Program Director, US

Company Name Marine Stewardship Council
Application DeadlineMay 28, 2022
Location Washington, United States
Date Posted April 30, 2022
Job Type Full-Time
Category Management
Category Strategy
Industry Sector Non-governmental

Job description

The Marine Stewardship Council’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 recognized certification and ecolabeling program well-managed sustainable fisheries are recognized and rewarded in the marketplace, through the leadership of our partners. Critically, other fisheries are incentivized to improve their performance to meet the growing demand for certified sustainable and traceable seafood choice.


We’re looking for an enthusiastic and driven Program Director to lead the US team and deliver the MSC’s overarching aims and objectives in the region. You’ll be responsible for managing a busy and dynamic team across our key work areas of fisheries, supply chain, markets, and communications ensuring strategic oversight and delivery of the US country plan. Building awareness, trust, and understanding across a broad range of stakeholders and consumers will be core to success in this role.  


The Program Director, US, is responsible for contributing to the MSC’s Strategic Objectives, and will bring the following key attributes to the role:

  • excellent knowledge of the US seafood industry, supply chain, sustainable development, and resource sustainability issues

  • a results-oriented, analytical, and customer-focused approach

  • vision, creativity, and skillful leadership.

  • an ability to work well under pressure and be a good collaborator, demonstrating empathy for different views but finding ways to reach consensus.

To be successful in this role:

You like to be in charge, lead and direct others, and keep the team focused on objectives. You also enjoy promoting and negotiating and find it easy to persuade others.  You present yourself as confident and self-assured even in unfamiliar situations and feel at ease during presentations and formal events.  You are perceived as engaging and sociable and have a wide network of contacts.  You are team-oriented and considerate.  You are very interested in others' behavior and like to observe and analyze others' motives and reactions.  You also enjoy working with concepts, models, and strategies as well as like and seeking intellectual challenges.  You also set ambitious and demanding targets for yourself and your team.


You will bring experience of working at a senior level in a multi-stakeholder organization, with HR / management responsibilities, financial management, developing and monitoring operational and project budgets, as well as excellent project management experience ensuring projects are delivered on time and within budget.  You should also be able to demonstrate knowledge of sustainable development and resource sustainability issues, particularly as they relate to wild capture fisheries; knowledge of the role of ecolabelling as a tool in improving the sustainability of natural resources is desirable.


A post-graduate degree or equivalent experience/training in a relevant discipline (e.g. environmental policy, international business, natural resources or environmental management, fisheries or marine conservation biology) is essential.


Weekend work and regular domestic and occasional international travel may be required.

What MSC offers the right candidate:
25 days plus 11 US Federal Holidays
Medical, dental, longer-term disability insurance
Retirement plan contribution
Professional development
A focus on wellbeing

If this has inspired you, please apply with your CV and a cover letter outlining how your skills, experience, and knowledge directly address the responsibilities and requirements detailed in the job specification.