TITLE: Lead, The Octopus Platform
REPORTS TO: President
DEPARTMENT: Blue Finance and Scaling CLASSIFICATION: Permanent, Full-time or Fixed Term Consultancy

ORGANISATIONAL OVERVIEW: A resilient, net zero and economically secure world is not possible without a healthy, regenerating ocean. The Ocean, one of the planet's greatest assets, is in crisis. Heating, leading to extreme weather events, sea level rise, and adverse ecosystem changes as well as pollution, overfishing and destructive fishing, rising levels of acidity and biodiversity loss all jeopardise its health. Rebuilding and restoring 'blue nature' means protecting the critical impact buffers and biodiversity reservoirs that provide food, social and economic security to billions of people and businesses across the world.

Immediate and scaled action is needed to build resilience to change. The Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (ORRAA) is the only multi-sector collaboration connecting the finance and insurance sectors, governments, multilateral organisations, civil society, and local partners, to pioneer finance and insurance products that incentivise investment into coastal and ocean resilience, and through Nature-based Solutions.

The mission, by 2030, is to activate at least USD$500 million of investment to build the resilience of 250 million climate vulnerable coastal people in the Global South. ORRAA is delivering system-wide change by growing an investable product pipeline and generating the transformative investment instruments, vehicles and policies that contribute to a regenerative and sustainable blue economy. These solutions enable coastal communities and the Ocean to adapt and thrive, creating greater economic, social and cultural resilience.

POSITION SUMMARY: The Octopus Platform (the Platform) is a flagship initiative under ORRAA’s Sea Change Impact Financing Facility (SCIFF). The Platform matches investors to projects with market intelligence and groundbreaking technology at its core. It addresses a critical barrier to scaling ocean finance: the disconnect between investment-ready projects and capital seeking credible, science-based, and impact-aligned opportunities in the regenerative and sustainable blue economy (RSBE). Despite growing investor appetite, credible deal flow remains fragmented, and many project developers lack the support, visibility, and data tools required to meet investor expectations.

The Octopus Platform seeks to transform this landscape by providing a digital solution that: • Curates aligned investment opportunities using data-informed pathways • Guides project proponents to improve investment readiness • Facilitates investor pathways through data-informed curation of aligned opportunities • Supports a more transparent, credible, and investable ocean RSBE project pipeline

ORRAA is seeking an individual to lead the strategic delivery, day-to-day management, and evolution of the Platform - a digital matchmaking and intelligence tool designed to connect ocean-positive projects with aligned investors. This role will lead the coordination of technical development, user journey design, content curation, and stakeholder onboarding across all phases of the Platform’s growth, in collaboration with ORRAA’s Blue Finance and Scaling Team, ORRAA members and other key stakeholders, as well as play a key role in delivering a transformative digital infrastructure for the RSBE.

RESPONSIBILITIES: • Oversee the end-to-end design and functionality of the Platform, coordinating closely with key internal and external partners—including technology contractors, prospective users and funding partners—on the website interface, knowledge hub, and matchmaking engine. • Guide the development of user support tools, including logic-based AI features to enhance navigation and matchmaking, and future agentic AI capabilities to scale personalised guidance user functionality. • Lead the initial build and ongoing updates of the Knowledge Hub, curating insights, business cases, and market intelligence to support investor decision-making and project readiness. • Manage user experience and onboarding processes, developing and refining guided pathways for project proponents and investors, and overseeing project screening protocols and eligibility criteria. • Drive engagement with partners and users, including appropriate onboarding of at least 50 projects and 15 investors by end-2026, and scaling to over 200 projects and 50 investors by mid-2028. • Capture user feedback and performance insights, leading user testing and iteration to improve the platform’s functionality, content, and impact. • Support governance and long-term sustainability planning, contributing to strategic alignment, operational structures, and a roadmap for future scale-up.

REQUIRED & PREFERRED SKILLS: The successful candidate will excel in the following areas: · University degree, preferably in marine policy, sustainable finance, or related field. Master’s Degree preferred. · At least 7-10 years' experience leading complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives, ideally involving both digital product development and systems-level change. · Strong track record in developing and managing digital platforms, including user journey design, content curation, and iterative improvement informed by data and user feedback. · Demonstrated ability to manage technical contractors and delivery partners, including overseeing system integrators and software development teams. · Strong partnership and stakeholder engagement skills, with experience working across global institutions, philanthropic funders, private investors, and mission-aligned organisations. · Familiarity with blue finance, impact investing or sustainable finance – particularly with due diligence, matchmaking, and/or deal sourcing and related operating requirements.
· Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce high-quality reporting and fundraising collateral.
· Fluent in verbal and written English. · Interpersonal and project management skills. · A team-player with ability to work both independently as well as cooperatively with stakeholders across multiple time zones. · Highly organised and mission driven. · A good sense of humour and willingness to engage and align on ORRAA’s organisational culture.

WORK ENVIRONMENT • Competitive salary. • This position is either a full-time salaried staff position or a fixed-term consultancy for one year, with the option to renew. • Our work is global, fully remote, and conducted virtually. We each work flexible hours to accommodate multiple time zones. • We may arrange additional in-person meetings at various locations throughout the year. • International travel may be expected as needed and as safety allows. • The ORRAA team takes a break at the end of each calendar year between Christmas and New Year’s Day.

CANDIDATE APPLICATIONS: Applications should include a CV/resume, a cover letter outlining how your skills and experience will benefit ORRAA, and your salary expectations. Your CV/resume and cover letter should be uploaded as one document. Applications will be assessed on a rolling basis. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. The successful candidate must be authorised to work in their country of residence. Work visas and relocation expenses are not available for this position.

DATA PRIVACY: Please note that any personal data submitted to ORRAA as part of the job application process will be processed in accordance with the GDPR and related UK data protection legislation, for more information regarding GDPR please see: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER: Entry into employment with the ORRAA and progression within employment will be determined only by personal merit and the application of criteria which are related to the duties of each post and the relevant salary structure. In all cases, ability to perform the job will be the primary consideration. No applicant or member of staff shall be discriminated against because of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

No terminology in the advert or job description is intended to discriminate on the grounds of a person’s gender, marital status, race, religion, colour, age, disability or sexual orientation. Every candidate will be assessed only in accordance with their merits, qualifications and abilities to perform the duties of the job.