Fisheries Conservation Manager Job Details

Fisheries Conservation Manager – Gulf of Mexico

Gulf and Southeast Oceans Program

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Overall Function:  The Fisheries Conservation Manager will oversee and coordinate catch shares projects in the Gulf of Mexico, to include Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the west coast of Florida. This position will report directly to the Senior Conservation Manager, Gulf and Southeast Region and be a standing member of the Catch Shares Working Group. 

Under the overall direction of the Gulf and Southeast Region Oceans Program Director, and direct supervision of the Senior Conservation Manager, this position will be responsible for the oversight and coordination of commercial catch share programs in the Exclusive Economic Zone in the Gulf of Mexico. The Fisheries Conservation Manager will manage a team of staff and consultants, as necessary, to ensure the Gulf and Southeast Region’s goals and objectives are met. This position will also work with program leadership to coordinate the mission in the Gulf region, including meeting and communicating with federal and state officials, fisheries managers and chief scientists, catch share program administrators, council members and staff and other elected officials. This position will also work closely with all other marine user groups and catch share stakeholders, NGOs, and any other interested parties to effectively and efficiently coordinate the implementation of commercial and recreational catch shares in the Southeast.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Assist in designing and implementing broad strategies for the successful adaptation of commercial catch share programs in the Gulf of Mexico.   
• Implement and oversee area specific tactics which will bring these strategies plan to fruition. This includes researching and marshalling human resources and fiscal assets, developing external partnerships, using media and outreach materials, conducting on-the-ground- assessments and identifying and developing key fishermen and stakeholder supporters.
• Develop and conduct fishermen and stakeholder education to foster catch share programs in the Southeast to include workshops, leadership training, media and communication training and outreach. Interact with news media as needed to promote and publicize projects.
• Identify, train, and lead key fishermen and stakeholder supporters who will: write Op-Eds and other media materials; reach out to state and federal congressional staff; and conduct congressional site visits. The position will also conduct fishermen exchanges and lobby days visits and other such activities as required by the mission and approved by the Senior Conservation Manager.
• Collaborate and oversee team functions necessary to achieve the catch shares mission, including: supervising outside consultants on the development of fisheries economic and business studies, market-based catch share studies, and scientific projects needed to implement catch shares programs in the Gulf.
• Oversee team efforts and consultants in collaborations which will identify, design, and implement entrepreneurial projects which will consolidate the fleet through re-investment opportunities such as loan programs, community trusts, coops, and other market-based incentives.  Oversee research and analysis to identify solutions to project goals, including analyzing information from a variety of internal and external sources, and communicating results to the Senior Conservation Manager and other appropriate parties. 
• Identify, design and oversee team efforts which will work directly with key fishermen and other stakeholders to effectively leverage their voices with council members, commission members, state and federal agencies executives and other key decision makers to implement catch shares throughout the Gulf. Participate in and/or oversee community outreach efforts to ensure successful plan implementation.
• Serve on federal and state advisory panels and committees key to advancing catch shares work in the Gulf.  
• Coordinate with the Oceans National Policy Team as required by the Gulf and Southeast Regional Director.
• Engage in fundraising support activities and collaborate on proposals and reports required by grantors or other requesting parties as needed.
• Undertake and complete special projects as assigned by the Senior Conservation Manager.

Qualifications:

• Graduate degree or, equivalent professional experience, in Science, Policy, Economics, or Law, in areas related to environmental or marine resources policy, aquatic sciences, environmental sciences or related fields.
• Minimum of five-seven years of related advocacy work experience.
• Strong understanding of state and federal policy making and political processes.
• Understanding of business, environmental, financial, scientific and other issues related to creating and maintaining sustainable fisheries.
• Demonstrable people and project management skills.
• Demonstrable analytic skills and ability to perform rigorous analysis in support of highly visible work.
• Demonstrable written and oral communication skills.
• Negotiation skills.
• Ability to garner consensus between disparate groups with conflicting priorities.
• Ability to recognize and build on market and strategic opportunities for progress.
• Capable of working with a variety of concerned parties, including government agencies, grassroots organizations and private firms, within strategic coalitions.
• A self-starter with the ability to think strategically and the initiative to work in a small regional office while effectively functioning as part of a larger program team.

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Term:              This is a 2-year term position scheduled.

Location:         Austin, TX

Interested applicants should forward their cover letter (including salary requirements) and resume to:  jobs@edf.org. Due to the volume of employment applications and queries received, EDF is unable to respond to each application individually.  Applicants will be contacted directly if selected as a candidate.

Environmental Defense Fund is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

(March 2010)