All jobs Location: Balearic Islands – preferably Mallorca. A minimum presence in Mallorca will be required.
Location type: Hybrid
Reporting to: Board of Directors
Manages: Team of 12 - 14
Annual salary: €65K – €85K EUR, depending on experience.
Contract type: Permanent
Working hours: Full-time
Candidate level: Director
Closing date: Tuesday 24th March, 9:00 am CET
Background
The Marilles Foundation is a private non-profit organisation that works to transform the Balearic Islands into a world reference for marine conservation. We bring together funders to support local projects and build collective strategies that improve the state of the marine and coastal ecosystems of the Balearic Sea.
Since 2018, we have invested more than €6M EUR mainly from multiple philanthropic sources to ensure the long-term conservation of the Balearic sea and coast. We have funded over 100 projects led by local organisations contributing to Marilles strategic priorities (Marine Protected Areas, Habitats and Species, Sustainable Fisheries and Water Quality).
Marilles works in partnership with its network of grantees in all islands and convenes key stakeholders to develop and implement joint strategies and projects that lay the foundations of long-term change to advance marine conservation in the Balearic Sea and beyond. Examples of these include the State of Balearic Sea report, MARE underwater image contest, 30x30 network, and the Balearic Blue New Deal, amongst many others.
The Marilles Foundation team currently consists of 12 - 14 members, including core (admin, comms, finance) and project staff (MARE, State of Balearic Sea, MPAs, Fisheries, Habitats and species, Strategic alliances).
Purpose of role
As Marilles has grown, and our current director transitions to a new role within the organisation, we are expanding our leadership team with a new director to guide Marilles Foundation through its next phase, building on our current success and expanding our impact to deliver healthier marine ecosystems in the Balearic Sea and beyond.
The new Director's primary mission will be to lead and manage the Foundation, ensuring that resources, staff, and partners deliver maximum impact for every euro spent in improving the marine habitats and species of the Balearic Sea.
This role requires a visionary leader and experienced manager with a background in marine conservation who can articulate a clear strategic direction, champion essential priorities, and guide the organisation toward its goals. The Director will blend strategic thinking with hands-on leadership and excellent people management skills to inspire the team, foster strong partnerships, and strengthen Marilles' position as both a powerful voice for marine conservation and a respected collaborator capable of working effectively across multiple sectors, in the region and beyond.
We are seeking someone with high ambition and exceptional energy, either a Balearic Islander with international experience, or a Spanish or foreign national who has lived in Spain long enough to deeply understand the sociological context with international experience.
Primary responsibilities
Strategic leadership
- Develop, implement, and communicate a long-term strategy for Marilles, grounded in the specific needs of the Balearic Islands, ensuring alignment with the Foundation’s mission and vision.
- Direct efforts and resources towards initiatives with the greatest potential for impact, explaining the rationale behind strategic priorities to stakeholders and the team.
- Review and assess funding proposals from grantees. Support and guide grant writing. Follow up on the execution of grants, providing support and guidance to ensure grants deliver maximum impact.
- Build and maintain relationships with a wide range of sectors and personalities, using diplomacy and strong interpersonal skills to align interests and advance marine conservation.
- Organise and prepare documentation for Board meetings, including making recommendations for grants, acting on decisions, and providing regular updates and reports to trustees.
- Work closely with the Board of Trustees and advisors to ensure the Foundation has a clear and visionary strategy in place for the next five years and beyond, and operational plans and budgets in place that will deliver its success.
- Ensure the continuous development of a strong governance framework and risk management to comply with legal obligations at all times.
- Manage, mentor, and inspire the team to maximise their potential and contributions.
- Ensure good communication, give regular feedback, and agree and review work plans and KPIs with staff members.
- Ensure compliance with the Foundation's training and capacity building requirements and provide development opportunities supporting the continuous development of staff and a learning organisation.
- Lead and oversee regular meetings with team and project leaders and ensure continuous follow-up to allow for high impact and efficient team output.
- Ensure that quality control mechanisms and activity monitoring measures are in place.
- Promote a collaborative and motivated workplace culture, ensuring that the team is aligned with the organisation’s goals and values.
- Enable and guarantee a healthy working climate and the well-being of staff.
- Oversee the Foundation’s budget and financial health, ensuring sustainable operations while preventing financial risk, debt, or bankruptcy.
- Prepare annual and multi-annual budgets and forecasts. Oversee expenditure and support team members in drafting budgets for each area.
- Identify opportunities to ensure budget is managed efficiently, delivering the best possible value (and impact) per euro invested.
- Ensure that funders’ requirements are met in time and form at the best possible quality.
- Deliver compelling presentations to diverse audiences, showcasing the Foundation’s achievements and goals.
- Represent the Foundation at meetings with donors, media engagements, political and government representatives as well as leaders of the private sector, research institutions, the fisheries sector, and any other relevant stakeholder groups.
- Leverage a strong understanding of marine ecosystems and scientific knowledge to guide programmes, foster partnerships with research institutions and conservation organisations, and ensure initiatives are informed by the latest scientific findings and aligned with local conservation needs.
- Develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy aligned with the organisation’s goals and mission, and clear revenue goals.
- Develop and implement strategies to diversify funding streams, including donor engagement and partnerships, to support long-term organisational resilience.
- Develop and implement approaches to access corporate funding and open new funding streams.
The Director of Marilles Foundation will play a critical role in shaping the future of marine conservation in the Balearics. This is a unique opportunity for a passionate, strategic, and skilled leader to make a lasting impact on the region’s marine ecosystems and communities.
Experience
- Demonstrated strategic thinking and vision, with the ability to set a clear direction and communicate the "why" behind decisions.
- Proven leadership and managerial experience with a track record of team and organisational growth, preferably in the non-profit sector and/or conservation organisation.
- Outstanding experience in staff management and team leadership.
- Proficiency in English and Spanish is essential, with Catalan highly desirable, to effectively communicate with a diverse range of stakeholders.
- Excellent knowledge of the public and private funding sector and proven knowledge of corporate CSR/ESG strategies.
- Exceptional interpersonal and diplomatic skills, with a proven ability to work across diverse sectors and with varied personalities.
- Financial acumen to manage budgets, mitigate risks, and ensure the organisation’s financial sustainability.
- Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, with experience in public speaking and media engagement.
- A solid understanding of and passion for marine science and conservation, ideally in the Mediterranean and the Balearic Islands.
- Have a deep understanding of the Balearic Islands’ unique environmental, social, and cultural context, ensuring strategies are locally relevant rather than imported.
This job description is not exclusive, and duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned and revised from time to time.
To apply for the post
To apply for this role, please submit a copy of your CV/resume and a cover letter outlining your interest in the role and how you fulfil the requirements set out in the job announcement.
If you have any questions about the role or organisation and would like an informal chat ahead of submitting a formal application, please reach out to Ruth Gardner at ruth@upsallinternational.com. To note: in order to keep your application safe and ensure your data is GDPR compliant, applications will not be accepted via email.
· The deadline for applications is Tuesday 24th March, 23:59 CET ·
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Upsall International actively promotes equality, diversity, and inclusion. In recruiting candidates, we seek candidates with the proven skills required, irrespective of race, gender, religion or belief, age, disability, or sexual orientation.