Philanthropy Manager

Operation Smile is an international medical charity specialising in cleft surgery and care for babies, children and adults. Since 1982, the organisation has transformed lives through safe surgery and comprehensive cleft care, while strengthening local health systems through training, education and partnerships

Operating in more than 30 countries, Operation Smile raises around $100m globally each year. Operation Smile UK plays a vital role within this international network as a fundraising office, working closely with Operation Smile Inc. to fund programmes and support medical volunteers delivering care around the world.

The organisation is entering an exciting phase of development through its Operation 100 strategy, which focuses on strengthening surgical systems by supporting district hospitals closer to the communities they serve. This approach creates compelling opportunities for philanthropy, enabling donors to support highly tangible, life-changing interventions while helping build sustainable surgical capacity in low-resource settings.

Operation Smile UK has a strong individual giving programme and well-established relationships with corporate partners, trusts and institutional donors. Major donor fundraising, however, is still developing, presenting significant untapped potential and an exciting opportunity to help build a structured and sustainable philanthropy programme.

Operation Smile UK is now seeking a Philanthropy Manager to help grow major donor fundraising, building new philanthropic relationships and expanding support from HNWIs.

As Philanthropy Manager, you will:

• Develop and implement Operation Smile UK’s major donor strategy alongside the Director of Partnerships
• Identify and cultivate new major donor prospects through research, networking (internally and externally) and peer-to-peer introductions through supporters and board members
• Steward a small but warm portfolio of existing donors while focusing primarily on developing new prospects, delivering full lifecycle stewardship from cultivation through to long-term relationship management
• Develop compelling restricted funding propositions aligned with programmes, including geographically or thematically focused projects
• Lead cultivation activity including donor meetings, proposals, events and programme visits
• Represent Operation Smile UK confidently with major donors, prospects and senior stakeholders
• Contribute to the continued development of philanthropy fundraising within the wider Partnerships team
• Occasionally travel internationally to visit programmes and accompany donors, providing first-hand insight into Operation Smile’s impact

Essential skills and experience:

• Experience in major donor fundraising with a track record of securing five-figure+ gifts from HNWIs
• Experience managing the full lifecycle of major donor fundraising, from prospecting and cultivation through to solicitation and stewardship
• Strong prospect research and pipeline development skills, including identifying and developing new donor relationships from cold
• Experience and confidence in building rapport and trust with prospective major donors
• Experience engaging trustees, senior volunteers and colleagues in fundraising and leveraging networks for peer-to-peer introductions
• Confidence and credibility when representing an organisation to HNWIs and senior stakeholders
• Strong relationship-building and influencing skills, with the ability to champion major donor fundraising in a collaborative and thoughtful way across the organisation
• A proactive, self-starting approach and the ability to identify and develop opportunities within a growing fundraising programme

Desirable:

• Experience in international development or global health fundraising
• Experience helping to develop a major donor programme from a low base or early stage

We are open to receiving applications from early career major donor fundraisers for this role. The role offers an opportunity to work alongside an experienced Director of Partnerships who has previously built major donor programmes and is committed to supporting the successful candidate through coaching and mentoring.

Employee benefits include:

• 25 days annual leave, excluding bank holidays, with 1-day additional holiday each year to a maximum of 30 days annual leave
• 6.1% employer pension contribution
• Enhanced maternity package (min. 24 months service)
• Employee Assistance Programme

Operation Smile UK are dedicated to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace that supports everyone's needs. We're happy to make reasonable adjustments throughout the application and employment process, and we particularly welcome applications from diverse backgrounds.

Operation Smile UK are a Disability Confident Committed employer, so we guarantee an interview to any disabled applicant who meets the minimum requirements for the job.