POSITION TITLE: Director of Ocean-Climate Justice 

DEPARTMENT/PROGRAM: Ocean Justice

REPORTS TO: Vice President, Conservation Justice & Equity

STATUS:  Regular Full time

LOCATION: Remote

ABOUT OCEAN CONSERVANCY

Ocean Conservancy works to protect the ocean from today’s greatest global challenges. Together with our partners, we create science-based solutions for a healthy ocean and the wildlife and communities that depend on it.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Director of Ocean-Climate Justice will report to the Vice President of Conservation, Justice and Equity and will have primary responsibility for guiding the incorporation of justice & equity principles into our organization’s efforts the realms of climate justice, climate resilience, climate infrastructure, shipping decarbonization, port & coastal community resilience, and sea level rise. To do so, the Director will coordinate with internal groups & departments (including government relations, ocean plastics, science, and communications) to cultivate authentic, meaningful relationships with communities impacted by ocean and climate injustice, as well as with key government leaders & external stakeholders who work toward effective solutions. In addition, the Director will have a leading role within the five-person team leading our new Shipping & Ports Justice program, helping to manage strategy and direct resources to best meet our goals of making global shipping more sustainable and making ports & port communities healthier, more just, and more resilient.

The Director will also serve as a primary support to the Vice President of Conservation, Justice and Equity, on the finalization and implementation of our strategy to integrate justice and equity (J&E) into the overall conservation work of Ocean Conservancy; and will further collaborate with our Senior Vice President of People and our internal JEDI taskforce and senior leadership team to help establish a culture of best practices on building a more just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive workplace.

The ideal candidate will be a collaborative and collegial teammate who works effectively across culturally, ethnically, and racially diverse teams, and who brings a proven commitment to environmental conservation with direct experience in the environmental justice, marine/blue/ocean justice, social justice, grassroots organizing, and/or equity domains. This individual will have an active network of other experts in justice and equity.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Support Ocean Conservancy’s efforts to integrally weave justice and equity into our strategic planning
• Collaborate with staff across programs and departments to incorporate justice and equity into the implementation of our climate justice, climate resilience, community resilience, sea level rise, and climate infrastructure work
• Identify and develop new partnerships with external stakeholders that are focused on environmental and social justice in the context of the ocean-climate nexus
• Co-lead our Shipping & Ports Justice program, aiming to make shipping more sustainable and port communities healthier, more just, and more resilient
• Collaborate with relevant Ocean Conservancy leadership to review and assess our current programs and outreach strategies through a justice and equity lens; offer recommendations rooted in experience, research, partner development and coalition building, and an in-depth understanding of environmental justice and social justice
• Manage discretionary budget

This is not an all-inclusive list of duties and responsibilities.

REQUIRED SKILLS/QUALIFICATIONS/EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s Degree + 6 years of experience, or equivalent combination of education and years of experience with justice & equity in the context of environmental and ocean issues and ability to quickly become proficient in new issue areas
• Proven record of experience forming and nurturing partnerships with cultural or ethnic minority communities, Indigenous communities, linguistically isolated communities, and/or socioeconomically disadvantaged communities
• Proven record of experience successfully collaborating with and/or leading diverse groups on matters of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in the environmental or ocean conservation domains
• Equipped with a network that supports conservation justice, equity and diversity
• Experience managing a program level budget
• Ability to problem solve and think creatively to achieve a conservation mission.
• Exceptional cultural competency and interpersonal communication skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in Standard English, with proficiency in additional dialects (e.g. African American Vernacular English; Gullah English) or languages (e.g. Spanish; French; Mandarin or Cantonese; any Indigenous language) highly valued & appreciated
• Love of the ocean a plus.
• No physical abilities required
• Travel occasionally required within the United States.

Ocean Conservancy is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, sex, handicap, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, or veteran status. Ocean Conservancy is continually seeking to diversify its staff, particularly to broaden opportunities for individuals from demographic groups that are historically underrepresented in the sciences and in environmental advocacy.