Full-Time

Manager – Events & Partnerships

Posted on 4/4/2025

Operation Smile

Operation Smile

501-1,000 employees

Global pediatric cleft surgery & care

Compensation Overview

$60.4k - $65k/yr

Virginia Beach, VA, USA

Hybrid

Remote - VA Beach preferred; 70% travel required; must be willing to work some nights and weekends.

Category
Business & Strategy (2)
,
Required Skills
Inventory Management
Social Media
Excel/Numbers/Sheets
Requirements
  • Bachelor’s degree required.
  • 5+ years of event or project planning management experience.
  • 3+ years of successful non-profit fundraising or comparable experience.
  • Experience using OneCause/Bidpal and/or other ticketing platforms.
  • Experience using fundraising CRM software, preferably Blackbaud products.
  • Experience with email and project management software
  • Experience with social media and digital marketing a plus.
  • Superior written and verbal communication skills, as well as presentation and liaison skills.
  • Computer proficiency, including experience with Microsoft Office, Excel, Outlook, and Smartsheet.
  • Social media proficiency.
  • Experience in event planning and project management.
  • Experience leading large teams in fast-paced environments.
  • Demonstrated ability to directly communicate with major donors and corporations and negotiate cash and in-kind sponsorships and event support.
  • Must be willing to work some nights and weekends, and travel domestically and internationally, as needed based upon events and donor cultivation schedule.
  • Must be able to lift and move heavy objects
  • Ability to work well both independently and as part of a team.
  • High level of integrity in dealing with confidential information.
  • Proven success in managing a portfolio of prospects and having raised funds in a metric-driven environment or comparable experience.
  • Demonstrated ability to support management of the full cycle of non-profit fundraising events.
  • Interest and appreciation of Operation Smile’s core mission and ability to communicate that mission across different platforms and personalities.
  • Highly flexible and adaptable. Ability to manage competing priorities and multi-task through diverse areas.
  • Must be able to self-regulate emotions in stressful situations.
Responsibilities
  • Manage a unified departmental schedule of activities, including community engagement events, fundraisers, and other events, and create reports and SOPs, lead weekly team status meetings and KPI conversations, develop optimization strategies, and manage interns as needed.
  • Support the AVP and team in all aspects of event strategic planning and execution, including fundraising, donor cultivation and stewardship, marketing, communications, volunteer management, VIP guest participation, and working directly with third-party vendors, including venues, caterers, equipment suppliers, etc.
  • Manage Events and Partnerships portfolio in BBCRM, including updating records, pulling donor and revenue reports, adding/disqualifying prospects, and creating audits.
  • Escort VIP donors and groups on Operation Smile programs as needed and facilitate their positive experience.
  • Directly conduct new and existing donor and corporate supporter outreach to negotiate both cash and in-kind donations, event sponsorships, and shop-to-benefit campaigns. Responsible for conducting brand sponsor outreach to offset costs of events and acquire donated products.
  • Directly support major individual donors including conducting in-person and virtual meetings, assisting with donor accompaniment as needed, phone calls, tax donation letters, and email support to maintain donor loyalty.
  • Create and submit agreements and contracts for event sponsors and vendors and submit payments.
  • Assist as backup support for AVP in production management and creative operations for events, including creating run of show, scripts, slideshows, visual and marketing materials, procuring video footage, and stage and backstage management.
  • Manage events ticketing and donation processing software, OneCause, including creating and updating event profiles, setting up ticketing and sponsorships, building and assigning table seating, and adding auction items. Manage on-the-ground OneCause staff at events, and all registration, live, and silent auction activities.
  • Directly manage staff and volunteers at Operation Smile events, including delegating tasks, managing daily operations, booking travel and lodging, and providing training and resources.
  • Manage shipping and receiving process.
  • Collaborate with the events team to ensure that event revenue is maximized. Monitor and update expense and revenue reporting for each event, submit monthly expense reports for the department, create and submit invoicing for donation and sponsorship pledges, and invoice payment requests to finance.
  • Maintain all past event records and paperwork, manage Events department equipment and premium product inventory at Global HQ.
  • Directly manage or support interdepartmental community engagement and fundraising efforts.
Desired Qualifications
  • Experience with social media and digital marketing a plus.

