Head of Fisheries & Aquaculture

Contract: Permanent, full-time, 35 hours per week
Salary: Up to £43,000 dependent on experience
Location: Flexible across the UK (or office-based in London, Edinburgh or Ross-on-Wye)

We are looking for an exceptional leader to enable delivery of our ambitious goals on fisheries and aquaculture. We want to ensure there are more fish in healthier seas, improve the way wild fisheries and fish farms are managed and influence consumers and seafood businesses to be more responsible in their seafood buying choices.

Our Head of Fisheries and Aquaculture leads a team of policy and technical experts on fisheries and aquaculture, including seafood sourcing and sustainability ratings. The post-holder also works across the organisation: integrating fisheries and aquaculture with our work on ocean recovery and clean seas; linking with our Scotland and Wales teams on devolved fisheries and aquaculture issues; and with our communications and engagement experts to promote sustainable fisheries and aquaculture to a wide audience. Our Good Fish Guide has recently been transformed, so leadership of this work and our engagement with seafood businesses and supply chains is key.

The seafood industry across the countries of the UK is undergoing huge challenges due to new legislation, political issues and the biodiversity and nature crises. The response to these challenges brings the opportunity for change to set a positive, sustainable future for the sector. This role will work with colleagues as part of our Strategic Leadership Team to help steer this change so that it benefits the environment and climate, but also those communities that rely on the seafood industry for their livelihoods.

What you’ll do

- Lead our Fisheries and Aquaculture (F&A) work; strategically planning, co-ordinating, overseeing and evaluating to ensure its successful delivery
- Lead and manage the F&A team to maximise their potential and support their career development
- Promote and ensure the integration of our F&A objectives internally
- Promote and encourage adoption of MCS F&A objectives externally to key stakeholders
- Develop and manage the F&A programme
- Contribute to the development and implementation of MCS’ Strategy, providing organisational leadership as part of the Extended Management Team

What you’ll need to show us

- Strategic thinking - a focus on the future, pragmatic, solutions driven, with the ability to consider the bigger picture
- Knowledge of the UK fishing and aquaculture sectors’ policies and regulations, with a network of key stakeholder contacts
- Ideally, experience of working in the seafood sector
- Understanding of sustainable development and how it can be applied to F&A sectors
- Cross-organisational leadership and team management experience with strong interpersonal skills
- Project and budget management skills, with the ability to plan strategically, deliver and monitor results within set timescales and budgets

How to apply

Please select the apply button to submit your application. If you would like to request an adjustment that would support you fully taking part in a recruitment process, please contact us directly.

What we need to see

Your CV - We would prefer that you removed your personal information like photographs, contact information, name and age from your CV

A motivation statement - tell us how your experience meets the role requirements by referring closely to both the job description and the person specification.

Your motivation statement should also let us know what inspired you to apply for this role with us - tell us what it is about our work that attracted you to the organisation and the position.

We find that stronger applications have this statement - to give yourself the best opportunity for this role, please ensure you include it. No need to write pages, one side of A4 would be perfect, two would be more than enough so try to limit yourself.

We understand that the application process can be difficult if you have a condition or disability that you live with. We want to make it as easy as possible for you to shine during your application process, so please let us know what we can do to accommodate you.

The legal bit

If you’re successful, all offers of employment are conditional, subject to the following:

- We are not licensed to issue work permits so candidates are required to provide proof of eligibility to work in the UK and will be required to present original documents if invited for interview. Information on what you’ll need to show will be provided as part of the invitation to attend an interview but you can read more on the Home Office UK Border Agency website
- Receipt of two references which are satisfactory to MCS
- Your driving licence and insurance, if using a vehicle is an integral part of your role

Our Commitment

Everyone can expect to be treated with consideration and respect and MCS is committed to providing an inclusive environment for all. Good working relationships release the full potential, creativity and productivity of each individual in an atmosphere where everyone can learn and work without prejudice, discrimination, harassment or violence.

We are committed to developing a team which is reflective of our society and which can offer insight and views that influence our work. We are particularly interested in applications from groups which are under-represented in marine, environmental and charity sectors.

Registered Charity No: 1004005 (England and Wales) SC037480 (Scotland)

This vacancy is being advertised by Webrecruit. The services advertised by Webrecruit are those of an Employment Agency.