Managing Director

Our distinctive approach to environmental protection emphasizes science, economics and the use of market mechanisms where appropriate to reach well-crafted, durable solutions. We build teams of scientists, lawyers, economists, and other professionals to investigate the scientific causes of environmental problems as well as the market forces and government policies that contribute to them. In the full range of environmental arenas (air, water, climate, soil, toxic chemicals, and wildlife), we seek practical and equitable solutions, founded on science, that policy makers, landowners, and others can be urged to incorporate into practice, law, or regulation.

Overall Function: 

Environmental Defense seeks a Managing Director its Ocean Enterprise unit of the Oceans Program. The mission of the Oceans Program is to harmonize human use with the health of the ocean.

The newly-created Ocean Enterprise unit's objective is to develop economic and business strategies that improve ocean stewardship. Initially, the unit will work in close cooperation with the sustainable seafood initiative of Environmental Defense's Environmental Alliances division and will support the Ocean Program's efforts in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic and Pacific regions to implement catch share systems.

In catch share systems, fishermen, communities, cooperatives or other entities are assigned secure shares to a portion of a scientifically-determined catch levels. These shares grow in value only when the fishery is well managed. The Ocean Program's catch shares portfolio includes work on financial instruments to attract capital to restructure fisheries, marketing strategies to improve value of "ocean friendly" seafood and regulatory innovation to facilitate the implementation of market-based tools to improve fisheries and the well-being of fishing communities.

This position will be based in Washington, DC and will report to the Oceans Program Director. 

Key Responsibilities: 

* Overall management of the Ocean Enterprise portfolio and coordination of "on-the-ground" programs with the regional directors and Environmental Alliances.
* Outreach to business, finance and think-tank communities with objectives including engaging them in our work and enlisting them as allies where appropriate.
* Play a leading role in fundraising activities, including working with the development staff to cultivate funding sources. 
* Assure that the Ocean Program's business and financial analysis is consistent with the highest quality used in the business community, specifically: oversee all business and financial analyses in the Oceans Program, develop the necessary analytical tools, and lead the most complex of these analyses. 
* Develop and foster partnerships among disparate interest groups including fishermen and business leaders, government officials, academics, and public interest groups. 
* Work with various groups, government personnel, and local officials, key members of the public, scientists, fishermen and regulators to achieve measurable results. 
* Technical support to the regions for financial and business strategies to reform fisheries and improve incentives for conservation. Similarly, provide support to related Ocean Program activities on sustainable coastal tourism and coastal zone management.
*Develop overall program work plans, budgets, and funding proposals in collaboration with regional directors. 
* Identify opportunities to broaden the work of Ocean Enterprise to other ocean-dependent businesses where there are significant environmental gains to be made. 
* Determine and assess need for additional staff and make the appropriate recruitments if necessary during project cycle in collaboration with the regional directors. 
* Plan and schedule project timelines and milestones and track project milestones and deliverables. 
* Help to develop and apply appropriate means of measuring the success of projects. 

Qualifications/Requirements: 

* Masters degree with a management background preferably with 8-12 years of relevant and similar experience. 
* H/She should be able to take the program to the next level. 
* Experience directing campaigns and/or initiatives, developing and implementing strategy. 
* Prior project management experience is highly desirable. Demonstrated ability to manage a program and a core team of staff.
* Excellent communication and analytical skills to strategically think and deliver business objectives. 
* High interpersonal skills to interact with a wide variety of people both within and outside the team. 
* An ability to work both independently and as a member of small teams in a dynamic and creative environment. 
* Experience in fundraising and managing budgets desirable. 

Please email, fax or mail cover letter, resume and salary requirements to: 

Mechelle Evans,
Human Resources,
Environmental Defense,
1875 Connecticut Ave NW, Suite 600,
Washington, DC 20009. 

Environmental Defense is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women, minorities and the physically challenged are encouraged to apply.