Operation Smile is an international children's medical charity that performs safe cleft lip and cleft palate surgeries and provides postoperative and ongoing medical therapies for children in low- and middle-income countries. It works through a mobilized network of international medical professionals who deliver surgeries and follow-up care, while also advocating for safe surgery in resource-poor environments and conducting research on the causes, prevention, treatment, and eradication of cleft conditions. The organization differentiates itself by being the largest surgical charity of its kind, leading advocacy and research, and coordinating global medical missions to reach children in need. Its goal is to improve access to safe, effective surgery for cleft lip and palate, reduce the burden of these conditions, and ultimately prevent and eradicate cleft-related health issues worldwide.

Company Size

501-1,000

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

Virginia Beach, Virginia

Founded

1982

Your Connections

People at Operation Smile who can refer or advise you

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Johnson & Johnson donated $100M MedTech since 2020, adding $20M in 2026 for tools and training.
  • Milevista partnership on November 8, 2025, targets $6.7M fundraising by 2027 via U.S. activations.
  • Scott McDonald appointed Global Chief Development Officer on April 30, 2025, boosting Operation 100 funds.

What critics are saying

  • Johnson & Johnson cuts donations post-2026, eroding suture supply and leverage in 12 months.
  • Milevista misses $6.7M goal by 2027, diverting funds from surgeries and eroding trust.
  • Smile Train captures donors with higher volumes, undercutting research pivot immediately.

What makes Operation Smile unique

  • Operation Smile leads IFS research since 2011 across nine countries, analyzing 8,000 families' genetic data.
  • Operation 100 blueprint, unveiled March 13, 2025, trains 100 teams in 100 hospitals for 500 million.
  • 'Badges of Hope' campaign with 72andSunny reframes scars as survival symbols globally.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

401(k) Retirement Plan

401(k) Company Match

Paid Vacation

Flexible Work Hours

Remote Work Options

Hybrid Work Options

Mental Health Support

Company News

Domestic Cleaning Business Network
May 28th, 2026
Operation Smile receives 10 Telly Awards for documentary storytelling in Vietnam.

Operation Smile receives 10 Telly Awards for documentary storytelling in Vietnam. May 28, 2026 DCBN News, Syndication Comments Off on OPERATION SMILE RECEIVES 10 TELLY AWARDS FOR DOCUMENTARY STORYTELLING IN VIETNAM. Nonprofit's Filmmakers Honored with 3 Gold, 5 Silver, and 2 Bronze Awards at the 47th Annual Telly Awards VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., May 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Operation Smile today announced it has received 10 Telly Awards for a series of documentary pieces created in Vietnam, earning...

Investing News Network
Jan 27th, 2026
Johnson & Johnson Marks $100 Million of MedTech Products Donated Since 2020 to Help People Live, See and Smile

