[Coral-List] Fwd: (Jobs) The Center for Ocean Solutions – Practice Building Effort (Climate Change, Land- Sea and Ecosystem Health)

[Jim Hendee]

This might be of interest to those seeking new positions:

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Frank De Safey <fdesafey at sequencemail.com>
Date: Fri, Jul 20, 2012 at 1:59 AM
Subject: The Center for Ocean Solutions – Practice Building Effort (Climate
Change, Land- Sea and Ecosystem Health)
To: jim.hendee at noaa.gov


Dear James:

Wanted to take a moment to drop you a note about an exciting new project we
were just retained to work on this week.  With as close knit as ocean,
fisheries, climate change, coastal and marine ecosystems circles are in the
community, thought connecting would be appropriate.

We’ve been retained by the Woods Institute for the Environment to undertake
a practice-building / recruiting effort to significantly expand Stanford
University’s Center for Ocean Solutions Senior Program Leadership cadre. As
you know, The Center for Ocean Solutions was created as a joint partnership
between Stanford University, the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Monterey Bay
Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI). With the support of the David and
Lucile Packard Foundation, The Center for Ocean Solutions combines
Stanford’s expertise in marine biology, oceanography, engineering,
economics, law, and policy with the Aquarium’s unparalleled success at
public education and outreach, and MBARI’s leadership in deep sea
technology, exploration and monitoring, as well as marine and costal
economics.

Specifically, we have been tasked with immediately identifying and
retaining three key program leadership positions within the organization,
including:

- Climate Change Program Director / Lead
- Land Sea (Coastal – Ocean) Program Director / Lead
- Ocean Ecosystem Health Program Director / Lead

These three very unique post are currently some of the niche marine and
ocean communities most high profile career opportunities. They are to be
followed with expansion of the organizations staff and post doctorate level
personnel.

With operations physically based in Monterey and Palo Alto, California (San
Francisco Bay Area), the Center for Ocean Solutions is focused on finding
practical and enduring remedies to overcome the problems that threaten our
oceans. Its mission is to elevate the impact of the natural, physical and
social sciences on ocean policy by integrating cutting-edge science and
technology with economic, social and political expertise to develop
practical solutions to major challenges facing the global ocean.

They are especially noted for preparing leaders to address these challenges
by drawing on a pool of highly respected scholars and collaborating with
other academic, governmental and non-governmental organizations to tackle
interdisciplinary multi-faceted problems.

They are leading the way to help define and measure ocean health and
developing resiliency metrics, including thresholds and indicators to
support ocean health. Also working to define and relate and impacts like
climate change, unique land sea interactions and ecosystem health. They
link that knowledge and technology to needs, resulting in action by
government, non-governmental organizations, foundations, and businesses.
Striving to serve as a catalyst equipping decision-makers and emerging
leaders with the knowledge and skills they need to make decisions that lead
to long-term health of the ocean.

In consideration of this, I often find the best way to locate qualified
individuals is through networking with active leaders.  Considering your
background, I thought you might know a friend, colleague or associate who
would possibly be interested in and could benefit from this exceptional
career opportunity.

Climate Change Program Director / Lead

As part of our practice development effort for the organization, we are
seeking a Program Director / Lead to develop and drive new climate change
initiatives to meet one of the greatest challenges facing our planets’
oceans.

Through its work on Climate Change, the Center for Ocean Solutions strives
to develop innovative solutions to enhance ecosystem and human community
resiliency to climate change impacts. The organization also seeks to
continuously improve the policies governing climate change mitigation and
adaptation. It also works in development of research, education and
communication strategies to achieve those goals

The individual holding this role would be charged with actively engaging in
the expansion and implementation of the Center’s climate change adaption
initiative. This initiative will address in the face of a changing climate,
how to increase the adaptive capacity (reduce vulnerabilities and increase
resilience to climate change) at evolutionary, ecological and social
scales. So we are ideally looking for an individual with extensive
knowledge of climate change and the expected or realized impacts to the
coast and oceans. Also, proven understanding and abilities with climate
change adaption practices and current research with the ability to ply this
towards communication, messaging and education efforts directly and in
collaborative environments.

Land – Sea (Coastal-Ocean) Program Director / Lead

We are also seeking a Senior Program Director / Lead to develop and drive
new Land - Sea (Coastal - Ocean) Initiatives to meet the greatest
challenges facing our planets coast lines and oceans. The organization
firmly believes that coastal oceans represent the major interface between
humans and the marine environment, making coastal ecosystems the most
heavily impacted by human activity. Coastal ecosystems are also some of the
most biologically diverse, and include habitats such as kelp forests,
seagrass beds, marshes and estuaries, mangrove forests and coral reefs.

These coastal habitats provide many important services, such as sheltering
diverse marine organisms, buffering terrestrial habitats from wave action
and flooding, and supporting recreation and tourism. Human impacts on the
coastal environment include fishing pressure, industrial pollution, habitat
modification and agricultural runoff. The Center for Ocean Solutions is
taking an interdisciplinary approach to identifying and resolving these
challenges

This individual in this role would be responsible for leading and actively
engaging in the development and implementation of the Center’s land-sea
initiative. This initiative will address how to advance our understanding
of the connectivity between coastal and ocean ecosystems and policy tools
for reducing the impact of land-based pollution on the ocean. Areas of
focus may include: (1) coastal pathogens, (2) ocean acidification and
hypoxia in coastal waters, (3) agricultural and other sources of nonpoint
run-off, (4) coastal habitat land use changes, and (5) desalination.

