Manager, Operations (LATAM)

Organizational Overview

Smile Train is the world’s leading cleft-focused organization. Our goal is to transform the lives of every person impacted by a cleft lip or palate. We train and support doctors and medical professionals to provide our patients with free, life-changing, comprehensive cleft treatment. Our sustainable model has allowed us to reach more than 2 million children in 90+ countries in the past 25 years, and we still feel like we’ve just started. We are truly changing the world one smile at a time!

Make a Difference!

As Smile Train's LATAM Operations Manager, you will work closely with program managers and global teams, strengthening execution and collaboration by providing the structure, clear communication, and reliable follow-up needed to keep work organized and on track. In this hands-on role, you will support the execution of cross-functional projects that are shared across the program management team, bringing organization, planning, tracking, and disciplined follow-through to ensure these initiatives progress on time and to a high standard.

You will also serve as the region's operational backbone, personally managing the day-to-day back-office and administrative work that keeps the operation running effectively. This includes processing accounts payable; supporting coordination with Global Finance, Legal, and HR teams; supporting the administration and compliance of Smile Train's legal entities in Brazil and Mexico; and ensuring the São Paulo office is organized and runs smoothly. Through this combination of hands-on operational excellence and project-management support, you will help build a scalable, well-run operation that enables sustainable growth and greater impact across Latin America.

Reports To

LATAM Regional Director

Key Responsibilities

• Handle accounts payable and manage vendor relationships, contracts, and other operational support services, ensuring accurate and timely payments.
• Support coordination with Global Finance, Legal, and HR teams, ensuring administrative processes and compliance requirements move smoothly.
• Keep the São Paulo office organized — managing space, supplies, meeting-room bookings, and on-site logistics so regional teams and program operations have what they need.
• Support the administration and operational compliance of Smile Train's legal entities in Brazil and Mexico, working closely with internal and external stakeholders.
• Support the planning, tracking, prioritization, risk-flagging, and timely delivery of the cross-functional projects shared across the program-management team.
• Coordinate these cross-functional projects across regional and global teams, facilitating collaboration, communication, and alignment with organizational priorities.
• Maintain and continuously improve the shared project-management tools, standards, and trackers (e.g., Asana) that keep regional projects organized and on track.
• Maintain project-tracking, reporting, and knowledge-management practices — plans, dashboards, and status updates — that support informed decision-making.
• Prepare operational reports, dashboards, and analyses to support leadership decision-making and regional planning.
• Organize regional leadership meetings end to end — scheduling, agendas, presentation materials, documentation, and action-item tracking and follow-up to ensure execution and accountability.
• Continuously improve day-to-day operations — identifying opportunities to streamline processes, increase efficiency, and standardize ways of working across the region.
• Support a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement, helping teams adopt shared practices, tools, and ways of working.

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is a highly organized, proactive, and hands-on professional who combines strong project-management skills with excellent communication and a genuine service-oriented mindset. They are a power user of Asana and other project-management and collaboration tools, comfortable keeping many projects moving in parallel without dropping details, and equally at ease with the day-to-day back-office and administrative work — accounts payable, office and facilities management, and supporting the administration of local legal entities — that keeps an operation running. They bring operational rigor, sound judgment, and strong interpersonal skills to a role that interfaces daily with both regional and global teams, and they create order and disciplined follow-up wherever it is needed. They thrive in a fast-paced, matrixed, multicultural environment, adapt quickly to changing priorities, and continuously look for ways to improve processes and make better use of technology. Because this is a hands-on, individual-contributor role with no team to delegate to, strong ownership, reliability, collaboration, and the ability to build trusted relationships across diverse stakeholders and cultures — with no task considered too small — are essential for success.

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Project or Operations Management, Finance, Engineering, or a related field.
• 7+ years of experience in project management and business operations.
• Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional projects and coordinating multiple initiatives simultaneously.
• Experience working in a regional and/or global organization with cross-functional stakeholders.
• Experience supporting operational processes across Finance, Legal, HR, Procurement, and vendor management.
• Familiarity with ERP, CRM, and project management systems (e.g., Asana, Salesforce, or similar).
• Strong project management, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and PowerPoint, and experience with project management and collaboration platforms.
• Fluency in English and Portuguese (written and spoken).

Preferred Education and Experience

• Project Management certification (Agile, PMI, Scrum, or equivalent).
• Experience working in a matrixed, multinational, or nonprofit organization.
• Experience supporting legal entity operations and compliance across multiple countries.
• Professional proficiency in Spanish is strongly preferred.

Additional Eligibility Qualifications

• Self-starter with a high level of ownership, accountability, and integrity.
• Exceptional organizational and prioritization skills with strong attention to detail.
• Highly systems-savvy, with the ability to quickly learn and optimize new technologies and digital tools.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong analytical thinking with a continuous improvement mindset.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, high-performing, and matrixed environment.

Compensation

USD 30,000 – USD 34,000/year

Travel
Ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally, as required.

Accountability Expectations

• Ownership of Outcomes: Take full responsibility for one’s own performance, ensuring alignment with Smile Train’s mission and objectives.
• Transparent Communication: Communicate openly and effectively with team members, fostering trust and a shared understanding of expectations and priorities.
• Emotional Intelligence: Demonstrate empathy, understanding, and cultural sensitivity to contribute to an inclusive and supportive team environment.
  
• Empowerment: Effectively communicate with supervisors to ensure you are equipped with the resources, guidance, and autonomy you need to excel in your role
• Team Cohesion: Contribute to a culture of collaboration, mutual respect, and shared accountability, helping the team to thrive in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment

Why You’ll Love Working Here!

Meaningful Work – Be part of work that creates meaningful, lasting impact — changing the world one smile at a time.

We’ve Got You Covered – Prioritize the health of you and your family with top tier, private health insurance.

Rest and Recharge - Enjoy a generous vacation package, paid holidays, and sick time so you can rest, recharge, and return feeling your best.

Family Matters - We support employees through life’s most important moments with paid parental leave, giving you time and flexibility for the people who matter most.

Mind Your Mental – Free access to professional mental health counseling to keep you grounded.

Learn and Grow - Take advantage of an annual professional development stipend and opportunities to expand your skills and continue learning.

Work Your Way - Balance collaboration and flexibility with our hybrid work model, based out of our conveniently located Midtown Manhattan office.

Travel the World – See our impact firsthand while partnering with global colleagues and programs through opportunities for domestic and international travel.

Application Process

Smile Train is an equal opportunity employer, committed to inclusive hiring and dedicated to diversity in our work and staff. We strongly encourage candidates from all groups and communities to apply.

To apply, please complete the application online. Include your CV and a cover letter explaining why you would be a good fit for Smile Train and this role. Only those who provide a cover letter as directed will be considered. We encourage interested applicants to submit their applications as soon as possible