WWF Policy Officer, Transparent Seas Project

I. Mission of the Initiative

The Smart Fishing Initiative (SFI) is a new WWF Programme that strives to improve marine ecosystem health through making commercial fishing around the world sustainable. It is helping to generate a new fisheries paradigm that ensures healthy and productive oceans are recovering and provide sustainably produced protein to meet seafood demand and sustainable livelihoods for fishers and fish processors. The overarching goal of the SFI is to achieve sustainable fisheries through effective governance, responsible seafood markets, and innovative financial mechanisms. 

SFI’s Transparent Seas Project works globally to make fishing more transparent and to ensure that the seafood reaching markets is fully traceable to legal sources by:

Promoting laws and policies to keep the products of illegal, unreported, or unregulated (IUU) fishing from entering ports or crossing international borders;

Working with industry towards “business smart” solutions to make all seafood fully traceable “from bait to plate”; and

Helping fishermen, industry, and governments adopt tracking systems to monitor fishing activity and document catches.

In Africa, the project is focused in particular on promoting resource stewardship and securing livelihoods through improved monitoring, control, and surveillance against IUU fishing, and by facilitating the connections between responsible fishing activities and profitable seafood markets.

II. Major Functions

• The focus of this role is to coordinate the implementation of achieving the African dimension of the Transparent Seas Project’s and SFI strategy objectives so that by 2017:

The Indian Ocean Tuna Commission has adopted transparency and traceability measures, which are being implemented by member states, including member states in Africa;

At least 3 key producing, processing, and/ or consuming market states  in Africa develop and adopt laws and regulations blocking IUU trade and fishing and require full traceability and transparency of seafood trade; and Leading private sector supply chain actors have ensured a significant amount of their products are fully traceable to legal and transparent fishing activities.

• S/he will work with WWF offices in the region (the Coastal East Africa Global Initiative, WWF Eastern and Southern Africa Programme Officer, WWF Tanzania, WWF Kenya, WWF Mozambique, WWF Gabon/Central Africa Regional Program Office, WWF South Africa, WWF Senegal/Western Africa Marine Program Office, WWF Madagascar/Western Indian Ocean Marine Program Office, TRAFFIC East Africa, and other relevant WWF offices in Africa)  to carry out policy advocacy activities vis-à-vis relevant enforcement authorities, fisheries ministries, and MCS institutions at both national and regional scales.  In countries where WWF already has relevant policy advocacy capacity, the Policy Officer will enhance and support coordinated advocacy activities; in other countries and in international fora, s/he will play a leading role representing the SFI Transparent Seas Project before external audiences and within WWF’s Network. 
• In pursuing these objectives, the Policy Officer will work to increase awareness of the IUU problem and transparency-related solutions among stakeholders, decision makers, and the general public.  The Policy Officer will also work to promote the capacity of governments, fishing communities, and civil society organizations to confront IUU activities and promote the profitability of transparent, responsible fishing.

III. Major Duties and Responsibilities 

• Serve as African lead within the multi-regional SFI Transparent Seas team and work with regional staff, WWF partners and key stakeholders to deepen understanding of the regional context and provide unified, consistent, and coordinated WWF engagement relating to government and industry MCS and IUU policies and implementation.
• Maintain professional knowledge and keep abreast of emerging issues in the area of MCS and anti-IUU policies and implementation (including the promotion of MCS, Port States Measures Agreement, MCS/IUU issues within bilateral fisheries agreements and RFMOs, and seafood traceability) and technologies (including electronic monitoring systems). Identify priority regional IUU and MCS issues and facilitate network processes to address them.
• Develop policies, positions, and capacity building materials on behalf of WWF relating to IUU, MCS, and fisheries governance, working in close cooperation with relevant WWF staff, especially in country offices where anti-IUU policies are being developed and implemented.
• Represent WWF in relevant fora and with relevant government, industry, and civil society stakeholders (working in conjunction with local WWF staff, as appropriate) to promote those policies and positions and to achieve concrete gains for WWF’s marine conservation agenda.
• Enhance the understanding and capacity of the WWF network and coordinate engagement with African countries and regional and international bodies on issues related to MCS and anti-IUU policies and other Transparent Seas Project priorities
• Manage and maintain oversight of relevant budgets and Transparent Seas Project activities in Africa, including the design and management of contracts with external vendors and consultants related to monitoring of IUU and trade flow of products from African ports; identification of IUU hotspots; research on transparency of fishing operations and licensing; the establishment of AIS monitoring; and other anti-IUU measures.
• Advise and support the development and submission of WWF funding proposals for activities that deliver to the above objectives.

IV. Profile

Required Qualifications

• Degree or advanced technical qualifications relevant to the field of fisheries governance, fisheries monitoring, control, and surveillance, and/or trade in fish products.
• At least 5 years (7-10 preferred) professional experience including policy advocacy in Africa.

Required skills and competencies

• Strong analytical and policy advocacy and seafood markets/trade transformational skills.
• Excellent communications, facilitation and interpersonal skills.
• Strong networking and team building skills appropriate for a multicultural and multidisciplinary environment.
• Proven ability to act as organizational spokesperson and interact effectively with government and markets representatives; significant experience interacting with fishery industry advantageous.
• Excellent written and spoken English; fluency in French and/or Portuguese advantageous.
• Knowledge of the intergovernmental institutions (including regional political and economic bodies, MCS institutions, and RFMOs) and systems and technologies relevant to the management of African ports, waters, and seafood industry activities.
• Proven success and experience in fundraising;
• Proven Success and experience in external communication and PR;
• Experience in participatory approaches and with experience in working with government and industry counterpart agencies, NGOs, community-based organisations and regional fisheries organisations.
• Motivation and ability to embody WWF’s values: “Knowledgeable, Optimistic, Determined and Engaging” 

V. Working Relationships

Internal

Extensive liaison with the WWF Network to ensure delivery of SFI objectives. 

External

Interacts with governmental institutions, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, the media, donors, specialists / consultants, and other stakeholders, in collaboration with the Country Director.

VI This job description covers the main tasks and conveys the spirit of the sort of tasks that are anticipated proactively from staff. Other tasks may be assigned as necessary according to organizational needs.

Applications must include a complete CV with full contact details of three referees and should be addressed to the People & Development Manager, via email to: rhumanos@wwf.org.mz by Friday, 31st July 03:30 pm. Only the shortlisted candidates will be contacted and the interviews will take place in Maputo.