Global Director, Ocean Program

This position can be based in any of the following WRI’s offices: WRI USA, WRI UK or WRI Netherlands**.**

About the program:

The ocean is fundamental to the future of people, nature, and climate. More than 3 billion people depend on the ocean for their livelihoods and food. The ocean ecosystem generates numerous ecosystem services that benefit humanity and is home to nearly 80% of life on Earth. Moreover, the ocean can provide nearly a quarter of the greenhouse gas mitigation the world needs by 2050.

Recognizing this importance, the Ocean Program at the World Resources Institute (WRI) seeks to catalyze a world where effective ocean protection enables sustainable production of what the ocean provides, yielding prosperity for all. In other words, we seek a world where not only SDG 14 is met but also many of the other SDGs for which the ocean can provide solutions.

The Program serves as secretariat for the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy (Ocean Panel), an initiative of 17 heads of government and state dedicated to sustainably manage 100% of ocean area under national jurisdiction by 2030, guided by Sustainable Ocean Plans. The Program also pursues complementary efforts such as supporting sustainable ocean planning, enabling equitable ocean management, increasing ocean finance and investment, advancing blue food and ocean-based renewable energy, monitoring, and more.

The Ocean Program has generated significant impact and advanced the sustainable ocean agenda on the global stage since its founding in 2018. WRI now seeks a leader to steer it on the next phase of its voyage.

Job highlight:

In this role, you will oversee and manage WRI’s Ocean Program and the Secretariat for the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy. You will be responsible for leading WRI’s implementation of the Ocean strategy, its goals, and its impact targets, and will ensure that the Ocean Panel maintains momentum and progress towards its 2030 targets. This involves providing oversight of strategy & impact, management & leadership, research & outreach, and fundraising & funder stewardship. Not only will this involve managing the Program but also leveraging WRI’s global network of offices and centers to achieve results and grow the Program. You will lead a globally distributed team, will be a member of WRI’s Management Team, and will report to the WRI Executive Vice President and Managing Director of Programs.

What you will do:

Strategy & Impact (25%):

• Continuously evolve WRI’s Ocean Program in light of on-the-sea experience, research findings, political realities, emerging opportunities, and/or observed challenges
• Provide strategic guidance and support to the Ocean Panel
• Ensure the program’s theory of change and strategy are (and remain) robust and fit for purpose
• Ensure the program’s historic initiatives, innovative collaborations, and unique leadership platforms are designed to deliver on WRI’s 5-year strategy and the Ocean Program’s strategy
• Working with the program team, grow WRI as a leading ocean policy and knowledge-generating non-governmental organization that is the guiding light toward a sustainable ocean economy and achievement of SDG 14 and beyond

Management & Leadership (30%):

• Lead a global team of professionals to implement the strategy of the program and the Ocean Panel
• Help the ocean team identify opportunities, problem solve challenges, and deliver top-notch results
• Ensure that the program works effectively across WRI programs (e.g., climate, finance, economics, food) and country offices to bring a “whole of WRI approach” to executing our strategy and achieving our aspired impact targets
• Motivate a solid suite of direct reports who drive effective implementation of the strategy and achievement of the impact targets
• Recruit, train, and retain world class-caliber staff
• Oversee the program’s budget and financial performance

Research & Outreach (20%):

• Help teams define research agendas that address the knowledge and implementation challenges facing the ocean
• Working with in-program experts and WRI’s Research, Development and Innovation department, ensure the program delivers high-quality research and impactful outreach
• Manage and oversee the knowledge generation of the Ocean Panel
• Ensure programmatic research findings and achievements are effectively communicated to target audiences in a compelling manner (via your own outreach activities, the Ocean Program’s communications team, and WRI’s institutional communications team)
• Help the program leverage strategic communications as a means of creating the political narrative about the state of the ocean and setting the agenda for the transition to a sustainable ocean economy

Fundraising & Funder Stewardship (25%):

• Working with WRI Development and project teams, expand the program’s base of philanthropies, governments, high-net-worth individuals, and other funding sources
• Coordinate with WRI Development to ensure disciplined entrepreneurship (e.g., alignment with strategy) in fundraising proposals
• Conceive, write, and/or help colleagues prepare impactful 6-8 figure project funding proposals
• Cultivate new and help manage existing high-profile donor relationships
• Increase the public profile of WRI’s work on the sustainable ocean economy, sustainable ocean plans, and the role of the ocean in achieving a variety of people, nature, and climate goals—thereby helping make WRI more attractive to donors

What you will need:

• Education: Master’s degree in the natural sciences, international relations, law, economics, anthropology, or other discipline relevant for marine and coastal systems and/or the ocean economy
• Experience: Minimum of 20 years of professional experience in relevant fields, including at least 8 years in a management position
• Track record of visionary and strategic thinking
• Entrepreneurial spirit and wide-ranging intellectual curiosity
• World-class presentation skills (ability to communicate clearly and compellingly)
• History of effectively motivating and connecting people to fulfill their potential and achieve results
• Demonstrated fundraising track record, including securing multi-year seven-figure funding
• Strong network of relationships
• Ability to travel, especially internationally, about 20% of time
• Languages: Fluent in English, with additional languages a plus

Potential Salary: Salary is commensurate with experience and other compensable factors. WRI offers a competitive remuneration and benefits package.   How to Apply:

Please submit a resume with cover letter in English by the date of 14 July 2023. You must apply through the WRI Careers portal to be considered.

What we offer:

• Access to the WRI global network with the opportunity to exchange with and learn from passionate colleagues working at the cutting edge of their fields across Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and the US.
• The chance to have an impact and to develop your career within a mission driven organization with access to varied learning and training opportunities.
• A workplace that strives to put diversity and inclusion at the heart of our work.
• The opportunity to join and get involved in different working groups and affinity groups to shape the future of WRI.
• Long-term commitment to hybrid working model with flexible working hours.
• Generous leave days that increase with tenure.

About Us:

Founded in 1982, World Resources Institute (WRI) is an independent, nonprofit global research organization that turns big ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity, and human well-being. We are working to address seven critical challenges that the world must overcome this decade to secure a sustainable future for people and the planet: climate change, energy, food, forests, water, sustainable cities, and the ocean. WRI has a global staff of over 1,800 people with work spanning 60 countries. We have offices in Africa, Brazil, China, Europe, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Colombia and the United States, as well as a growing presence in other countries and regions.

The foundation of our work is delivering high-quality research, data, maps, and analysis to solve the world’s greatest environment and international development challenges and improve people’s lives. We work with leaders in government, business, and civil society to drive ambitious action and create change on the ground. Equally important, we bring together partners to develop breakthrough ideas and scale-up solutions for far-reaching, enduring impact.

Our mission and values:

WRI’s mission is to move human society to live in ways that protect Earth’s environment and its capacity to provide for the needs and aspirations of current and future generations.

Our values are shared ideals that bind us together: Integrity, Innovation, Urgency, Independence, Respect.

Our culture:

WRI is committed to advancing gender and social equity for human well-being in our mission and applies this principle to our organizational and programmatic practices. We are committed to providing equal opportunities in employment, we embrace all diversity and encourage women, the LGBTQ+ community, persons with disabilities, Afro-descendants, and Indigenous people to apply. Recognizing our strong commitment to gender equality, WRI has also been awarded EDGE certification.

Our team in Human Resources carefully reviews all applications.