The ideal individual would have extensive knowledge of the mechanisms of
connectivity between land and sea, the methods used to track the flow of
material from land to sea and the interconnected and unique role coastal
terrestrial habitats play in the marine ecosystem. This also includes
proven understanding of how activities on land affect the health and
resilience of coastal ecosystems with carry over into coastal government
policy and legal aspects with Clean Water and Coastal Management.

Ocean Ecosystem Health Program Director / Lead

The Ecosystem Health Program Director / Lead will be charged with
developing and implementing the Center for Ocean Solutions Ecosystem Health
Initiative.

The organization firmly believes Ocean ecosystems are healthy if they can
sustain the supply of ecosystem goods and services to coastal societies
without compromising their fundamental structure and functioning. The
Center for Ocean Solutions is working to shape its ocean ecosystem health
initiative around a series of cross-cutting issues at the forefront of
dialogues about ocean sustainability. These have included working groups
and interdisciplinary teams concentrating on ecosystem-based marine spatial
planning, social-ecological systems ocean governance, cumulative impacts,
and marine ecosystem thresholds and indicators.

This in mind, we are ideally seeking an candidate that can drive the
Ecosystems Health initiative to help address and advance the implementation
of ecosystem-based management approaches in ocean and coastal environmental
by focusing on (1) ecological thresholds and indicators, (2) ocean
governance, (3) ocean planning, (4) cumulative impacts, and (5)
social-ecological systems. Uniquely, this individual would be extremely
knowledgeable of ecosystem-based management approaches and tools with
working abilities in social ecological systems and understanding of ocean
and costal governance.

Because each of these three Initiatives (ecosystem health, land-sea
interactions and climate change) is generally synergistic we often
frequently see them intersect, overlap and augment projects with each
other. Therefore careful coordination with the organizations working teams
and an openness to collaborate within those initiatives is crucial to
success of each position.

This in mind, each of these three positions is responsible for building
upon the work of the Center’s current projects as well as the expertise of
the organizations partners to define, develop and create new and effective
solutions. This includes getting buy-in from key decision makers from the
public, non-profit and for-profit sectors, as appropriate, and developing
and implementing a funding strategy to support the work of those
initiatives. Individuals that hold these roles will work with staff,
project faculty, researchers, and collaborators to develop a communications
and education strategy to ensure effective implementation that results in
tangible change. They will also be responsible for mentoring the staff,
early career fellows (recent PhD, MBA or JD recipients), staff, research
analysts, and interns working on the various projects.

The ideal candidates will have at least five to ten (5 - 10+) years of
project management experience along with a PhD, JD and/or MBA in applicable
related fields.

Each of these positions could be ideal for a strong and talented mid- to
senior level project manager looking to move on to a program leadership
role where they can help boldly build out practice efforts. They would also
be an excellent fit for a strong and capable senior leader with proven
abilities to find a long term home with a reputable and resource rich
organization. Not only a place to build out key programs, but also an
opportunity to further their personal practice and focus area within the
ocean community.

We are generally referring to these positions as having a significant
degree of impact in the organization.  So these are key program leadership
roles and would be responsible for development and expansion of the
Center’s first strategic initiatives, which will have significant influence
on the success of the center and its varied climate change, land – sea and
ecosystem health activities. They also have key funding elements as we are
not only looking for individuals to own and develop strategic initiatives,
but work to develop and secure funding for those undertakings.

Hence, the ideal candidates must possess a network of relevant ocean
science and policy experts have excellent networking and
relationship-building skills, and outstanding written and verbal
communication skills and abilities.  This includes experience developing
and delivering effective briefings to diverse audiences (stakeholders,
policy-makers, colleagues, senior management, news media, etc.).

All three of these positions report directly to the Executive Director and
Center’s Science Director.  There is also significant interaction with
numerous peers and stakeholders. So we are seeking individuals that have
strong leadership skills and the ability to work effectively with staff at
all levels, as a colleague or supervisor, and work successfully with
faculty and researchers in developing concepts into successful
implementation.  The requirement to work effectively with partnerships
involving a diverse range of organizations and businesses is also vital to
this position.  Strong personal initiative, problem-solving skills,
creativity, and the ability to work independently and as a collaborative
team member are absolute.

Our client is offering an extremely competitive and lucrative base salary,
performance bonus and excellent benefits package.  Though the key focus is
on the Program Lead for each Initiative, there is also the potential
opportunity to through the post at the University. The Center for Ocean
Solutions is highly noted for their success helping personnel develop and
progress, both personally and professionally.  They pride themselves for
fostering a highly skilled, energized and empowered workforce.  For the
right individual anything within reason can be structured.

That in mind, I feel quite confident these would be the type of positions
with a reputable organization that you would feel comfortable referring to
a colleague. Just as important, the opportunity to join a very stable group
where the prospect for future advancement is bright during these tougher
economic times is quite reassuring.

If you happen to know of someone you believe would be a good match to one
or more of the opportunities, I would be very interested in speaking with
them.  I greatly appreciate the time and consideration extended.

Best Regards,


Frank D. De Safey
President
www.sequencestaffing.com

Sequence
2008 Opportunity Drive, Suite 150
Roseville, CA 95678
Phone: 916-782-6900 x204
Fax: 916-782-6307
Email: fdesafey at sequencestaffing.com

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