Chief Executive Officer

Chief Executive Officer

Permanent. Full-time. Hybrid

Edinburgh or Grimsby Offices with UK travel. Hybrid working

Seafish is a non-departmental public body, funded by a statutory levy on seafood. It exists to support a thriving UK seafood sector - from catch to consumption. It offers insight, services and strategic leadership to the industry. Working in close partnership with industry and government to ensure a safe, responsible and resilient seafood system across the UK.

This is a pivotal moment for Seafish and the sector it serves. We are seeking a visionary, credible and confident leader to shape the organisation’s future, drive transformative change, and build lasting value across a uniquely complex industry.

How you’ll play a part

As CEO and Accounting Officer, you will lead the organisation, act as its public face, and ensure it delivers its purpose with integrity, impact and transparency. You will work closely with the Seafish Board and UK Fisheries Administrations to guide strategic direction, oversee transformation, and maintain high performance across core functions.

You will be responsible for developing and delivering the Corporate Plan, adapting how Seafish works and what it delivers in response to the evolving needs of the industry. You will foster strong relationships across government, industry and delivery partners, ensuring Seafish remains a trusted, relevant and efficient public body.

As Accounting Officer, you’ll also be accountable for managing public money, ensuring robust governance and value for money in everything Seafish does.

Key priorities

• Provide strong leadership and drive cultural change as required
• Develop and deliver Seafish’s strategic and corporate plans, with clear alignment to public value
• Act as a highly responsible Accounting Officer, safeguarding public funds and ensuring transparent, effective governance
• Build trusted relationships with government (Defra and the devolved administrations), industry leaders, regulators and delivery partners
• Represent Seafish and the seafood industry with credibility across the UK, including as public spokesperson
• Lead the executive team and inspire a dispersed, multi-disciplinary workforce to deliver with purpose

What you’ll bring

• A proven track record of leadership, with the confidence and presence to act as the organisation’s figurehead. Able to foster a positive, engaging culture, bringing energy and direction. You will build on strong foundations to lead Seafish, its staff, levy payers, and government partners into the next phase of the organisation’s development
• Proven ability to deliver transformative change while maintaining organisational performance and integrity
• A collaborative, visible and values-driven leadership style with strong emotional intelligence
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the confidence to represent Seafish publicly and shape national dialogue
• A deep understanding of the seafood or food sector, or the ability to quickly build credibility in parallel sectors, will be highly advantageous
• Strong commercial and political acumen with a keen awareness of economic, environmental and public policy drivers
• Experience navigating public sector responsibilities and a commitment to public value will be beneficial.
• Resilience, diplomacy and a high degree of personal integrity

Seafish offers the opportunity to lead an organisation with national impact, significant public trust, and a vital mission. You will be supported by a committed Board and executive team and have a real opportunity to help shape the future of one of the UK’s most important industries.

New Town Partnership is the exclusively retained advisor to Seafish for this appointment. All direct and third-party applications will be forwarded to New Town Partnership. For a confidential conversation and to receive a full candidate pack please apply with your CV by 13th August.

All applications will be acknowledged.