Arctic Fellow

IMPORTANT:  This Advertiser has requested that applicants MUST be National Residents / Valid Work Permit-holders.  Other applicants need not apply.

 

The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (GBMF) is seeking an Arctic Fellow for the Foundation’s Marine Conservation Initiative (MCI). Reporting to the Program Director of MCI, the Fellow will be responsible for investigating opportunities to advance marine spatial planning that balances human use and conservation in the Arctic, specifically in the Beaufort Sea and cross-boundary in the United States and Canada.  The Fellow will build on initial scoping conducted by MCI team members and will work closely with the MCI team throughout the investigation.  The Fellow should be an accomplished individual with experience, expertise in, and knowledge of the Arctic and other fields relevant to marine conservation, with substantive experience as a strategic thinker and passion for the work of MCI.  The Arctic Fellowship is an intensive, two-year commitment.   

 

If important opportunities are determined to exist in consultation with the MCI staff, the Fellow will articulate potential desired outcomes in the region and a strategy to achieve them, potential grant partners, and a draft framework for measuring progress.  During this investigation phase the Fellow will represent MCI to external audiences, interact respectfully with communities, other funders, non-profits, private industries, government agencies, and other potential partners, manage expectations about future potential investments, and other activities jointly determined with the team to achieve MCI’s goals. The Fellow may be asked to lead the development of a small number of investigation grants, in collaboration with the MCI team that would help inform a decision about a future strategic focus in the region.   

 

The Fellow should be willing to travel up to 40% of the time within the U.S. and Canada.   

 

The Marine Conservation Initiative 

 

The goal of MCI is to achieve healthy marine ecosystems in North America that support sustainable use. In the near term, we seek to make: measureable progress toward resilient and productive marine ecosystems in key geographies in the U.S. and Canada managed sustainably for current and future generations. 

 

To achieve that goal, MCI has invested in two main strategies. The first, Marine Spatial Planning (MSP), focuses on integrating human use with conservation.  It brings people together with the best available science to understand current and potential future uses of the ocean and the underlying ecosystem structure and processes, while balancing multiple uses with minimal conflict to ensure healthy oceans and economies. MSP investments have been made in British Columbia, the Canadian National level, New England, the West Coast, and at the U.S. National level.  

 

MCI’s second strategy is Reforming Fisheries Management (RFM), which includes the creating and effectively implementing catch shares to meet stakeholder and conservation goals; setting scientifically-based annual catch limits; building effective and efficient monitoring, observing, and data management systems; supporting demonstrations of innovative structures such as permit banks; and promoting more sustainable harvesting gears and practices to end overfishing, rebuild depleted stocks, and sustain fishing communities. RFM work has been largely focused in the U.S., in New England and the West Coast.  

 

Today, major elements of MSP and RFM have been adopted in the U.S. and Canada. Over the next five years, the Initiative will refine and improve its efforts to align social and economic incentives with conservation outcomes to achieve healthy oceans, support sustainable use, and build durability into the Initiative’s goals. 

 

The Foundation 

 

Established in September 2000, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation seeks to advance environmental conservation and scientific research around the world and improve the quality of life in the San Francisco Bay Area.  The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation is among the top ten largest foundations in the U.S. and one of the largest private funders of environmental conservation and non-biomedical science in the world. 

 

The Foundation is devoted to the inspirational vision articulated by its founders: “creating positive outcomes for future generations.” This vision guides its mission: “to achieve significant, lasting and measurable results in environmental conservation, science and the San Francisco Bay Area.” A set of core values—impact, integrity, disciplined approach, and collaboration—directs the Foundation’s work. 

