Seafood Sustainability Lead - Wild

Who is New England Seafood International?

New England Seafood International (NESI) was established in 1991 and is an importer and processor of premium fresh and frozen sustainable fish and seafood. NESI employs circa 650 people across two sites in the UK and imports a wide range of wild and farmed fish and shellfish from all around the world. We are part of the Sealaska Corporation, an Alaska Native corporation formed in 1971 and which is owned by 22,000 Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian shareholders, who are all bloodline descendants of the first settlers to the Americas.

Our vision is to “show people how to enjoy fish every day” and we pride ourselves on our supply chain integrity, sustainable sourcing and high-quality product. Our values run through our business and are Respect, Customer Care, By Learning We Grow, Team Spirit and Integrity.

Title: Seafood Sustainability Lead – Wild

Reports to: Planet and People Director

Location: Chessington or Grimsby Site, with travel required between sites

Salary: Dependent on exp + competitive benefits package

Shift pattern: Monday – Friday – 40 hours per week

New England Seafood is an ambitious , forward thinking business with an enviable track record of investment and growth , an excellent reputation for quality and integrity and great people, strong leadership supported by a unique ownership structure.

Our purpose runs deep , it is our DNA …our core purpose is to enhance lives through fish.

What is the purpose of this role?

Help Shape a Sustainable Future for Seafood at NESI

With over two-thirds of our planet covered by water, seafood offers one of the lowest carbon and water footprints of any protein source. As the world works to de-carbonise and protect its resources, NESI plays a vital role in sourcing seafood responsibly and operating in harmony with nature.

We’re offering an exciting opportunity for a passionate and experienced professional from the seafood or sustainability sector to join our Planet & People team. In this role, you’ll lead the Planet pillar of our strategy – delivering impactful projects across our supply base, using your knowledge of fisheries and environmental challenges to drive meaningful change.

You’ll collaborate with dynamic, cross-functional teams focused on key species, support wider social and environmental sustainability goals, and clearly communicate your work to both internal and external stakeholders.

If you’re ready to make a real impact and help shape a better future for seafood, we’d love to hear from you.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver Strategy – Lead on the implementation of NESI’s Planet & People strategy, focusing on wild-capture seafood sustainability across sourcing, packaging, and ingredients.
• Lead Due Diligence – Manage NESI’s sustainability due diligence process, including Codes of Practice and Supplier Assessment Questionnaires, IUU checks.
• Monitor Performance – Track and report on sustainability metrics; maintain accurate records and share progress with internal and external stakeholders.
• Horizon Scanning – Identify and assess emerging trends, regulations, risks (e.g. IUU, transshipment), and opportunities relevant to wild-capture fisheries.
• Stakeholder Engagement – Build strong relationships with suppliers, NGOs, certification bodies, and internal teams to support responsible sourcing.
• Risk & Compliance – Lead risk-based assessments and ensure compliance with sustainability certifications (e.g. MSC, Global G.A.P.) and audit requirements.
• Customer Leadership – Own key relationships with customers to deliver their goals, and work with commercial and technical teams to address customer sustainability requirements and communicate NESI’s progress.
• Insights & Research – Summarise key developments in science, policy, and industry to guide internal decision-making and support continuous improvement.
• Drive Education – Deliver training and engagement activities across the business to build understanding of sustainability challenges and NESI’s response.
• Collaborate for Impact – Represent NESI in pre-competitive initiatives, industry forums, and working groups to contribute to broader seafood sustainability goals.

What experiences, knowledge and capabilities do I need to demonstrate?

Essential

Experience

• Proven experience in sustainability, fisheries, or environmental management within the seafood or broader food industry.
• 5+ years’ experience in sustainability, fisheries, seafood sourcing, or environmental consultancy

Education

• Degree in Marine Biology, Environmental Science, Sustainability, Fisheries Management, or a related field

Expertise and skills

• Strong understanding of wild-capture fisheries, including topics such as: fisheries management and governance, ecosystem impacts and bycatch mitigation, regulatory frameworks, IUU fishing and traceability challenges
• Ability to lead and deliver complex projects across multiple teams and stakeholders.
• Skilled in communicating technical sustainability topics clearly to both internal and external audiences
• Experience working cross-functionally, ideally with supply chain, commercial, and technical teams
• Demonstrated ability to design, lead, and deliver projects, preferably across multiple countries or supply chains
• Strong organisational and coordination skills, especially in cross-functional team settings
• Confident with stakeholder engagement across supply chains, NGOs, and industry forums.
• Impact driven – proven delivery of projects and initiatives that have made a material difference to sustainability.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office; able to produce clear, data-informed reports and presentations.

Desirable

• Knowledge of aquaculture systems and environmental challenges in farmed seafood production
• Experience with environmental risk screening and/or data tools (e.g. FishSource, Seafood Watch, risk assessment platforms)
• ESG or corporate reporting: Understanding of how sustainability data feeds into customer or investor disclosures would be beneficial.
• Understanding of climate and nature-related target-setting
• Awareness of broader environmental and social risks (e.g. overfishing, IUU, ecosystem impacts, labour practices).
• Postgraduate qualification (MSc/PhD) or relevant certifications in fisheries

Attributes

• Passionate about sustainable seafood and driving positive change.
• Strategic, proactive, and solutions-focused.
• Strong influencing and relationship-building skills.
• Detail and action oriented, methodical, and collaborative.

Benefits

• 25 days holiday
• Pension 5% employee contribution 3% employer contribution
• Life Insurance: 3 x annual salary
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Discount Scheme Programme
• Unlimited hot refreshments
• On-site parking
• Employee Referral Programme
• Sports & Social Fund

NESI Health and Safety

New England Seafood International will work to ensure it fulfils its moral and legal responsibilities and will not compromise on Health & Safety. We have a strong belief and culture that no one should be hurt resulting from our operations. Health & Safety will always be given priority when considering other business activities.

We will ensure that all persons are provided with a safe working environment and have access to suitable welfare facilities including safe access and egress.

We will ensure all our staff are site inducted, provided the necessary levels of H&S training to work safe on site and provided expert training for their role. In order for people to work safely and on completion of a detailed risk assessment, we will provide suitable and appropriate machinery, equipment and PPE to fulfil this objective.

Our H&S objectives will always be reviewed frequently and will be communicated openly through the business and will be used to drive continued improvement to our H&S standards and culture. This is achieved by consultation and positive interaction with our employees.

NESI Food Safety

Every employee is expected to be proactive in adhering to Food Safety rules and is encouraged to actively promote and cultivate a Food Safety Culture within the workplace; as a company, we are committed to providing ongoing support, comprehensive training, and the necessary tools to continuously upskill our knowledge about food safety, empowering all team members to engage in open communication with the NESI colleagues to share ideas, address challenges, and collaboratively uphold our commitment to Food Safety Excellence. #J-18808-Ljbffr