Johnson & Johnson marks $100 million of MedTech products donated since 2020 to help people live, see and smile. Builds on longstanding efforts by Johnson & Johnson and the J&J Foundation to champion and support health workers Johnson & Johnson, with support from the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) Foundation, announced that it has donated $100 million of MedTech products since 2020 to help more people around the world access the specialized care they need to live, see and smile. The Company has also planned to contribute an additional $20 million toward programs and impact investments that empower health workers to deliver cardiac, vision and surgical care in their communities in 2026. These new funds are part of J&J CareCommunity, a social impact platform that focuses the work of Johnson & Johnson and the J&J Foundation to champion health workers and advance access to quality care. Alongside partners like Lions Clubs International Foundation, Operation Smile and the American Heart Association, J&J CareCommunity is helping improve the lives of health workers and patients alike. "With these efforts, we're accelerating the work of J&J CareCommunity, partnering with global and local organizations to deliver new tools, training and sustained support that frontline care teams need to expand access to specialized care," said Tim Schmid, Executive Vice President and Worldwide Chairman of MedTech at Johnson & Johnson. "As a leader in medical technology, we know that delivering specialized care doesn't just help people. It also fuels healthier communities, stronger economies and lasting change." Gaps in access to specialized care are caused in part by shortages of skilled surgical and health workers and a lack of technologies and infrastructure, which strain providers and health systems in under-resourced communities. Johnson & Johnson is helping close these gaps by providing medical tools and technologies to equip health workers to deliver specialized care, which includes restoring circulation, healing wounds, helping people see clearly again and other life-changing care. The Company and the J&J Foundation are also working with partners to build programs that train and support health workers involved in this care. Each year, these efforts reach over 300,000 healthcare professionals, to enable the uptake of tools and technologies that make safe surgical care possible. "Safe surgery gives children the chance to breathe freely, speak clearly, and move through life with confidence," said Kristie Magee Porcaro, Chief Strategy Officer, Operation Smile. "Yet too many still lack access to these essential procedures. By strengthening health systems and equipping local health workers and leaders, we help bring life-changing care closer to home, fostering resilient communities and creating a future full of possibilities." Through J&J CareCommunity, the Company and the J&J Foundation are working with several global partners to reach more people, now and in the future, including: * American Heart Association: Johnson & Johnson, in collaboration with the American Heart Association, is expanding access to CPR trainings for employees and communities, including a new hands-only CPR training kiosk at the Museum of Science in Boston, an innovative, interactive way for everyday people to practice lifesaving skills. * Global Surgery Foundation: Johnson & Johnson, with support from the J&J Foundation, is collaborating with the Global Surgery Foundation to support surgical teams as a founding partner of the UN Global Surgery Learning Hub (SURGhub), and through a $1 million commitment to SURGfund to scale surgical systems in low- and middle-income countries. * International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB): Johnson & Johnson and the J&J Foundation are working with IAPB to elevate eye health on national agendas and strengthen health systems to accelerate progress toward the shared goal of ending preventable blindness by 2030. * MAP (Medicine for All People): Through a longstanding collaboration with MAP, Johnson & Johnson is donating products, including sutures, intraocular lenses, bladder sounds, fistula scissors and catheter organizers, to equip health workers with the tools to deliver safe surgery in communities globally. * Operation Smile: For over 35 years, Johnson & Johnson and the J&J Foundation has partnered with Operation Smile to expand access to safe surgery. What began with providing sutures has grown into a partnership that brings care and new smiles within reach, while equipping nurses with leadership and skills trainings, creating lasting change in local communities. * SEE International: Johnson & Johnson and the J&J Foundation are supporting SEE International to help medical teams and volunteers bring free sight-restoring surgeries to people living with cataracts. * Sight For Kids: In 2002, we teamed up with Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) to launch Sight For Kids (SFK), a program that connects children in low-income schools with comprehensive eye health screenings and care at no cost. SFK, with support from the J&J Foundation, has reached more than 55 million students around the world. Now the program is training community health workers to reach more communities. Johnson & Johnson's Commitment to the Global Health Workforce As healthcare advances, we believe in supporting those who shape it - healthcare professionals. J&J CareCommunity is a global social impact platform from Johnson & Johnson to advance access to quality care through championing nurses and community health workers. By collaborating with those closest to the challenge, we can connect more people to care. Learn more at https://www.jnj.com/j-j-care-community. At Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more about our MedTech sector's global scale and deep expertise in cardiovascular, orthopaedics, surgery and vision solutions at https://thenext.jnjmedtech.com. Follow us at @JNJMedTech and on LinkedIn. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260127404738/en/

Little Black Book
Nov 17th, 2025
Operation Smile Reframes Surgical Scars as Symbols of Strength and Survival

