Position home office based in Los Angeles

Sterling Search, Inc. has been exclusively retained to recruit for the new Regional Director of Major Gifts for Operation Smile.

Operation Smile is a 510(c)3 organization with a $62 million budget and founded in 1982 when Dr. William (Bill) P. Magee, Jr., a plastic surgeon, and his wife, Kathleen (Kathy), a nurse and clinical social worker, traveled to the Philippines with a group of medical volunteers to repair children's cleft lips and cleft palates. What they found was overwhelming, approximately 300 families arrived hoping their children would receive surgery, but the team could only treat 40 children. As they prepared to leave, the Magee’s made a promise they would return to help more children.

Operation Smile mobilizes a world of generous hearts to heal children's smiles and transform lives across the globe. A network of staff and volunteers work worldwide to repair childhood facial deformities, including cleft lips and cleft palates, and bring hope for a better future. As one of the most prominent charities for children in the world, Operation Smile works in over 60 countries. Last year Operation Smile provided more than 21,000 patients with surgery and dental care. Since 1982, Operation Smile has helped more than 270,000 people receive life-changing surgical care in their communities.

 Operation Smile has been successful in raising contributed income through direct marketing efforts. A key area of focus for the next fiscal year is to further diversify funding revenue and appoint a Regional Director of Major Gifts to continue to build a more robust, sustainable, and comprehensive major gifts program for the Southern California Region. Although there has been success in major gift fundraising initiatives in the region, until more recently there has not been a person dedicated to this effort.

 The Regional Director of Major Gifts is a new role for the region. In a dynamic and expanding market, the successful candidate will serve, in partnership with the Founders and Director of International Programs at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, as the face of the organization. Due to the high level of direct mail success, this unique opportunity offers the successful candidate the ability to build their own enterprise in a relatively untapped market, with no shortage of qualified and engaged top tier donors.

 https://www.operationsmile.org/

 Reporting directly to Chief Development Officer, the Director will participate in weekly meetings with the President/Co-Founder and also monthly meetings with Director of International Programs at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. The Director will be responsible for attracting gifts ($10,000+) for Operation Smile. The Director will manage and execute a cultivation and solicitation strategy for a portfolio of 150 prospective donors located in the Los Angeles region, raising $1 million annually

 Essential Functions:

Specifically, this role will direct and execute the plan to strengthen Operation Smile’s philanthropy program in the Southern California Region.

 The Director will take the initiative to secure pledges and cash gifts by implementing a comprehensive development methodology as follows:

• Identification and cultivation of new prospective donors
• Appointment Setting. Schedule appointments with prospective donors to Operation Smile through telephone and e-mail outreach for pre-arranged appointments.
• Case Statement Presentation. Explain the Case for Support in a concise and compelling manner to raise donor awareness and enthusiasm.
• Gift Solicitation & Follow-Up. Present giving options; overcome objections and pursue gift commitments during and after the face-to-face appointment.
• Portfolio Management: Manage a portfolio of up to 150 prospective donors by following a moves management process.
  

Qualifications/Skills Required:

Candidates must have at least a Bachelor’s degree, a minimum of 5+ years of sales/marketing or fundraising experience, and must also demonstrate:

• Superior written and verbal communication skills, as well as strong presentation and liaison skills.
• Ability to represent Operation Smile in a positive and professional manner during interaction with constituents.
• Computer literacy, including strong understanding of Microsoft Word, Raiser’s Edge, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, and web conferencing, as well as other database and web-based fundraising tools.
• Ability to work well independently while maintaining strong communication with supervisor.
• High level of integrity in dealing with confidential information.
• Proven success in managing a portfolio and having met sales or fundraising goals in a metric driven environment.
• Capacity to deal comfortably and sensitively with high-level donors.
• Ability to forge strong working relationships with others and a capacity for engaging trust among donors.

• Understanding of and commitment to the mission of Operation Smile.
• Bilingual language skills are a plus.
  

 

Travel throughout the southern California region, with an emphasis on Los Angeles will be required as the Director will meet personally with a minimum of 100 donor prospects annually.

 We are seeking candidates offering the following qualifications:


• Passion for the belief that every child deserves exceptional surgical care and no child suffers from lack of access to safe surgery
• Entrepreneurial spirit, imagination, vision, leadership, and integrity
• A minimum of 5 years of fundraising with a demonstrated track record of gift acquisition with individuals, foundations and corporations in a professional capacity

   

  Compensation:

  A competitive compensation package will be offered to attract an outstanding candidate.

  Direct all correspondence, emails and telephone calls to Sterling Search, Inc.

  Any resumes sent or telephone calls made to Operation Smile will be redirected

  to Sterling Search, Inc.

   Operation Smile is an Equal Opportunity Employer