 

Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation 

• Headquartered in Palo Alto, CA 
• Over $5 billion in assets 
• Annual Foundation budget of ~$270 million 
• ~80 employees 
• Three program areas 
  • Environmental Conservation 
  • Science 
  • San Francisco Bay Area 
   

  

For more information, please visit www.moore.org 

Key Responsibilities 

 

The Arctic Fellow will be responsible for: 

 

Research and Strategic Plan Development - 

• Develop a workplan for the investigation; 
• According to the workplan, investigate, analyze, and synthesize opportunities to advance marine spatial planning in the Beaufort Sea and cross-boundary in the United States and Canada; 

• Complete strategic research independently, manage and synthesize knowledge to share with team and other partners, and track trends in the field; 

• As appropriate, use convening, dissemination, facilitated collaborations, and other tools. 
• Cultivate deep domain expertise and make decisions on the basis of knowledge, analysis, and external input; 
• Build relationships with key players in the region on MSP, while managing expectations about MCI’s future investments; 
• Participate in developing and presenting communications materials on investigation to the Leadership Team, Board, Foundation staff, and external audiences, as appropriate; 
• If opportunities are determined to exist, develop in partnership with the MCI team: 
  • strategic plan for the Arctic with desired outcomes and mechanisms to achieve them; and 
  • a well-vetted theory of change for the Arctic, including innovative approaches backed by strong analysis. 
   

 

Strategy Implementation and Grantmaking - 

• Dependent upon Arctic strategic plan approval, identify, make, and manage a limited set of high quality investigatory grants and grantees to achieve intended outcomes and impact;  
• Conduct due diligence; develop, refine, and write grant summaries; develop budgets; and align grant strategies and activities with goals; 

• Actively manage and monitor individual grants, grant portfolios, and strategies along with grantees to assess progress, adapt work plans, and foster successful grant goal achievement through risk identification and mitigation; 
• Work effectively within internal process and ensure internal team coordination. 

 

Professional Qualifications and Personal Attributes 

 

Beyond these objectives, the new Arctic Fellow should ideally possess the following professional qualifications and personal attributes: 

 

Professional Qualifications 

 

            Education - 

• Advanced degree, or its foreign equivalent, related to environmental conservation. 

 

Experience - 

• Place-based field work in the Arctic that contributed to an understanding of the regional context and relationships with actors is preferred.   
• Substantial experience in designing and conducting research, interviewing diverse stakeholders, and synthesizing information. 
• Strong experience in designing, implementing, and monitoring effective projects and strategies to achieve durable outcomes. 
• Strong experience with and reflection on the opportunities and challenges of bringing together diverse constituencies to deliver significant outcomes. 
• Excellent analytical, teamwork, and communication (verbal and written, including presentations) skills. 

 

Knowledge - 

• Deep knowledge of relevant concepts, trends and issues in the Arctic and marine conservation, or other relevant fields, related to aligning social and economic incentives with conservation outcomes.  

 

Personal Competencies and Attributes 

 

Problem solving - 

• Think critically and provide practical solutions based on thorough analysis in the face of real-time issues. 

 

Managing relationships - 

• Provide courteous and responsive support, while adhering to legal requirements and Foundation policy. 

 

Project management and quality of deliverables - 

• Deliver high quality products in a timely and efficient manner. 
• Mobilize resources to develop and implement work plan to achieve goals. 
• Bring and incorporate the best current thinking to the Foundation. 
• Maintain awareness of current standards and processes. 
• Employ exemplary speaking, writing, listening, and critical reading skills. 
• Share relevant information in a timely, structured and synthesized manner to different target audiences. 
• Contribute to the team and to the Foundation (includes administrative skills, coaching, managerial / leadership skills). 

 

Demonstrating Integrity and Fairness - 

• Serve as a role model to others and act in accordance with the Foundation’s values. 
• Foster a work environment that promotes the highest levels of integrity and honesty; able to work through and resolve complex ethical issues. 

 

Compensation 

 

Compensation for the Arctic Fellow includes a competitive base salary, a performance incentive plan, and an excellent package of health, pension, and other benefits. 

 

Application Process 

 

Interested applicants should send a cover letter, resume and salary information by email, with subject line including Arctic Fellow, to jobs@moore.org. 

 

The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. All correspondence will remain confidential. All applicants will receive a notice of the status of their application.