Graphic Design Manager

Organizational Overview

Smile Train is the world’s leading cleft-focused organization. Our vision is a world where everyone has access to safe, high-quality comprehensive cleft care and can live a full and healthy life. We train and support doctors and other medical professionals to provide our patients with free, life-changing, comprehensive cleft treatment. This sustainable model has allowed us to support more than 2 million cleft surgeries in 95+ countries since our founding in 1999, and we’re still just getting started.

We are truly changing the world one smile at a time!

Make a Difference!

• Help shape and evolve Smile Train's global visual identity.
• Partner with Communications leadership to develop creative strategies supporting organizational goals.
• Translate audience insights and campaign objectives into effective visual concepts.
• Ensure creative work supports fundraising, advocacy, awareness, and thought leadership priorities.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen brand consistency and visual differentiation.

• Lead the design and development of integrated campaigns across digital, social, web, email, events, donor communications, advocacy, and thought leadership initiatives.
• Develop creative concepts from initial brief through final execution.
• Present and articulate creative rationale to internal stakeholders.
• Partner with Editorial and Video leadership to create cohesive storytelling experiences.
• Ensure all creative assets meet high standards for quality, accessibility, and brand consistency.

• Maintain and evolve Smile Train's brand standards and visual guidelines.
• Develop templates, toolkits, and creative resources for global teams.
• Establish scalable design systems that improve consistency and efficiency.
• With Global Brand Creative Director, review and approve creative assets, produced by freelancers, agencies, and regional teams.
• Ensure visual representation aligns with ethical storytelling principles and organizational values.

• Apply audience insights, user behavior, and performance data to improve creative effectiveness.
• Monitor trends in design, digital experiences, accessibility, motion, and emerging technologies.
• Explore innovative approaches to storytelling, design systems, AI-assisted creative workflows, and content creation.
• Champion user-centered design principles across all communications efforts.

• Serve as a strategic creative partner to Programs, Fundraising, Partnerships, Advocacy, and Executive Leadership.
• Collaborate closely with Editorial, Video, Social Media, and Internal Communications teams.
• Support campaign planning and integrated communications initiatives.
• Facilitate design planning across departments and major organizational priorities.

• Mentor designers, freelancers, consultants, and interns.
• In collaboration with the Global Brand Creative Director, provide creative direction and feedback on projects across the organization.
• Manage freelance designers, illustrators, agencies, and production partners.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and creative excellence.

• Serve as a guardian of Smile Train's visual identity and creative standards.
• Ensure all creative work reflects organizational values and brand positioning.
• Protect and strengthen Smile Train's reputation through thoughtful design and visual storytelling.

• Direct management of:
  Graphic Design Specialist.

The ideal candidate is a seasoned creative leader who blends strategic thinking with hands‑on design expertise. With 7–10 years of experience in…