Guided by our commitment to Waters for All, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation connects people to the ocean and Great Lakes through education, conservation, and community engagement.
As the official nonprofit partner of NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, we support 18 marine environments from Massachusetts to American Samoa and the Great Lakes to the Florida Keys. We protect these iconic places, care for marine wildlife and habitats, honor our nation’s maritime heritage, and promote the enjoyment of public waters by all Americans.
Through public fundraising and partnerships, we invest in community stewardship and engagement, on-the-water conservation and restoration, education and outreach in visitor centers and gateway communities, and cutting-edge scientific exploration.
For more than 25 years, we’ve strengthened people’s connections to our ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes—our shared history, culture, and maritime heritage—and built partnerships with coastal communities and businesses tied to over 629,000 square miles of public waters that belong to all Americans.
About the National Marine Sanctuaries
America’s national marine sanctuaries are living classrooms, laboratories, and community assets that protect the waters shaping our shared future. Managed by NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS), this network of 18 marine protected areas is multi-use by nature and spans more than 629,000 square miles of ocean and Great Lakes — from coral reefs and kelp forests to historic shipwrecks and whale migration routes.
In partnership with marine research institutions, universities, and private-public partnerships, activities in each sanctuary are sources of solutions to today’s most pressing challenges. Sanctuaries safeguard marine biodiversity, sustain fisheries, power coastal economies, and inspire stewardship through science, education and outreach, and outdoor recreation from boating to fishing. Many sanctuary gateway communities include visitor centers and community partnerships with zoos, aquariums, and museums that extend this impact — serving as hubs for conservation, innovation, commerce, and tourism where people engage directly with the ocean and Great Lakes.
Together, these sites demonstrate how healthy waters and thriving communities are inseparable—and why protecting them is essential.
What We Need
The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that is a leading voice for US protected waters, is seeking a Regional Support Specialist, a position responsible for supporting the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) regional director for the Southeast and Gulf of America.
The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation is committed to a culture of inclusion, equity, and belonging. We are dedicated to attracting and retaining a diverse staff. We honor experiences, perspectives, and unique identities, and welcome the contributions that you can bring to the dedicated team. With a diverse team of employees, we can grow and learn better together and achieve our mission to protect the health of the ocean, coasts and Great Lakes for current and future generations.
What You’ll Do
- Support the regional director and sites (Florida Keys, Flower Garden Banks, Gray’s Reef) including strategic planning, budget planning and execution tracking, purchasing, contract scoping and development of statements of work.
- Coordinate with the Eastern Region COR for all contracting needs and overall administrative needs of the region.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Required Qualifications:
- Degree in marine science, financial management, or related field.
- Strong analytical skills
- Proficient in the use of the full MS Office Suite including MS Word, and Excel
- Proficient in the use of the full Google Suite including Docs and Sheets
- Experience with federal budgets and contracting
- Strong written and oral communication skills
- Must be able to pass background checks to obtain access to government databases, email, and maintain a government common access card (CAC)
- Regular attendance required.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Ability to travel occasionally (fewer than four weeks per year)
Why You Will Love Us
The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation (“Foundation”) is a leading voice for US protected waters, working with communities to conserve and expand those special places for a healthy ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes. The Foundation works in close partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to increase stewardship of our ocean and Great Lakes through on-the- water conservation projects, and education and public outreach activities, and by support for research. Together, we safeguard species and the places they call home, and support coastal communities and economies.
- Dedicated and passionate staff committed to marine and Great Lakes Conservation
- Generous leave policy, plus paid time off the week between December 25 and January 1; and 12 paid holidays
- Health benefits: Medical with an FSA option; dental, and vision
- Foundation paid Life and Disability Insurance
- Preparing for the Future: 403(B) with employer contribution after one year of service
Compensation and Benefits: $58,000 – $62,000/year, based on experience.
