Asia Pacific Regional Director

Location: Asia Pacific (Indonesia, Timor-Leste and the Philippines)

Closing date for Applications: Receiving applications on a rolling basis

Contract Status: Regional, full-time

Start Date: As soon as possible

Contract Duration: Permanent

Reports to: Chief Programmes Officer

Remuneration: IDR .00- IDR 1,.00

Salary Band: A1 (Member of Senior Leadership Team)

Blue Ventures is a marine conservation organisation that prioritises people. We support local organisations working with coastal communities to rebuild their fisheries and restore ocean life.

Across the Asia Pacific, Western Indian Ocean, West Africa and Central America, we are unlocking the power and potential of local organisations on the front lines of the ocean emergency to be powerful change agents.

We are building a global network of partners, providing flexible, sustained funding to community-based organisations and local NGOs to catalyse, expand, and sustain local management and marine conservation efforts. We strengthen local capacity through peer learning, knowledge-sharing, and access to practical training and tools. We amplify the voices and priorities of coastal communities to ensure their recognition and rights to manage and conserve coastal areas and that their ecosystems, fisheries, and cultural traditions are protected from pervasive threats.

Summary job description

We are recruiting an experienced leader, strategist, and change agent to direct Blue Ventures’ exciting new programme in the Asia Pacific region. This pivotal leadership position will ensure that Blue Ventures capitalises on its recent entry in the region and delivers impact at scale for coastal communities and the ocean across the region.

As the Regional Director, you will be responsible for providing leadership, guidance, and coaching to a dynamic, multidisciplinary team that focuses on building and maintaining partnerships with communities, government, and other sector leaders—today in Indonesia, the Philippines, Timor Leste, and Thailand—with a strong aspiration for expansion across the broader region in the coming 2‑3 years. You will work closely with a diverse group of highly motivated, high‑performing colleagues to drive our mission and help transform community‑led conservation in the region.

Your expertise in change management will be invaluable as you lead the team through this rapid growth and transformation period, exemplifying interpersonal skills, agility, and resilience to design and implement a regional strategy that gains commitment for change within the regional team and across the broader organisation.

As a strategic and consultative leader, you will ensure effective coordination between BV colleagues locally and globally to drive cohesion and alignment with BV’s strategic vision and ambition. You will be responsible for ensuring operational efficiency to maximise impact and value for money, supporting our culture, protecting our values, and enabling our team to thrive.

You will lead the regional input to our annual global planning and goal‑setting processes, ensuring our regional strategy is integrated with the needs and opportunities of our team and partner communities. Working closely with colleagues and partners, you will evolve and implement regional and functional plans through close engagement.

As the primary representative of Blue Ventures’ work in Asia Pacific, you will be the go‑to person for senior government, donor, private sector, and civil society engagements. You will proactively pursue and manage these relationships to further Blue Ventures’ mission, including fundraising, public speaking, and networking at all levels, from local communities to government ministries and international fora.

We seek a highly motivated, strategic individual who is resourceful in managing a diverse, multi‑cultural team to deliver a broad portfolio of conservation interventions. You will understand and respond to partner communities' and stakeholders' needs and interests and have significant operational and field experience in delivering large‑scale international development and/or conservation programmes in Asia Pacific or similar contexts.

As a leader, you will blend entrepreneurialism and strategic discipline, creating and capitalising on change to accelerate impact with creativity and a spirit of innovation and ambition. You will be committed to building an inclusive and evidence‑based decision‑making culture and understand the importance of integrating learning processes into our work and operations.