Area Director- Pakistan, Middle East & North Africa

Smile Train is an international nonprofit headquartered in New York. Our mission is to transform the life of every person impacted by cleft lip and palate. We train and support doctors and medical professionals to provide free life-changing comprehensive cleft treatment to our beneficiaries. Our sustainable model has allowed us to reach 1.5 million children in 90+ countries to date and we’re just getting started. We are truly changing the world one smile at a time.

The Area Director for Area Director- Pakistan, Middle east & North Africa is tasked to oversee our work in the following countries:

Pakistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Jordan, Yemen, UAE, Palestine, Lebanon, Oman, Turkey & North Africa and expand our work in in the area. The Area Director will work with a team of Smile Train managers and partners to grow Smile Train’s cleft treatment programs, impact, and reputation in the region. The Area Director will develop and implement effective and efficient programmatic, fundraising, public relations and communications strategies in line with regional and global objectives and guidelines. Fluency in the Arabic language is a must.

The Area Director reports to the SVP & Regional Director for Asia.

Key Responsibilities & Duties

Programs:

• Analyze and understand treatment partners and grant recipients in order to ensure that programs are aligned with the overall goals, mission, priorities and policies of the organization.
• Develop innovative and cost-effective initiatives and strategies to increase patient mobilization and treatment awareness to spread the ‘message’ and increase the impact of the organization.
• Establish measurable targets, specific checkpoints, and ongoing oversight of programmatic investments as part of the budget planning and implementation process.
• Maintain consistent communication and good working relationships with existing partner hospitals, conduct site visits as requested/needed, and work to ensure the success and safety of current and future programs.
• Identify new Smile Train partners (hospitals and other) that can contribute to the advancement of the organization’s goals and elicit their support. Foster new partnerships following the organization’s protocols.
• Receive, review, and analyze all grant requests from local stakeholders, carry out ‘due diligence’ to ensure these are within the agreed financial authority and plans, liaising across the organization as needed.
• Help elevate the organization’s brand and raise awareness for Smile Train programs by:
• supporting efforts to share Smile Train’s global messaging locally/regionally.
• upholding and furthering best practices in comprehensive cleft care.
• gathering stories and case studies from the field (e.g. photos/videos/stories, etc.);
• organizing and hosting visits by Smile Train ambassadors, donors/supporters and staff.
• Develop and maintain effective communications with all key external stakeholders (e.g. medical professionals, social/voluntary organizations, government functionaries, media, and patients/families) to leverage their resources for significantly expanding and multiplying Smile Train’s programs across the region.
• Act as a representative, point of contact, and spokesperson for Smile Train and serve as the ‘eyes and ears’ for the organization in the region. Speak up when and where necessary about the organization’s aims, values, and practices, keep track of cleft-related issues and developments and share this feedback internally and with partners, and attend events as requested/needed.
• Develop resources or generate reports as needed/requested (this may include material translation).
• Proactively respond and work with Smile Train’s regional and global teams so as to keep communication channels open, projects integrated, and the organization moving together.
• Fluency in the Arabic language is a must.

Fundraising & Communications:

• Coordinate global fundraising efforts in the region.
• Support global and regional fundraising efforts, including providing content to be used in global and local communication materials.
• Lead PR and Communications initiatives in the region, including, but not limited to engagement with local and global ambassadors, managing media relations with assigned PR agencies

Governance and Administration:

• Ensure compliance to local regulations governing non-profits and other regulations that will impact day-to-day activities
• Lead coordination with external legal and finance agencies to ensure timely submission of reporting requirements including annual reports, audit and others.
• Lead managers and staff to ensure the team is productive and meets objectives as committed at the start of the fiscal year
• Lead managers and staff to give attention to personal development that will also impact on their roles and responsibilities