Senior Oceans Campaigner

About EJF

The Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) is a global non-profit organisation working to protect the natural world and our fundamental human right to a secure environment. We work at the frontlines of environmental injustice, alongside communities most affected by climate breakdown, biodiversity loss, and exploitation - transforming evidence into action, and injustice into lasting change.

Through field investigations, rigorous research, and strategic international advocacy, we expose environmental crime, challenge impunity, and catalyse systemic reform. Our work delivers real-world impact, shaping policy, strengthening governance, protecting vital ecosystems, and defending those who risk their lives to safeguard them.

Our campaigns span four interconnected areas: oceans, climate, forests and wetlands, and the training, protection, and empowerment of environmental defenders and investigative journalists. From illegal fishing and plastic pollution to deforestation, land grabs, and climate breakdown, we confront some of the most complex and urgent crises of our time - always with a focus on accountability, equity, and durable solutions.

EJF has a diverse team of campaigners, filmmakers and community mobilisers working across four continents, united by a shared ambition: to protect people by protecting the planet. We are bold, evidence-led, and impact-driven. We speak truth to power - and we build pathways to a fairer, more resilient future. Join Us.

About the role

EJF's Ocean team investigates and documents illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and the human rights abuses that so often go with it - forced labour and trafficking, physical violence, and deaths at sea. Working alongside local partners, fishing communities and crew, our investigators gather first-hand testimony, vessel and ownership data, satellite tracking analysis, supply chain data and film in ports and fishing grounds across the planet, building evidence that stands up to legal, political and media scrutiny.

This role exists to turn this evidence into action. As Senior Oceans Campaigner you will deliver the advocacy and campaign strategy for the Ocean programme: understanding the specific changes we are seeking, identifying the decision-makers who can deliver them, and designing the sequence of pressure, persuasion and partnership that moves them. You will turn investigations into campaign propositions and drive delivery from launch through to the moment a regulation is tightened, a licence revoked or a supply chain cleaned up.

You will do this across several audiences at once: governments in market, coastal and flag states, parliamentarians and regulators, international fora, and the seafood industry. Current priorities include a push for full transparency in the global fishing industry through our Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency; robust import controls and carding regimes in major seafood markets; ratification and enforcement of key labour rights conventions; an end to abusive trans-shipment at sea; beneficial ownership disclosure; and accountability for distant-water fleets operating in the waters of low-income coastal states.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and deliver powerful advocacy and campaign plans for EJF's ocean priorities, setting clear objectives, targets, tactics and timelines for each

• Work with investigations, policy, film and communications colleagues to translate new evidence into campaign propositions, defining the ask, the audience and the timeline

• Map decision-makers, influencers and opposition across target governments, institutions and companies

• Identify and act on political openings, such as legislative reviews and treaty negotiations

• Prepare briefings, position papers and policy asks tailored to key audiences and lead meetings with senior decision-makers

• Press retailers, importers, processors and certification bodies to act on the abuses our investigations uncover, through direct engagement and public pressure as appropriate

• Work with the communications team to support the launch of films, reports and investigations for maximum political impact

• Act as a spokesperson with media, at public events and on panels, and represent EJF's positions accurately and persuasively

• Contribute campaign content, such as briefings, op-eds, digital actions, petitions and supporter communications

• Monitor, evaluate and report on campaign progress against objectives, and adapt plans in light of what is working

Essential skills and experience

• Demonstrable experience designing and delivering advocacy or campaign strategies that have secured concrete changes in policy, law, regulation or corporate practice

• Superb communications skills, able to deliver compelling, winning presentations in person and in writing to a diverse range of audiences. You must be able to produce, high-calibre, precise copy quickly, translating complex evidence into clear, persuasive arguments tailored to different audiences

• Experience working on ocean policy, fisheries, environmental governance, human rights or a related discipline

• Extensive experience presenting to diverse audiences to secure their understanding, respect and support

• Ability to build effective strategies for the delivery of core messages, and creative thinking to find routes through difficult problems

• Strong political judgement: the ability to read a decision-making landscape, identify who can deliver change and work out how to move them

• Rigorous attention to detail and an understanding of why absolute factual accuracy is fundamental to everything EJF publishes

• Ability to manage several campaigns and deadlines at once, and to work at pace when opportunities open up

• A clearly demonstrable commitment to EJF's vision, mission and values and a determination to change the world for the better

• Be able to work independently; within a team and be highly collegiate, supporting colleagues to achieve their best.

Desirable skills and experience

• A familiarity with trends and recent developments in global fisheries governance

• Experience of corporate engagement, supply chain accountability or certification schemes

• Working knowledge of a second language relevant to our programme countries

We strongly encourage candidates from underrepresented backgrounds in the environmental and human rights sectors to apply. If you believe you would be a great fit but don't meet every requirement, we would still love to hear from you.

What we offer

We offer a rewarding package designed to support your well-being, flexibility, and professional growth:

• 22 days' annual leave (exclusive of bank holidays), increasing with each year of service, plus (discretionary) additional paid leave between Christmas and New Year

• Private healthcare package

• Generous pension scheme, with employer contributions increasing over time

• Flexible working hours and hybrid working (3 days in the office / 2 from home)

• Cycle-to-work scheme

• A dynamic, supportive, and inclusive working environment, with genuine opportunities for professional development and career progression

• The chance to contribute to an organisation delivering real-world impact for people and planet

Application process

To apply, please send a CV and cover letter (no more than 2 pages each) outlining your suitability for the role.

The deadline for applications is 09/09/2026.

The interview process is likely to include three stages: a short screening call, a panel interview with a task relevant to the role and a final interview.

We're grateful to everyone who applies and we read every application carefully. Because of the volume of applications and the size of our team, we're only able to contact shortlisted candidates. If you haven't heard from us by 25/09/2026, please assume you haven't been successful on this occasion.

Candidates must have the legal right to work in the UK.

EJF is an equal opportunity employer, committed to diversity within the workplace. If you need any adjustments to the application or interview process, please let us know.