Application Guide

How to Apply for Lead Manager, Senior Salesforce Developer

at Makeawishamerica

🏢 About Makeawishamerica

Make-A-Wish America is the world's largest wish-granting organization, uniting communities to grant life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Working here means contributing to a mission that brings hope, strength, and joy to families, with a strong sense of community and purpose.

About This Role

As a Senior Salesforce Developer, you will architect and deliver technical solutions on the Salesforce platform to support the national office and chapters across the U.S. This role is impactful because your work directly enables the organization to efficiently manage wish-granting processes, donor relationships, and volunteer coordination, ultimately helping to grant more wishes.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might start with a stand-up meeting with your Agile team to discuss progress and blockers. You'll then spend time coding in Salesforce, reviewing peer code, and collaborating with business analysts to refine requirements. Afternoon might involve a design session for a new feature or troubleshooting an integration issue, all while keeping the mission of granting wishes at the forefront.

🎯 Who Makeawishamerica Is Looking For

  • 5+ years of Salesforce development experience with deep expertise in Apex, Visualforce, Lightning Web Components, and Salesforce APIs.
  • Proven ability to architect scalable solutions and lead technical projects within an Agile framework.
  • Strong problem-solving skills and experience analyzing complex business requirements to implement effective Salesforce features.
  • Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with a passion for mentoring junior developers and working cross-functionally.
  • Salesforce certifications (e.g., Platform Developer II, Application Architect) are highly preferred.

📝 Tips for Applying to Makeawishamerica

1

Highlight any experience with non-profit or chapter-based organizations, as this shows you understand the unique needs of a distributed model.

2

Emphasize your experience with Agile methodologies and provide specific examples of leading Salesforce projects from conception to deployment.

3

Tailor your resume to showcase not just technical skills, but also how your solutions improved business outcomes, using metrics where possible.

4

In your cover letter, express genuine enthusiasm for the mission of Make-A-Wish and how your skills can directly contribute to granting more wishes.

5

Ensure your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date and reflects your Salesforce expertise, as recruiters often check it.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

["Your passion for the mission of Make-A-Wish and how your work can impact children's lives.", "Specific examples of complex Salesforce implementations you've led, especially those involving integrations or data migration.", 'Your ability to work collaboratively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders to translate business needs into technical solutions.', "Your experience with Agile and how you've helped teams deliver high-quality solutions on time."]

Generate Cover Letter →

🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • Learn about Make-A-Wish's mission, values, and the impact of their work to understand the organization's culture.
  • Familiarize yourself with the structure of Make-A-Wish America and its chapters, as this role supports both.
  • Review any public information about their technology stack or Salesforce usage (e.g., Trailblazer Community posts, case studies).
  • Look into recent news or initiatives from Make-A-Wish, such as fundraising campaigns or technology updates, to show you're informed.

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Describe a time you designed a scalable Salesforce solution for a multi-org or chapter-based structure. What challenges did you face?
2 How do you stay current with Salesforce releases and new features, and how do you decide when to adopt them?
3 Explain your approach to code reviews and ensuring best practices in a team environment.
4 How would you handle a situation where a business stakeholder requests a feature that is not feasible within Salesforce's standard capabilities?
5 Describe your experience with Salesforce integrations (e.g., REST/SOAP APIs, middleware) and how you ensure data security and integrity.
Practice Interview Questions →

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Don't submit a generic resume or cover letter that doesn't mention Make-A-Wish or the specific requirements of this role.
  • Avoid focusing only on technical skills without demonstrating how you've solved business problems or collaborated with stakeholders.
  • Don't neglect to mention your experience with Agile, as the job explicitly mentions working within an agile framework.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Makeawishamerica!