Friends of the Ocean UK
Director — Labour Friends of the Ocean
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The Opportunity
Labour Friends of the Ocean is launching this summer, with a flagship event at this year's Labour Party Conference marking our first major milestone. We're looking for a Director to lead this organisation, uniting a founding team, and building a grassroots movement for ocean and coastal issues within the Labour Party.
This is a rare opportunity to build something new — not from a standing start, but with the benefit of a proven model. Conservative Friends of the Ocean, one of our existing branches, has already demonstrated what this can look like, and you'll have real support in applying those lessons to Labour Friends of the Ocean.
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.
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.
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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 Labour Friends of the Ocean's strategic direction.
- Engage directly with MPs, Peers, Councillors, and activists across the Labour Party to build a grassroots movement for ocean and coastal priorities.
- Build and lead a high-performing founding 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.
- Utilise key moments in the political calendar, including Labour Party Conference, to raise our profile and drive engagement.
- Advance our policy goals, with a particular focus on securing ocean and coastal priorities in the Labour 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:
- A genuine passion for championing our oceans and coastal communities.
- Established experience and relationships within the Labour 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.
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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 the success of our existing model.
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 Labour Party, engaging regularly with MPs, Peers, Councillors, and activists — and play a leading role in securing ocean and coastal priorities within Labour'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 Labour 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 Sunday, August 3.
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