Operation Smile reframes surgical scars as symbols of strength and survival. Operation Smile, a global nonprofit deeply committed to closing the gap in surgical and health care access, has launched 'Badges of Hope,' a new global creative campaign that redefines how the world sees surgical scars. Rather than viewing scars as marks to conceal, 'Badges of Hope' encourages people to see them as symbols of survival and access - visible proof that life-changing surgical care is within reach. Through cinematic storytelling, intimate photography, and a global digital activation, the campaign transforms perceptions - inviting the world to see scars as badges of hope: enduring symbols of strength and the human right to safe surgery. A global health gap hidden in plain sight. Globally, over 5 billion people - more than two-thirds of the world's population - do not have access to safe, affordable surgery. This gap is driven by three major barriers: distance to hospitals, limited health infrastructure, and a severe shortage of trained surgical professionals. To meet the 143 million surgeries needed in low- and middle-income countries annually, the world requires 2.2 million more surgeons. "A surgical scar means you were able to access care. And in too many parts of the world, that is still a privilege - not a right," said Kathy Magee, co-founder and CEO of Operation Smile. 'Badges of Hope' challenges us to rethink what a scar really means. Every scar tells a story - not just of surgery, but of survival, access, and the dignity that comes with being cared for. This campaign puts humanity - not just surgery - at the centre of the story." Creative rollout: telling the stories behind every scar. Developed in partnership with global creative agency 72andSunny, 'Badges of Hope' celebrates the surgical journey with honesty and emotion, spotlighting the strength of patients and providers alike. The campaign includes a hero anthem film spotlighting real patients whose post-surgery scars tell stories of courage and care, as well as a series of patient vignettes filmed across multiple countries, capturing the moment healing meets identity. "Two-thirds of the world does not have access to safe surgery. It's a statistic so overwhelming it demands a pause," said Matt Jarvis, chairman, 72andSunny. "Reframing scars as something that went right offers a new perspective, one where the power of surgery to change lives becomes something we want everyone to have access to. Operation Smile is the world's leading advocate for safe surgery, and it's a privilege for all of us at 72andSunny to help tell their story and advance their mission." Connecting personal stories to systemic change. While 'Badges of Hope' honours individual journeys, it fuels a broader mission: Operation 100, Operation Smile's plan to bring essential surgical care closer to home by strengthening district hospitals and training local surgical teams. Building on more than four decades of locally led, globally supported partnerships with medical leaders, health ministries, universities, and NGOs, Operation 100 will train 100 surgical teams across 100 hospitals, equipping them with the skills, tools, and systems needed to deliver safe surgery within a two-hour reach for nearly 500 million people. "For too long, patients have traveled for days only to be turned away," added Kathy. "Operation 100 is about changing that story, and 'Badges of Hope' is how we show the world what that change looks like. Every scar represents the promise of access fulfilled, and the hope we are working to extend to every patient, everywhere."

24-7 Press Release
Nov 8th, 2025
Milevista Partners with Operation Smile to Raise $6.7M by End of 2027

Milevista partners with Operation Smile to raise $6.7M by end of 2027. Strategic partnership aligns Milevista's experiential marketing expertise with Operation Smile's global healthcare mission to drive $6.7 million in fundraising by 2027 CULVER CITY, CA, November 08, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ - Milevista, the Culver City - based experiential marketing agency, today announced a new partnership with global medical nonprofit Operation Smile to support surgical care, comprehensive cleft treatment and family-focused programs - with an ambitious fundraising goal of $6.7 million by December 31, 2027. Milevista+1 Milevista will deploy its team-based, high-impact in-person activations, live pop-ups to increase awareness, raise funds in markets across the U.S. These efforts will include a series of live events and experiential activations designed to educate communities about the work that we do and generate sustained donor support. "As an agency built around real human connections, we believe powerful experiences can do more than build brands - they can change lives," said Milevista's leadership. "Partnering with Operation Smile lets us bring our on-the-ground expertise to bear on a deeply meaningful mission: helping children and families access life-changing surgery and care. Our goal is ambitious, but with the right partners and persistent community engagement, it's entirely achievable." Milevista Operation Smile - an international nonprofit with decades of experience delivering cleft lip and palate surgeries and long-term comprehensive care - will work closely with Milevista to raise funds to support surgical programs. A short film documenting the early stages of this initiative and patient impact is available here: 100 Kids Smile For The First Time. youtube.com Why this partnership matters Operation Smile's model pairs safe surgery with multidisciplinary care and community education; Milevista brings measurable, in-person reach and real-time campaign optimization. Together, the organizations aim to accelerate donor response and increase the number of children who receive corrective surgery and follow-up services over the next two years. Operation Smile+1 About Milevista Milevista is a Culver City - based experiential marketing and field activation agency that creates immersive, results-driven campaigns for brands, nonprofit partners, and purpose-driven organizations. The company specializes in pop-ups, brand ambassador programs and live activations that convert attention into measurable outcomes. About Operation Smile Operation Smile is an international nonprofit dedicated to increasing access to safe surgery and comprehensive cleft care for children worldwide. For more than four decades the organization has partnered with hospitals, medical volunteers, and communities to deliver surgery, treatment and long-term support to patients born with cleft lip and/or palate. Operation Smile Media Contact - Milevista Press inquiries, interview requests and partnership questions: Milevista Media Relations Email: [email protected]. Phone: 310-596-1653. # # # Contact information. Milevista

Yahoo
Jul 16th, 2025
Operation Smile to host STEAMCON in Virginia Beach

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - The Virginia Beach non-profit Operation Smile will host the second annual World of Medicine STEAMCON July 19 to introduce students, families, educators and community partners alike to experience Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM) in action.

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