Friends of the Ocean UK
Director — Conservative Friends of the Ocean
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The Opportunity
Conservative Friends of the Ocean has established itself as a leading voice for ocean and coastal issues within the Conservative Party, with achievements to date including:
- Building a coalition of influential Parliamentary Patrons, including the Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons, Nusrat Ghani MP; former Leader of the House, Dame Penny Mordaunt; Lord Duncan of Springbank; and Baroness Owen of Alderley Edge — trusted political figures championing ocean and coastal issues across climate, energy, and national security debates.
- Establishing the Ocean Council—a first-of-its-kind network of over 100 Conservative Councillors advocating for ocean action in local government across the UK.
- Securing the passage of the Shark Fins Act 2023, working with key partners to end the import and export of detached shark fins in the UK.
- Conserving more than 187,000 km² of ocean around South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands by partnering with the Great Blue Ocean Coalition of leading NGOs.
We're now looking for a Director to build on this track record, leading the Conservative Friends of the Ocean team and continuing to grow a grassroots movement for ocean and coastal issues within the Conservative Party.
This is an opportunity to take the helm of a proven model and shape its next chapter. Conservative Friends of the Ocean has already demonstrated what this can look like, and this framework has since been applied in launching our other cross-party branches. You'll have real support in building on that track record and taking the branch further.
This is currently a voluntary position. As we secure philanthropic funding, our intention is to make it a paid role, building a full-time team and scaling our impact further.
Who We Are
Friends of the Ocean is a UK non-profit working to put ocean and coastal priorities at the heart of UK policymaking. For the UK — an island nation with over 17,000 km of coastline, home to more than 8.7 million people — the ocean should be central to political and economic thinking. Yet it has often been overlooked in politics, and overshadowed even within environmental agendas. Friends of the Ocean was created to change that.
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Rather than campaign from the outside, we engage directly and constructively with policymakers across the political spectrum. Through parliamentary engagement, policy roundtables, events, and strategic partnerships, we work to keep ocean and coastal issues a political priority in Westminster and beyond, giving Cabinet Ministers, MPs, Peers, and Councillors the understanding, resources, and ongoing support needed to champion these issues with confidence.
We bring together a network of supporters with direct experience from Downing Street, Parliament, the Civil Service, and local government, giving us an insider's understanding of how to navigate political systems and drive change. Utilising this unique experience, we partner with leading NGOs and sustainable businesses, acting as a trusted bridge to connect their expertise and priorities with the policymakers who can act on them and deliver real-world change.
The Role
As Director, you will:
- Play a prominent role in leading Conservative Friends of the Ocean's strategic direction.
- Engage directly with MPs, Peers, Councillors, and activists across the Conservative Party to grow our grassroots movement for ocean and coastal priorities.
- Lead a high-performing team, fostering a culture of collaboration and support.
- Grow our network of key supporters, including Parliamentary Patrons (MPs and Peers) and Ocean Council members (local councillors), all championing ocean and coastal issues from Westminster to local government.
- Play a key role at this year's Conservative Party Conference, including hosting our flagship Big Blue reception calling for Conservative leadership on ocean and coastal issues, and utilise other key moments in the political calendar to raise our profile and drive engagement.
- Advance our policy goals, with a particular focus on securing ocean and coastal priorities in the Conservative Party's manifesto ahead of the next general election.
What We're Looking For
We're looking for someone with experience in politics, policy, campaigning, or a related field, who can bring credibility and existing relationships to this role from day one. We're looking for someone who has:
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- A genuine passion for championing our oceans and coastal communities.
- Established experience and relationships within the Conservative Party or its wider community, ideally as a member.
- A track record of political engagement, policy advocacy, or campaigning.
- The ability to build and lead a team, uniting people around a shared mission.
- An entrepreneurial, self-starter mindset, with the drive to shape strategy and see it through.
- The ability to manage your own time and work independently, balancing this role alongside other commitments.
How We Work
As this is a voluntary role, we're conscious of respecting your time and other commitments. You'll be empowered to lead our strategic direction, with the flexibility to fit this around your schedule. Friends of the Ocean's Executive Director will be on hand for regular, efficient 1:1s, offering support and guidance drawn from their own experience as the branch's previous Director.
What You'll Gain
This role offers direct engagement and visibility with senior policymakers, leading ocean NGOs, and sustainable businesses. You'll have the opportunity to lead on ocean and coastal issues from within the Conservative Party, engaging regularly with MPs, Peers, Councillors, and activists — and play a leading role in securing ocean and coastal priorities within the Conservative Party's policy agenda ahead of the next general election.
Sound Like You?
If you're excited by this opportunity, and want to play a leading role in putting ocean and coastal issues at the heart of Conservative policymaking, we'd love to hear from you. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and areas of expertise — if you meet some of the criteria but not all, we'd still love to hear from you.
To apply, please submit an expression of interest, along with an up-to-date CV and cover letter, to info@friendsoftheocean.org.uk by Wednesday, September 16th.
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