the organisation needs next, be that mobilising new sources of funding, strengthening governance, or delivering high‑quality programmes at scale.

Identify the right competencies (and why context matters)

Preparation is pivotal to succeeding in competency‑based interviews. Candidates who invest time in reflecting on their experience, identifying the right competencies, and preparing clear examples will always stand out. For hiring panels, clarity on the required competencies creates a fairer, more predictive process.

Start with the job description. Translate broad responsibilities into measurable competencies and outcomes. For example:

• “Provide executive leadership and management” → Leadership; Managing People; Building High‑Performing Teams.

• “Represent the organisation with bilateral partners and members” → Influencing; Diplomacy; Stakeholder Management; Collaboration.
  
  
• “Lead the organisation through significant change” → Change Management; Resilience; Adaptive Leadership.
  
  
• “Executive oversight of finance, risk and data‑driven decision‑making” → Analytical Thinking; Sound Judgement; Risk Management; Commercial/Financial Acumen.
  
  
  

 In global development, also look for competencies that reflect sector‑specific realities: 

• Innovative/Blended Finance and Resource Mobilisation 

• Partnership Brokering (donors, multilaterals, governments, private sector) 

• Localisation and Capacity Strengthening 

• Safeguarding and Compliance 

• Equity, Inclusion and Culturally Responsive Leadership 

Culture and values matter, too. Mission statements, values and behaviours frameworks signal what an organisation measures and rewards. If a profile reads, “We transform communities through innovation, research and global collaboration,” a likely question might be: “How have you lived these values in your previous roles?” Prepare examples that demonstrate both technical strength and clear alignment with the organisation’s ethos.

Build your competency map 

Once you’ve identified the focus areas, turn your experience into a practical, at‑a‑glance toolkit. Create a simple three‑column map:

• Competency (e.g., Resource Mobilisation, Stakeholder Management) 
• Example/Story (a specific situation that demonstrates the competency) 
• Key Outcomes (the results, metrics or impact achieved) 

 This exercise: 

• Ensures you have several precise, relevant examples ready. 
• Reveals gaps and prompts you to revisit earlier roles, secondments, or volunteer work that may show growth and resilience. 

For senior roles, map examples across different contexts (country, regional, global) and delivery models (grant‑funded programmes, government partnerships, public–private initiatives, PDPs). 

Use the STAR method to keep answers sharp 

A structured approach keeps your answers clear and memorable. The STAR technique is reliable and easy to use: 

• Situation – set the context. 
• Task – describe what needs to be done. 
• Action – explain what you did. 
• Result – share the outcomes (ideally quantified). 

Example 

Question: “Tell us about a time you led a team through a challenging change.” 

Answer (STAR): 

• Situation: “When I joined Organisation X, the division’s digital transformation was behind schedule and facing staff resistance.” 
• Task: “I was asked to realign the team and get us back on track within six months.” 
• Action: “I co‑created a change plan with team leads, set fortnightly milestones, and involved staff in decisions to reduce resistance.” 
• Result: “We delivered on time; system adoption exceeded 90%, and implementation costs were 8% under budget.” 

Tip for development roles: Where monetary outcomes are not the primary measure, quantify impact in relevant terms: grant approvals, proportion of restricted vs. unrestricted funding secured, policy changes influenced, audit findings reduced, on‑time delivery rates, or the number of households reached. 

For more on structuring strong stories, see our insight on using narrative examples in interviews. 

For candidates: practical preparation checklist 

Avoid relying on one “go‑to” story per competency. If panellists probe from different angles, you risk sounding rehearsed or repeating yourself. Prepare two to three stories per core competency, drawing from diverse experiences. 

• Map competencies across your whole career: earlier roles often reveal adaptability and growth.
• Blend professional and personal examples: community leadership, pro bono advisory, or board service can evidence values, empathy and influence.
• Rehearse out loud: refine clarity and flow; practise weaving in specific metrics, dates and names.
• Align to outcomes: tie actions to results that matter in the role you’re pursuing.
• Anticipate follow‑ups: “What did you learn?”, “What would you do differently?”, “How did you bring others with you?”
• Leverage tools: competency frameworks, mock interviews and recorded practice can highlight blind spots.
• Prepare thoughtful questions: ask about 12–18 month outcomes, success indicators, governance dynamics, and culture—demonstrating strategic fit.

