Director, Corporate Partnerships

Director, Corporate Partnerships

New York, NY

About Smile Train

Smile Train is changing the world one smile at a time. Its goal is to transform every person's life impacted by a cleft lip or palate by training and supporting doctors and medical professionals to provide beneficiaries with free, life-changing, comprehensive cleft treatment. This global organization is truly changing the world one smile at a time.In 1999, Charles B. Wang founded Smile Train with a visionary approach: empower local medical professionals to provide free, high-quality cleft care within their own communities. This sustainable model has transformed the lives of over two million children globally, offering not just surgeries but comprehensive care, including speech therapy, psychological support, and nutritional services.

Smile Train's commitment to building local capacity is evident in its support for over 1,000 partner hospitals and the training of more than 20,000 medical professionals across 95 countries. This approach ensures that cleft care is accessible year-round, fostering long-term relationships between patients and healthcare providers. The organization's impact is not only medical but also economic. A recent report highlighted that since 2000, Smile Train's initiatives have contributed an additional $69 billion to the global economy, underscoring the far-reaching benefits of their work.

Under the leadership of President and CEO Susannah Schaefer, Smile Train continues to expand its reach and effectiveness. Smile Train's story is one of sustainable impact, community empowerment, and unwavering dedication to transforming lives.Smile Train's approach to cleft care is built around a sustainable, locally empowered model that prioritizes quality, accessibility, and long-term impact. The organization's approach is outlined below:1. Empowering Local Medical Professionals

• Training + Education: Smile Train provides funding and resources to train local surgeons, anesthetists, nurses, and other healthcare workers in cleft treatment.
• Continuous Support: Ongoing professional development ensures that care remains high-quality and up to date.

1. Supporting Local Hospitals

• Infrastructure + Equipment: The organization partners with more than 1,000 hospitals worldwide, offering tools and support to perform cleft surgeries safely and effectively.
• Sustainability: By building local capacity, Smile Train ensures cleft care is available year-round, not just during short-term missions.

1. Comprehensive Cleft Care

• Smile Train recognizes that surgery is just one part of cleft treatment. Its model includes Speech Therapy, Nutritional Support, Psychological Counseling, Orthodontics, and Dental Care

1. Free Treatment for Patients

• All services funded by Smile Train are provided free of charge to families, removing financial barriers to life-changing care.

1. Community Outreach and Education

• Smile Train works to raise awareness about clefts, reduce stigma, and ensure families know that treatment is available.
• The organization also supports early diagnosis and referrals, especially in remote or underserved regions.

1. Measuring Impact

• The organization tracks outcomes and shares detailed impact reports to ensure accountability and improvement.
• Since 1999, Smile Train has supported over two million cleft surgeries in 95+ countries.

This approach allows Smile Train to treat clefts and build lasting, self-sufficient systems of care within local healthcare networks.

Position Summary

Smile Train seeks a dynamic and entrepreneurial Director, Corporate Partnerships to join our high-performing Development team. This individual will be critical in driving revenue growth by identifying, cultivating, and securing high-value corporate partnerships that align with Smile Train's mission and strategic priorities. Reporting to the VP of Development, the Director will lead the end-to-end process of new business development, leveraging networks, crafting compelling proposals, and stewarding corporate relationships to deliver six- and seven-figure partnerships.The ideal candidate is a strategic, relationship-focused professional with a proven track record in corporate fundraising, a deep understanding of the corporate giving landscape, and a passion for international development and global health.

Essential Job Functions

• Identify and manage all aspects of the fundraising process for a portfolio of corporate donors to secure, grow, and/or diversify their giving. This includes building appropriate strategies to manage existing relationships, initiating new ones, and re-engaging lapsed partners to achieve long-term relationships.
• Lead new business outreach strategy to develop and expand a pipeline for high-value partnerships through cold outreach and effectively leveraging networks, including the Board of Directors Development Committee and Philanthropic Advisory Council.
• Execute all stages of the new business development cycle, including outreach, meeting planning, engaging key internal stakeholders, proposal and presentation development, contract development, and securing and onboarding new partners.
• Secure and manage cause-related marketing partnerships that align with Smile Train's values and advance our goals and brand.
• Effectively track all portfolio activity in Salesforce, manage a structured Moves Management process, and report on performance to senior leadership with status updates and revenue projections.
• Serve as a representative for the organization to external audiences, engage in networking opportunities to garner introductions to new prospects, and effectively communicate Smile Train's programs and the challenges that cleft patients, their families, and local medical professionals face to various audiences.
• Act as the internal corporate giving expert, staying current on the corporate giving landscape with an effective understanding of corporate interests, consumer trends, and alignment with organizational priorities.

