Blue Marine Foundation exists to restore a healthy ocean by creating marine reserves, restoring vital habitats and stopping overfishing. Our mission is to see at least 30 per cent of the world’s ocean under effective protection by 2030. With 50 conservation and restoration projects around the world, Blue Marine has become a powerful force in the fight to save our ocean.
Blue Marine operates a specialist unit called Blue Carbon, which is dedicated to raising the profile of the ocean as a climate change solution. Our vision is for the blue carbon sinks and flows in our waters to be valued and protected for the carbon sequestration and other benefits that they provide. Our work towards enabling a voluntary blue carbon market may enable this transition and provide leverage and sustainable financing, but our motivation is ultimately for higher levels of marine protection and restoration.
A vacancy has arisen for a Policy Officer to join the Blue Marine Foundation team. The new hire will work within Blue Marine’s specialist Climate Unit, liaising closely with our Policy Unit and Executive Director.
Salary: £30,000 to £45,000 per annum, depending on experience
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full time, 40 hours per week, Monday – Friday, 9am to 6pm
Location: Flexible with some time at Somerset House, London.
Holidays: 25 days per annum plus bank holidays and time off over Christmas.
Reporting to: Director, Ocean and Climate
Application deadline: 30 March 2023
Please send your CV and a letter explaining your skills and suitability for the role along with information on your salary expectations to Becky McAllister beckym@edelweisshr.co.uk
If you would like to know more or have any questions, then we’d be happy to help.
We are committed to an inclusive workplace, where there is equality of opportunity. We value diversity and welcome applications from all sections of the community.
Roles and Responsibilities
The successful candidate will deliver on a broad, dynamic set of policy objectives, including:
- Work closely with UK government to inform and shape positions across key ocean climate issues. Liaise with government stakeholders, attend government meetings, understand existing policy and where necessary make policy interventions to support a healthy ocean and build understanding and value of the ocean as a solution to climate change.
- Specifically, to liaise closely with UK government on ocean climate issues, to better understand ocean climate policy and how this interacts with marine protected areas.
- Work across Blue Marine projects to showcase findings and evidence to government.
- Work with the UK Blue Carbon Forum and Defra Evidence Partnership to ensure that the Forum can meet evidence needs and build ambition for ocean climate policy.
- Help to build political understanding of emerging blue carbon solutions such as kelp and sediment carbon.
- Contribute to the development of a Blue Carbon Rights Project to ensure equitable treatment of local communities.
- Contribute to the overall strategy of the carbon and policy units focused on integrating climate strategies into wider marine policy.
- Supporting Blue Marine’s Head of Policy and Executive Director to ensure that domestic and international policy objectives align with Blue Marine’s vision for a healthy ocean.
- Work closely with Blue Marine’s project team to ensure integration of projects with policy.
- Work with colleagues to develop and deliver project and fundraising proposals.
Skills and Experience
- Experience in marine and/or climate change policy
- Experience in a policy related field (marine or terrestrial policy, environmental policy more broadly)
- A track record of the ability to work across multiple issues simultaneously
- Proven ability to manage relationships with government agencies and external contacts
- Stamina, temerity and patience to ensure long-term success of interventions
- An accomplished writer with an interest in detailed policy text
- An eye to media, campaigning, and the ability to think strategically to drive long-term change
- Skill and experience in analysing and researching policy interventions
- Ability to work simultaneously on multiple projects with a ‘sleeves-rolled-up’ attitude
- Self-motivated and interested to stay up to date on various political movements within carbon markets, marine policy and climate change
- Ability to work under pressure as part of a team
- Strong oral and written communication
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