Chief Executive Officer

Chief Executive Officer

Mangrove Action Project

 

Mangroves are the hardest-working forests on Earth. They shelter coastlines from storms, provide nurseries for fisheries, and lock away more carbon per hectare than tropical rainforests. They’re also disappearing — cleared for shrimp farms and coastal development — at a pace most people never hear about.

For 34 years, Mangrove Action Project has trained over 1,000 practitioners across 30 countries to bring these forests back. Our approach — Community-Based Ecological Mangrove Restoration (CBEMR) — is the worldʼs most effective restoration method in the field, and it works because it teaches people to work with nature to restore forests.

 

The Opportunity

 

Mangrove restoration has moved from the margins to the center of the climate, biodiversity, and food security conversations. Funders, governments, and coastal communities are paying attention as never before. MAP — with its globally distributed team, recognized technical leadership, and decades of partnerships — is positioned to meet this moment at scale.

 

We are hiring a Chief Executive Officer to lead that effort: deepening our field impact, expanding partnerships, and growing the resources and reach we need to match the urgency of the work.

 

About Mangrove Action Project

 

• 34 years advancing mangrove restoration globally.

• The recognized authority in mangrove restoration training (CBEMR—Community-Based Ecological Mangrove Restoration).

• Trained over 1,000 practitioners across 30 countries.

• A fully virtual, globally focused 501(c)3 organization with staff in the US, UK, Mexico, Thailand, and the Philippines.

• A global storytelling engine: over a million accounts reached annually on social media.

• Restored mangroves 12 years after MAP training in El Salvador

• Creators of the Mangrove Photography Awards (website), with submissions from 75+ countries and featured in top tier media, including The Guardian, Smithsonian, CNN, BBC and The World Economic Forum.

• Working partnerships with leading international NGOs including World Wildlife Fund (WWF), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Conservation International (CI), Wetlands International (WI), and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

 

Click here to view our award-winning documentary , Return of the Mangroves.

 

Position Summary

 

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) serves as the senior executive of MAP and reports to the Board of Directors. The CEO is responsible for organizational leadership, financial stability, administration, communications, and management of all staff members. The CEO works closely with the Director of Programs, who directs the external execution of MAPʼs restoration mission. The CEO holds organizational and financial authority; the Director of Programs holds programmatic and scientific authority. Together they are responsible for external representation, partnership development, fundraising, communicating the organizationʼs mission and scientific work, and implementation of the Board-approved strategy.

 

• The CEO works under the direction of MAPʼs Board of Directors and serves as the organizationʼs chief executive responsible for overall leadership, fundraising, operations, financial management, human resources, and communications.

• The CEO leads strategic planning and implements board-approved strategic plans, reporting regularly to the Board on progress toward organizational goals.

• The CEO and Director of Programs are responsible for representing the organization publicly, building partnerships, and communicating MAPʼs mission and scientific work. The CEO and Director of Programs work closely together to ensure alignment among scientific programs, fundraising priorities, partnerships, and overall organizational strategy. Program budgets are developed collaboratively, with organizational financial and budget oversight residing with the CEO.

 

The CEO provides organizational leadership that fosters collaboration, accountability, and alignment with MAPʼs mission and values.

 

Key Responsibilities

 

Fundraising and Communications

 

• Lead organizational fundraising strategy, including the development of a fundraising plan that includes major donor cultivation and development of new funding opportunities that support the organizationʼs strategic priorities.

• Manage foundation and individual donor relationships in coordination with the Director of Programs.

• Explore new areas of growth for MAP, including blue carbon consulting and support from private sector foundations.

• Ensure grant applications, reporting, and program budgets are coordinated among MAP staff members and teams.

• Oversee organizational communications, media engagement, and public communications strategy, including oversight of branding updates and ensuring alignment with organizational strategic priorities, in coordination with the Director of Programs and the Board of Directors.

 

Finances

 

• Develop and track the annual budget, forecasting revenue and expenses to ensure continued financial health and adequate cash reserves.

• Ensure restricted funds are used appropriately and in accordance with donor and grant requirements.

• Oversee CPA bookkeeper (currently provided by Northwest Accounting & Financial Management, PLLC).

• Maintain appropriate accounting controls and financial management practices.

• Maintain oversight of all organizational and project budgets.

 

Staff Management

 

• Supervise all staff (currently distributed across the US, UK, Thailand, Mexico and Philippines).

• Grow the development team (currently consists of a full-time Grants & Operations Manager and half-time Finance Lead).

• Build a communications team (currently consists of the Creative Director, and a contractor for social media).

• Support the technical team (currently consists of the Director of Programs, Restoration Director and global trainers, part-time Advocacy Director, and part-time Art Contest Coordinator.)

• Provide mentoring, support and training to allow all staff to assume increasing responsibility, professionalism, and oversight of their work

 

Administration

 

• Oversee employee and contractor agreements and all associated contracts, and serve as authorized organizational decision-maker and contract signatory.

• Review compensation and benefits structure to ensure competitive hiring and retention

• Oversee all staff recruiting

• Implement a performance evaluation

• Ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including employment laws and HR best practices.

• Ensure adequate insurance

• Identify and manage organizational risks, ensuring appropriate policies, controls, and compliance systems are in place to safeguard organizational assets and operations.

 

Board of Directors

 

• Work closely with the Board in a collaborative way that builds trust and confidence for the Board, the staff, funders, and external

• Call upon the Board for expertise, connections and guidance where useful.

• Serve on the Board as an ex officio non-voting

• With the Board President, produce meeting agendas and minutes, support meeting facilitation, ensure compliance with bylaws, and support Board member recruitment.

 

Experience and Qualifications

 

Experience

 

• Demonstrated nonprofit leadership experience, including senior management or executive-level responsibility within a mission-driven organization.

• Proven fundraising track record, with experience in major donor cultivation, foundation and grant funding, and development of diversified revenue streams.

• Familiarity with the environmental or conservation sector, including an understanding of ecological restoration, climate adaptation, or nature-based solutions.

• International or cross-cultural experience, with the ability to work effectively and respectfully with communities, partners, and stakeholders across diverse geographies and cultural contexts.

• Comfort with a remote or distributed team structure, including experience managing staff and operations across multiple time zones.

 

Qualifications

• Forward-looking leader who will develop and execute a strong strategic vision for

• Even-keeled manager who is comfortable both delegating and managing closely when

• Confident supervisor who can make strong, fair decisions, including unpopular

• Strong, team-oriented, inclusive leader, with a track record of recruiting, developing, and retaining high-performing staff in growing organizations.

• Clear, accurate communicator who inspires trust and

• MAP is a globally focused organization headquartered in the United States, with administrative staff in the Seattle area and a distributed international MAP operates as a fully virtual organization, with team members working remotely across multiple regions and countries. Applications are welcomed from throughout the United States.

 

Mangrove Action Project is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourages candidates from varied backgrounds and experiences to apply.

 

Compensation Package

 

• Salary Range: USD $110,000 – $140,000, depending on experience and qualifications. Retirement Contribution: 4%

• Health Insurance, including vision and dental: 100% of employee premium paid by employer.

• Paid Time Off: Approximately 6 weeks per year (including 10 holidays, a 2-week break over Christmas & New Yearʼs Day).

 

How to Apply

 

Please send your CV and a cover letter to ceosearch@mangroveactionproject.org. You will be sent an email confirmation that your message was received. We will respond to questions as our capacity allows. Please revisit our website for any updates on the status of recruitment.

 

Application Deadline: Sunday, June 21, 2026. Early applications encouraged.