Description

The Marine Technology Society (MTS) believes that advancements in the development and use of marine technologies are essential to support responsible and sustainable use of the ocean. Founded in 1963, we are an international professional society that provides members of academia, government, and industry a common forum for the exchange of information and ideas. Our members are engineers, scientists, technologists, policymakers, and educators who work within the full spectrum of ocean and subsea technologies, ranging from offshore energy to dynamic positioning, ocean robotics to buoys, and many more. MTS supports innovation and workforce development within the global blue economy, and our programmatic portfolio now includes the MATE Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) Competition, the Ocean Enterprise Initiative, and Ocean Exchange.

The Role
MTS seeks a full-time Senior Manager, Ocean Enterprise Initiative, to join our headquarters team. Reporting to the Senior Director, Ocean Enterprise Initiative, this role is part of a highly visible, diverse, and collaborative team that includes a program manager, multiple professional contractors, and external advisory support. Launched in 2023 with funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Ocean Enterprise Initiative grows the Ocean Enterprise through structured dialogues, community convenings, expert working groups, impact reports, and other activities that advance national and international efforts toward a vibrant Ocean Enterprise. The Senior Manager must be based in the U.S., with a preference for candidates in contiguous U.S. time zones.

This is a highly autonomous role with meaningful ownership and the opportunity to shape the future direction of the Ocean Enterprise Initiative at MTS. The Senior Manager regularly represents the organization and must demonstrate excellent interpersonal skills and a high degree of professionalism across a broad stakeholder group, including public, private, and academic sectors within and beyond the MTS community. The role includes supervisory responsibilities, including oversight of one part-time Program Manager.

This role includes the following essential functions, and others as assigned:

BlueConneX: BlueConneX is the Ocean Enterprise Initiative’s ocean intelligence platform—built to map, connect, and activate the global ocean enterprise ecosystem. This platform requires dedicated product leadership. The Senior Manager will lead the full product lifecycle for BlueConneX. This is a user-obsessed, insight-driven role: you will be the connective tissue between the ocean industry community and the platform’s capabilities, ensuring what gets built is rooted in real user needs, market signals, and strategic priorities—and delivered with quality and intention.

• Own and maintain the product roadmap, translating insights into prioritized features sequenced against strategic milestones.
• Partner closely with an external Technical Product Owner who translates requirements and supports engineering handoff.
• Develop and present monetization strategies to MTS senior leadership to sustain BlueConneX.
• Lead continuous discovery through user interviews, surveys, session analysis, and feedback loops with MTS members and ocean industry stakeholders.
• Drive the product enhancement lifecycle from ideation through delivery, measurement, and iteration.
• Build, execute, and maintain a go-to-market strategy that supports product- and community-led growth.
• Set and monitor targets for adoption, retention, analytics, and platform performance.
• Build partnerships with technology vendors and other organizations that can use and amplify the platform’s data.

Project Management: Working closely with the Senior Director, the Senior Manager will support the development, planning, and delivery of a portfolio of Ocean Enterprise Initiative events and activities, including small group convenings, webinars, and larger conference coordination. The ideal candidate has exceptional attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple time-sensitive priorities with consistent follow-through.

• In coordination with Ocean Enterprise Initiative staff and other MTS HQ colleagues, provide operational, logistical, and budget coordination for events and activities.
• In coordination with Ocean Enterprise Initiative staff and other MTS HQ colleagues, create and maintain marketing materials, including email campaigns, social media posts, and website content.
• Lead and facilitate conversations along with delegation of tasks among volunteer planning teams while working closely with MTS staff to ensure successful outcomes across all Initiative engagements.
• Draft synthesis reports that capture learnings, risks, and recommended priorities to support quality and sustainability.
• Recruit and track attendees, speakers, and panelists.

Cross-Program Collaboration

• Work with cross-program MTS HQ colleagues and volunteer leaders to design, implement, and evaluate strategies that enhance synergy between Ocean Enterprise Initiative activities and other MTS communities.
• Provide administrative support to the Senior Director, Ocean Enterprise Initiative and other MTS staff members, as needed.

Travel: Travel required up to 15% to support Ocean Enterprise Initiative events and partner engagements.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and 5–7+ years of professional experience in marine technology or closely related blue economy markets (or an equivalent combination of education and experience).

• Proven track record in customer- and stakeholder-facing engagements, capturing user needs and translating them into actionable requirements.
• Strong public speaking and communication skills—equally comfortable engaging a crowd of stakeholders at events, building awareness through professional networks, and presenting product direction to senior and executive leadership.
• Experience working in an agile environment alongside technical teams; able to collaborate fluidly with engineers and technical partners.
• Familiarity with common product and project tools - e.g., backlog management (e.g. Azure DevOps, Jira), analytics, and prototyping/collaboration platforms (e.g., Claude Code, Loveable, Figma).
• Established relationships in the marine technology space and the ability to navigate technical and stakeholder complexity with credibility, diplomacy, and sound judgment.
• Outstanding project management, organization, and time-management skills; ability to manage multiple deadlines in a fast-paced, sometimes ambiguous environment.
• Comfort working with KPIs and producing concise, data-informed updates for senior leadership; proficiency with common productivity and design tools (e.g., Microsoft 365, Adobe, Canva).
• Demonstrated ability to interpret qualitative and quantitative data to inform strategic decisions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to draft or articulate concise, compelling messages.

What We Offer

• Salary is commensurate with experience and expected to be in the range of $80,000–$85,000 per year.
• Fully remote work environment with flexible hours.
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer match up to 5% (vested immediately).
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance: 100% employer-paid for employees and 80% employer-paid for dependents.
• Paid time off: 2 weeks annual leave, 2 weeks sick leave, and 11 paid holidays.
• $100 per month work-from-home stipend.

To apply, please email a resume and cover letter to hans.vansumeren@mtsociety.org. Application review will begin May 21, 2026 and continue until the position is filled.