The Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation seeks experienced board members to further its mission to protect marine life in the Gulf of Maine through research, education, and inspiring action.
Founded in 2001, the Blue Ocean Society is a founder-led, volunteer-powered organization headquartered in Portsmouth, NH. We operate along the Atlantic coast from northern Massachusetts to southern Maine.
- We conduct near-daily beach cleanups from MA to ME. In 2022 alone, we held 510 events and removed over 6,700 pounds (175,000+ pieces!) of litter from the coast.
- We founded the first marine education facility in Hampton Beach, NH – the Blue Ocean Discovery Center – which has welcomed more than 160,000 visitors since it opened in 2013.
- We offer hands-on educational programs to over 5,000 students each year in schools throughout New England.
- Our long-term research database on the whales near Jeffreys Ledge is the only one of its kind and allows us to learn about this unique habitat – a place important for whales and other marine life to feed.
- As the only New Hampshire-based marine mammal internship program, we have hosted more than 150 student interns since 2002 and provided a crucial step in these students’ career paths.
The board supports these initiatives and other critical work by providing mission-based leadership and strategic governance in partnership with the Executive Director, who leads day-to-day operations.
Specific board member responsibilities include:
Leadership, governance and oversight
- Serving as a trusted advisor to the Executive Director as she develops and implements Blue Ocean Society’s strategic plan
- Regularly measuring the performance and effectiveness of Blue Ocean Society’s many initiatives
- Contributing to an annual performance evaluation of the Executive Director
- Attending monthly meetings, alternating between full board and subcommittee sessions
- Serving on one or more committees, leading initiatives prioritized by those committees, and contributing functional expertise to special assignments or efforts of other committees
- Creating pre-read materials on subcommittee efforts for board transparency and decision-making. Reviewing agenda and supporting materials prior to board meetings and engaging in Q&A
- Approving Blue Ocean Society’s annual budget and material business decisions; being informed of and meeting all legal and fiduciary responsibilities
- Partnering with the Executive Director and other board members to ensure that board resolutions are carried out
- Acting as an ambassador for the organization
- Assisting in identifying and recruiting other board members
- Ensuring Blue Ocean Society’s commitment to an appropriately resourced, diverse board and staff
Qualifications
This is an opportunity for an individual who is passionate about Blue Ocean Society’s mission and who has a track record of board leadership, or has achieved leadership stature in business, government, philanthropy or the nonprofit sector.
Ideal candidates should have the following qualifications:
- A commitment to and understanding of Blue Ocean Society’s mission and beneficiaries
- An affinity for diplomacy and for cultivating mutually beneficial relationships and building consensus among diverse individuals
- Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and a passion for improving the strength of the organization
Additional information
Blue Ocean Society’s board members will serve a two-year term to be eligible for re-appointment for two additional terms. Blue Ocean Society expects to have 100 percent of board members make an annual contribution.
To apply, please submit resume and cover letter to: boardinterest@blueoceansociety.org