For hiring panels: make the competency-based method work for you 

Structured design increases fairness, reduces risk, and improves predictive power. 

• Define success upfront: create a role scorecard with 4–6 priority outcomes for the first 12–18 months (e.g., “Establish a USD Xm pipeline of innovative finance,” “Reduce audit exceptions by Y%,” “Deliver localisation roadmap in Z countries”). 
• Select the critical competencies: align with strategy, funding realities and culture. 
•  Build anchored rating guides: define what “insufficient”, “meets” and “exceeds” look like for each question to reduce bias and improve consistency.
• Standardise the process: ask each candidate the same core questions, allow consistent time, and capture evidence verbatim before scoring. 
• Probe for transferability: in development, many leaders move between contexts (INGOs, MDBs, PDPs, private sector). Probe for lessons learned and how candidates adapt across systems and cultures. 
• Balance panel composition: include diverse perspectives (technical, programme, finance, HR, and regional representation) to improve decision quality. 
• Close the loop: debrief against the scorecard, not gut feel. If needed, use work‑sample assessments or simulations to test priority outcomes. 

Sample outcomes‑based questions for development roles 

• Director of Resource Mobilisation: “Walk us through a time you opened a new funding stream (e.g., blended finance, private philanthropy). What was the year‑one outcome and what did you change to sustain it?” 
• Country Director: “Describe how you delivered programme outcomes during a funding cut or emergency pivot. What trade‑offs did you make and what changed for communities?” 
• CFO: “Tell us about strengthening financial controls and donor compliance across multiple country offices. What measurable risk reduction did you achieve?” 
• Partnerships Lead: “Share an example of brokering a complex partnership with a multilateral or government. How did you navigate power dynamics and what was the tangible result?”

Improve your answers by quantifying impact 

Where appropriate, anchor your outcomes with specific, credible measures: 

• Funding: “Secured £12m in new unrestricted income; diversified donor base from two to five.” 
• Quality and compliance: “Reduced audit findings by 40% year‑on‑year; 100% on‑time donor reporting.” 
• Reach and effectiveness: “Scaled programme to three additional regions; 95% on‑time delivery; 20% cost efficiency gain reinvested into services.” 
• Influence: “Co‑authored policy adopted by Ministry of Health; integrated into national guidelines within 12 months.” 

How SRI Executive can help 

With more than 25 years in global executive search, SRI Executive designs interview and assessment processes that are fair, reliable and predictive. We are trusted by organisations such as CGIAR and ICRISAT, alongside multilaterals, foundations and PDPs, to secure leaders who deliver lasting impact. 

Our support includes: 

• Designing competency‑ and outcomes‑based interview guides and scorecards. 
• Training interviewers to reduce bias and improve objectivity. 
• Preparing candidates with coaching, mock interviews and developmental feedback. 
• Aligning interviews with organisational values, culture and mission—so selection decisions strengthen both performance and reputation.

Interviews should not be guesswork. With the right design, both clients and candidates gain decision confidence, reduce risk and ensure a rigorous, equitable process. 

If you’d like to discuss how we can support your next recruitment or your personal interview preparation, contact us, or explore our Executive Search and Leadership services. 

Key takeaways

• Define success first: clarity on the 12–18 month outcomes anchors both questions and decisions.
• Prepare a competency map: build multiple, well‑structured examples for each core competency.
• Use STAR and quantify: keep answers clear and tie actions to meaningful results.
• Standardise and score: for panels, use anchored rating guides and debrief against the role scorecard.
• Align on values: technical excellence plus cultural fit accelerates impact and strengthens reputation.

Conclusion

Competency‑based interviews replace vague impressions with structured evidence,  separating potential from proven capability. For candidates, preparation is a process of self‑discovery and positioning: cataloguing achievements and rehearsing stories that show you at your best. For organisations, this method reduces risk, improves fairness and helps secure leaders who can deliver, even amid funding pressures and changing priorities. With preparation, structure and authenticity, interviews become meaningful conversations that predict real performance and empower lasting impact across our sector.