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Ocean and Climate Diplomacy Initiative Director Position Description
Oceans 5
Full-time
Remote
USD 190k-240k / year
Posted on Sep 9, 2025
The Organization:
Ocean and Climate Diplomacy Initiative Director Position Description
August 2025
Oceans 5 is an international funders’ collaborative dedicated to stopping overfishing, establishing protected areas, and mitigating the impacts of climate change with ocean-based solutions. Founded in 2011, the organization has provided over $200 million in grants, involving more than 150 organizations in as many regions and countries. Its activities are guided by its Board of Advisors, a group of 22 individuals representing the world’s leading marine philanthropic institutions. It manages several directed funds at the request of its donors, each dedicated to grantmaking in complementary areas of marine conservation. It is staffed by a group of seasoned professionals in eight countries that speak 22 languages. Oceans 5 is a sponsored project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors.
Oceans 5 prefers policy-oriented projects involving multiple organizations working toward common objectives to improve ocean health. Its projects are designed and selected through a deliberative process involving its Partners and Members. It also supports members of our collaborative to strengthen ocean conservation philanthropy.
Its Partners and Members represent a diversity of philanthropic interests, with strong ties to the international ocean conservation community. Its staff is small but extremely knowledgeable and experienced. The organization has a unique ability to respond quickly to time-sensitive opportunities. It is managed with low overhead, efficient administrative procedures, and streamlined decision-making processes.
Ocean and Climate Diplomacy Initiative Director:
The Ocean Resilience and Climate Alliance (ORCA) is a philanthropic initiative that seeks to identify and fund ocean-climate solutions across mitigation, sequestration, adaptation, and resilience. ORCA’s principal function is to provide a surge of more than $300 million dollars in grants over four years to catalyze work across a handful of immediate ocean-climate priorities. These priorities have been developed in consultation with the ocean and climate donor communities and were homed in collaboration with potential grantees. The Ocean Climate Diplomacy Initiative (OCDI) supports one of seven pillars of work, elevating a unified ocean- climate agenda through strategic diplomacy, and is housed within Oceans 5.
The Ocean and Climate Diplomacy Initiative Director will be a collaborative leader and strategic partner, responsible for a range of activities including project scoping, development, monitoring, and evaluation, as well as providing support to Oceans 5 Partners and Members.
The OCDI Director will oversee implementation of a significant directed fund, manage a group of advisory committee donors, and serve on the Oceans 5 senior leadership team. A key focus of the position is developing and resourcing a portfolio of projects, campaigns, and advocates
to amplify and elevate the political and diplomatic objectives of international civil society organizations working on ocean and climate issues. These issues include decarbonizing shipping, expanding offshore renewables, implementing the Global Biodiversity Framework, and strengthening the resiliency of the world’s ocean and coastal waters.
Adept at international political strategy, the Director will guide a set of targeted strategies and oversee a grantmaking program that supports collaborative activities with leading civil society organizations and campaigns, helping to advance a series of specific policy objectives from international institutions and national governments. Grantmaking priorities will include activities to:
· Strengthen and support ocean and climate campaigns with unbranded communications, grassroots capacity, and high-level political consultants;
· Support specific policy outcomes on decarbonizing shipping, accelerating offshore renewable energy, safeguarding the Arctic, and elevating a unified ocean-climate agenda among other priorities.
· Grow and advise a network of ocean climate champions drawn from government, civil society, and business backgrounds.
· Influence the outcomes of key international institutions and events; and,
· Strengthen equitable implementation of the new Global Biodiversity Framework.
The OCDI Director will interact regularly with a global team of program managers with geographic responsibilities for Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America, the Caribbean, the Pacific Islands, and the high seas, while managing a number of high-level consultants. The team implements a global strategy that is rooted firmly in local knowledge and respect.
The OCDI Director is a full-time position that will also assist in preparing proposals, writing progress reports, and helping with other organizational priorities. The position reports to the Oceans 5 Executive Director and is based out of this person’s home office.
Deliverables, Responsibilities:
· Develop and execute a global grantmaking strategy to advance a series of ocean and climate policy outcomes to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change.
· Manage the directed fund coordinating strategy and investments with the other funds managed in Oceans 5.
· Identify ocean and climate grantmaking opportunities, in collaboration with prospective grantees, donors, government officials, and other stakeholders.
· Build and maintain professional and collegial relationships with senior government officials, civil society organizations, academic institutions, and other stakeholders.
· Conduct oversight and monitoring of current and future grants.
· Assist grantees in meeting their goals and objectives.
· Maintain and further develop a portfolio of unbranded communications including
traditional, digital and other media initiatives targeting policy outcomes.
· Expand a network of ocean climate champions to support grantees and partners in meeting their goals and objectives.
· Develop regular reports and presentations for Oceans 5 Board meetings and donors to the OCDI Advisory Committee.
· Support other donors as necessary, including accompanying them on site visits.
· Develop and maintain broad knowledge, as well as subject matter expertise, of the science, policies, and politics of marine conservation and climate issues globally.
· Understand and support Oceans 5 policies and approaches, including assistance with media outreach, confidentiality, conflict of interests, security, ethics, and maintaining organizational health.
Requirements:
· Bachelor’s degree required. Graduate degree in law, public affairs, public policy, international relations, or environmental science preferred.
· A minimum of ten years of directly related professional and leadership experience in the environment, conservation, natural resource, or public policy arena. Experience with ocean conservation and climate issues, campaign development and coordination, and professional advocacy preferred.
· Proven project-management skills, including ability to handle several projects at different stages simultaneously and a strong capacity to set priorities and identify resources.
· Strong written and oral communication skills with an ability to write and speak clearly and cogently for internal audiences, policy makers, the media, and the public.
· Demonstrated proficiency in managing project or organizational budgets to strategic priorities.
· Experience in principal and/or donor management.
· Proficiency in English. Proficiency in at least one other position-related language preferred.
· Strong interpersonal skills, ability to develop and manage productive relationships with the OCDI team, colleagues, consultants, and coalition partners. Excellent listening skills.
· Exhibit strong skills of diplomacy with seasoned and sound judgment. Ability to work productively with a wide array of different people, including senior level officials, and institutions that frequently disagree with or are in competition with one another.
· Demonstrated proficiency in use of software (Windows, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook) and ability to learn or use technology for reports, meetings, and grants management (Google Suite, Zoom, Fluxx, Monday.com, Slack, etc.).
· Significant international travel will be expected.
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA): Oceans 5 is a sponsored project of RPA, an equal opportunities employer that values diversity at the organization. RPA does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. Compensation will be commensurate with experience and
accomplishment. For prospective candidates from the United States, the salary range will be
$190,000 to $240,000, plus a competitive compensation and benefits package including health coverage, retirement benefits, paid sick leave, vacation and holidays. For candidates from outside the United States, comparable local market factors will be considered. RPA often uses employers of record for foreign hires that provide comparable benefits.
How to Apply: To be considered, please complete this form (https://wkf.ms/4mtLf6u). You will be asked to upload a cover letter, resume, and writing sample. Oceans 5 will accept applications via this link until the position is filled. Thank you for your time and interest.
Oceans 5 is an equal opportunity employer.