Application Guide
How to Apply for Orbis Flying Eye Hospital Communications Consultant
at Orbis International
🏢 About Orbis International
Orbis International is unique as a global nonprofit operating the world's only Flying Eye Hospital—a mobile teaching hospital on an aircraft that delivers expert eye care training and patient services to underserved regions. With over 40 years of impact, Orbis combines innovative technology like the Cybersight telehealth platform with hands-on medical missions, ranking in the top 3% of U.S. charities for transparency and accountability. Working here offers the chance to contribute to a mission that prevents avoidable blindness for 1.1 billion people worldwide, blending humanitarian work with cutting-edge medical and communication strategies.
About This Role
As the Flying Eye Hospital Communications Consultant, you'll develop and execute communication strategies to amplify the impact of Orbis's mobile teaching hospital, highlighting its medical missions, training programs, and patient stories across global audiences. This role involves creating compelling content about ophthalmic innovations, coordinating with medical teams and local partners, and leveraging digital platforms to raise awareness and support for preventing avoidable blindness. Your work will directly enhance Orbis's visibility, helping secure funding and partnerships that sustain life-changing eye care in remote communities.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might start with reviewing updates from Flying Eye Hospital missions, such as training sessions in Africa or patient surgeries in Asia, to draft social media posts or donor emails that highlight these stories. You'd collaborate remotely with Orbis's medical and fundraising teams via video calls, planning content calendars that align with upcoming missions or campaigns, while also analyzing engagement metrics to refine strategies. The role involves balancing creative tasks—like editing videos of ophthalmic procedures—with strategic planning, ensuring communications support Orbis's goal of making eye care accessible worldwide.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Orbis International Is Looking For
- Has 3-5 years of experience in nonprofit or healthcare communications, with a portfolio showcasing success in storytelling for global health or humanitarian causes.
- Demonstrates expertise in digital content creation and strategy, including social media, email campaigns, and multimedia, tailored to diverse international audiences.
- Possesses strong project management skills for remote collaboration, able to coordinate with medical professionals, donors, and local teams across time zones.
- Shows a deep understanding of Orbis's mission, with knowledge of global eye health issues, telehealth technologies, or aviation-based humanitarian work.
📝 Tips for Applying to Orbis International
Tailor your resume to highlight specific experience in nonprofit or healthcare communications, quantifying achievements like increased engagement or funds raised for similar causes.
Include a portfolio link with samples of content that explain complex medical or technical topics (e.g., telehealth, surgical training) in an accessible way for public audiences.
Research and reference Orbis's recent Flying Eye Hospital missions or Cybersight initiatives in your application to show genuine interest in their current work.
Emphasize remote work experience, especially in managing cross-cultural or international projects, as this role requires coordination with teams globally.
Avoid generic applications; instead, propose one actionable communication idea for the Flying Eye Hospital in your cover letter, such as a social media campaign or donor update series.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
["Express passion for Orbis's mission to prevent avoidable blindness, linking it to personal or professional experiences in global health or humanitarian work.", 'Detail specific skills in developing communication strategies for remote or mobile projects, with examples from past roles in nonprofit or healthcare sectors.', 'Highlight ability to translate technical medical information (e.g., ophthalmic training, telehealth) into engaging stories for donors, media, and the public.', "Mention familiarity with Orbis's tools like Cybersight or the Flying Eye Hospital's impact, suggesting how you'd enhance their outreach based on current initiatives."]
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Explore Orbis's recent Flying Eye Hospital missions on their website or news section, noting locations, partners, and specific outcomes like training numbers or patient stories.
- → Review the Cybersight telehealth platform and other technologies Orbis uses, understanding how they integrate with communication efforts for donor or public updates.
- → Study Orbis's annual reports and Charity Navigator ratings to grasp their funding sources, transparency practices, and key communication channels.
- → Look into global eye health statistics (e.g., from WHO) that Orbis cites, such as the 1.1 billion with vision loss, to contextualize your application with mission-aligned data.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Submitting a generic application without mentioning Orbis's Flying Eye Hospital or specific programs like Cybersight, which shows lack of research.
- Overemphasizing corporate or for-profit communication experience without tying it to nonprofit storytelling or global health impact.
- Failing to provide examples of remote work or cross-cultural collaboration, as this role requires managing communications for international teams and audiences.
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!
Ready to Apply?
Good luck with your application to Orbis International!