Head of NGO Engagement (HoNGO)

Are you passionate about oceans teeming with life, and interested in working with globally leading experts on the implementation of the world’s leading market-based approach to drive fisheries sustainability?

Do you enjoy engaging and bringing together NGO stakeholders to help  deliver impactful collaborations and solutions to help end overfishing worldwide? If so, this could be the opportunity for you.

The MSC has been one of the leading NGOs in the sustainable seafood movement from the outset in the mid-1990’s until today. Since then the MSC, together with many other NGOs, has successfully driven a broader awareness amongst commercial actors such as fishing, processing and trading companies, as well as in fisheries management agencies and the wider stakeholder arena. Thousands of improvements have been made by fisheries in the MSC program that use the MSC Standards to measure performance and to – where needed – close performance gaps to become or maintain compliance with our leading global standard and assurance system.

In the role of Head of NGO Engagement, you will lead MSCs engagement work with our peers in the NGO community. You’re embedded in the MSC global outreach function, where you work with experienced senior colleagues responsible for market and fisheries sector engagement.  This team helps to shape MSCs policy development direction, and oversees and supports program implementation by regional teams.

We are looking for:

• an experienced person, preferably someone who knows the sustainable seafood movement and who understands the role of global standards and credible 3rd party assurance
• someone with excellent communication skills and able to demonstrate these in meetings and at conferences
• excellent stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills as well as proven leadership ability and strong project management experience
• someone with experience of engaging with NGOs or having worked for an NGO in a relevant subject matter area.  

This is an exciting role and an opportunity to shape how the MSC engages with key stakeholders and develops new relationships.  The successful candidate will also help identify the most effective ways to build understanding of our program and enhance our understanding of stakeholder priorities.  There is tremendous opportunity to make an enormous contribution to our mission, working to navigate a complex international multi-stakeholder environment.

We’re an international organisation and our employees all demonstrate a level of cultural awareness, and value the diverse views and approaches relevant to the MSC program.

The MSC is committed to flexible working. The successful candidate will need to work from the London office for a minimum of 50% of their working time each month The remaining time can be worked from home.

The MSC’s vision is for the world’s oceans to be teeming with life, and seafood supplies safeguarded for this and future generations.  Through our internationally recognised certification and ecolabeling program, well-managed sustainable fisheries are recognised and rewarded in the marketplace, through the leadership of our partners.  Over 670 fisheries around the world, representing 19% of the annual global marine catch, are now engaged in the MSC program and MSC certified and labelled seafood products are now available in over 66 countries.

The MSC is committed to the principles of equality and fairness and we welcome applications from all communities. We do not discriminate on the grounds of age, ethnicity, race, colour, religion or belief, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation or disability.  If you consider yourself to have a disability and need reasonable adjustments made during the recruitment and selection process, please let us know how we can help you.