Director Program Impact

The application period will close on November 2, 2026, 9:00 am CET. 

Background

Global Fishing Watch (GFW) is an international, non-profit organization committed to advancing ocean governance through increased transparency. Founded in 2015 through a collaboration between Oceana, SkyTruth, and Google, Global Fishing Watch became an independent non-profit organization in June 2017. 

Our organizational strategy is centered on three pillars: 1) countering illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing; 2) strengthening marine protection by improving the design and effectiveness of marine protected areas and other conservation measures; and 3) generating and openly sharing actionable and credible data on human activity at sea, increasing a science-based understanding of what is happening across our ocean and influencing change. An overarching principle across all of GFW’s work is promoting transparency in fishing and other human activity at sea in both policy and practice. In doing so, we aim to realize our vision of a healthy, productive and resilient ocean. All of our work is underpinned by our efforts to make human activity at sea more visible, measurable and accountable, and is built on our technology and open data, which empower governments and civil society to improve ocean monitoring and management.

Purpose of role 

In this new position, we are seeking an inspiring, strategic leader and accomplished manager who is passionate about delivering lasting impact for our ocean. Reporting to the Chief Impact Officer (CIO), this role is accountable for shaping the strategic direction and implementation of our work to combat IUU fishing and support effective implementation of the 30x30 global target and High Seas Treaty (BBNJ). They will ensure our partnerships continue to grow in reach, quality, effectiveness, and impact — extending our reach and influence where we don’t have staff on the ground, helping to sustain the use of our tools beyond individual projects, and providing additional expertise in priority areas.

The ideal candidate will bring proven experience in international marine conservation and ocean governance, along with a strong aptitude for engaging high-level government representatives across national, regional and international fora. The position also requires a strong understanding of, and enthusiasm for, leveraging our technology and data to effect change. They will also bring a creative and collaborative mindset, working closely with Product, Research and Engineering to shape the continued evolution of our technology and data offering.

The Director will be accountable for co-developing strategies with regional leads that encompass programmatic outcomes across IUU fishing and marine biodiversity, while connecting cross-regional initiatives where appropriate. They will oversee our regional programs in Africa, Latin America and the Mediterranean, line-managing the Head of Africa, Head of Latin America and Senior Manager, Mediterranean. They will also line-manage our Pacific Program Officer, while scoping future programmatic opportunities across Asia and the Pacific, as well as our Senior Manager, Biodiversity Program, advancing implementation of our plan to support global efforts to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030 (30x30). Direct and indirect line management will be in the figure of 15 plus.