Qualifications

• Seven or more years of successful fundraising experience with significant focus on working with US and international corporations.
• A proven track record of meeting and exceeding revenue goals, including closing six- and seven-figure partnerships.
• A strong understanding and ability to execute all aspects of new business development (qualification, research, proposal development, solicitation, closing, and stewardship).
• An entrepreneurial focus and strong ability to function as a self-starter who can execute strategies independently.
• Experience creating revenue projections and reporting on key performance indicators and moves management progress.
• Expertise in creating effective partnership proposals and decks and effectively communicating alignment of Smile Train's and corporate prospect's goals.
• Knowledge of the corporate giving sector and corporate social responsibility trends, along with continuing education on the evolving corporate giving landscape and alignment with global health.
• Willingness and ability to travel 25% or more of the time.
• Bachelor's degree or international equivalent.
• Excellent oral and written English language communication skills to be able to share complex information with a variety of audiences.
• Excellent interpersonal, presentation, and negotiation skills.
• Excellent time management and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple deadlines while maintaining a keen attention to detail.
• Enthusiastic team player with the ability to work effectively with internal stakeholders.
• Strong proficiency in MS Office Suite, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, as well as database software(s) such as Salesforce.
• Interest and commitment to the work of Smile Train and knowledge of international and humanitarian issues.

Reporting Relationships

The Director, Corporate Partnerships reports to the Vice President, Development and has no direct reports.

Location

This is a full-time, hybrid position based in New York City with an expectation of at least two in-office days per week and up to 25% travel.

Compensation + Benefits

The salary range for this position is $120,000-135,000. Smile Train offers a generous benefits package which includes:

• Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance.
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA).
• 401K with 100% match of employee contributions; eligibility begins after three months of service. The match comes in two parts: the first 4% (Safe Harbor match) is vested at 100% after three months; the additional 2% (profit sharing) is vested over three years. Details provided in benefits package at time of offer
• Commuter Transit Benefit.
• Life Insurance, Long Term, and Short-Term Disability.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Paid Time Off (PTO):
  • Up to 5 years of service – 20 PTO days (1.67 days accrued per month)
  • Over 5 years but fewer than 10 years of service – 25 PTO days (2.08 days accrued per month)
  • Over 10 years of service – 30 PTO days (2.5 days accrued per month)
• Sick Leave: Employees accrue six sick/safe days per calendar year.
• Holidays: Smile Train observes 12 US holidays.
• Family and Medical Leave; Paid Child Care Leave.
• Journey of Smiles: All full-time employees in good standing who have worked for Smile Train for two years are eligible to participate in the Smile Train Employee Journey of Smiles Program. This travel program provides employees with a unique opportunity to visit Partner Hospitals to see first-hand how Smile Train and Smile Train Partners around the world help poor children with clefts.

As a reflection of our firm's commitment to equity and equal pay for all, Cooper Coleman requires that salary ranges or salary starting points be published for every search we conduct. The practice of not posting salaries perpetuates the gender and racial wage gap and discriminates against women, people of color, and other historically excluded populations by causing individuals to negotiate from a disadvantaged starting point.

Submission Instructions (read carefully)Cooper Coleman is leading this search on behalf of the Smile Train. To apply, please visit this link (www.coopercoleman.com/current-searches). Expressions of interest should be made only through the online application. Nominations of qualified candidates can be sent to johnny@coopercoleman.com. All inquiries will be held in confidence.

A cover letter is not required with your initial application but is welcomed to help us understand your fitness for and interest in this role during our initial evaluation.

Candidates invited for interviews will be asked to provide a thoughtful letter of interest indicating their specific qualifications for the opportunity, desire to join the Smile Train, and connection to its mission.Cooper Coleman LLC is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified candidates and will refer candidates without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation or identity, age, ability, veteran status, or any other legally protected basis.

DEIBA at Smile Train

We believe that our differences make us stronger and drive our desire to be inclusive, respectful, and equitable to honor each other's right to be different. We know that our global reach and incredibly talented staff have helped Smile Train to flourish, and we aim to align our global values more closely with our internal growth. Our commitment to DEIBA does not mean that we will agree on everything, nor does it mean that those who do not agree cannot be part of our journey. Cultivating a culture of compassion is about seeing the world from someone else's perspective – it's empathy plus action. In this respect, empathy is ultimately about connection. It is about recognizing others' humanity, understanding, giving space to others' emotions, and challenging ourselves to be present. To achieve our goal of building a world where all persons with cleft have access to cleft care treatment and equal opportunities – regardless of ethnicity, gender identity, ability, or economic status – and to support our staff personally and professionally to be the best and truest version of themselves, we aim to increase diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and accessibility.We believe EVERYONE at Smile Train plays a vital role in advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and accessibility across the organization, from our extraordinary staff to the partner network that makes our work possible to the children, families, and communities affected by cleft around the world that we serve. As a starting point to ensure our continued commitment, Smile Train has established several staff-led groups that are leading the work to think critically about how we can live our DEIBA values day-to-day and foster equity and a sense of belonging among our staff, patients, and partners.This road is a long one, and we are committed to walking it together.

Background Checks + Credentials Verification

Before sending your resume for this position, please read it over for accuracy. Cooper Coleman verifies its candidates' employment and academic credentials at the time of offer, and our clients frequently conduct background checks before finalizing an offer. jeid-98183c2675506b4a9e69a4c0655f207e