Fishery Assessment Manager

~ The Marine Stewardship Council is an international non-profit organisation established to address the problem of unsustainable fishing and safeguard seafood supplies for the future. ~

Our vision is for the world's oceans to be teeming with life - today, tomorrow and for generations to come. A sustainable seafood market is crucial to making this vision a reality.

We use our blue MSC label and fishery certification program to contribute to the health of the world's oceans. We want to transform the seafood market by recognising and rewarding sustainable fishing practices and influencing the choices people make when buying seafood. We work with fisheries and businesses around the world to achieve this mission. 

Seize this great opportunity to join a forward thinking and rapidly growing organisation and make a positive impact on global fisheries conservation. Lend your fisheries expertise to MSC's mission of helping transform global fisheries through its leading international certification and eco-labelling program for well-managed and sustainable fisheries - a program distinguished by high scientific standards, independence, transparency, stakeholder engagement and comprehensive consistency with FAO guidelines. 

Position Overview

MSC's Fishery Assessment Managers play essential roles in achieving the MSC mission by carefully reviewing fishery assessments conducted around the world by independent, third party evaluation teams. By this review process, the fisheries team contributes to the quality, consistency and credibility of fishery certification decisions.

Team members are also involved in managing special projects to help evaluate and improve the performance and rigour of MSC fishery certification. The position has significant opportunities for independence and teamwork plus collaboration with leading fishery scientists around the globe as part of special project involvement.

At this time, MSC is recruiting one full-time Fishery Assessment Manager. We are looking specifically for candidates with experience in stock assessment, enhanced fisheries, seaweed harvesting, molluscs (bivalves or cephalopods). The variety of fisheries and management challenges, along with the diversity of people involved, make these posts extremely interesting and intellectually stimulating in very unique ways. 

Responsibilities 

Key Results and Outcomes 

The FAM positions within the Fisheries Team play a key role under the MSC's current 2012-17 Strategic Plan, which has four overarching objectives: 

• Assure the MSC's Program Credibility and Effectiveness
• Cultivate and Expand Markets for Sustainable Seafood
• Grow the Supply of Sustainable Seafood
• Scale Up and Support a Global Enterprise 

The bulk of the FAM's work is focused on delivering key elements in the first of these overarching objectives and the further key outputs to be delivered by the Standards Team,
which seek to ensure that: 

• Certification and licensing program requirements are clear and comprehensive, and facilitate efficient assessments.
• Assessments against MSC standards and logo licensing requirements are consistent, efficient, and robust, as the program grows.
• The MSC certification and licensing programs are accessible globally.
• Certification and licensing programs and internal operations are consistent with and inform international best practice.
• Benefits of MSC certification and logo use are recognized by stakeholders. 

To achieve these objectives, the post holder will perform the following functions either directly or through coordination/leadership of internal teams: 

• Team management: Participate on and lead as delegated internal MSC work teams designed to tackle emerging issues, within and outside the Science and Standard Team's immediate area of assigned work.
• Technical Oversight: Contribute, as delegated by the SFAM and SFCM, to the technical oversight of specific fishery assessments and/or annual post-certification surveillance audits, coordinating the involvement of other Fisheries Team members and/or contracted experts as appropriate.
• Policy development: Contribute as delegated by the SFAM to the development of policies to improve the assessment methodologies that support the implementation of the MSC's Fisheries Standard. Undertake research in fisheries science/management to support this role, contributing to scientific papers as appropriate.
• Capacity building: In consultation with the Standards Training Officer, and the SFAM, contribute to the development and delivery of technical training and capacity building programmes in relation to MSC's fisheries standard and related methodologies for internal and external audiences.
• External relations: As delegated, promote and represent the MSC in international forums on relevant fisheries sustainability, certification and eco-labelling issues.
• Internal collaboration and technical fisheries support: As delegated by the SFAM and Fisheries Standard Director, contribute to the work of the Fundraising, Communications, Commercial and Regional departments of the MSC and provide advice and support to colleagues on technical aspects of the programme or of specific fisheries. 

Qualifications 

Skills, Knowledge & Abilities 

• Technical Qualifications - You will have a post-graduate degree or equivalent from the natural resource sector and it will be highly desirable that this demonstrates a strong understanding of fisheries management, marine conservation biology and/or marine environmental management.
• Experience - The MSC is looking for a highly motivated individual with at least 3-5 years of experience that demonstrates the progressive development of your skills. Some of this experience will have been gained from the pursuit of environmental sustainability within the natural resource sector.
• Market-based eco-labelling programmes - You must also have an understanding of the role of market-based eco-labelling programmes and be willing to champion such initiatives.
• Logical thinker - Well-developed analytical and systematic problem solving skills, demonstrating sound reasoning abilities and logical decision-making.
• Languages - Excellent communications skills are required in spoken and written English.
• IT Skills - Well-developed computer and IT skills, including the use of standard software packages (Microsoft Office). Knowledge of R is a plus.
• Stakeholder Oriented - It is essential that you will have a clear understanding of and affinity for stakeholder-engaged processes such as operated by the MSC. The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate experience as noted below. 

Additionally: 

• Working in partnership with stakeholders in resource management, science or policy development, preferably in an international context. This may be from, but not limited to, the fisheries sector, scientific community, the conservation or environmental community.
• An ability to successfully manage relationships with colleagues, stakeholders and collaborators, with a people-centred approach to business and work essential.
• Cultural awareness and sensitivity to the diversity of values, views and approaches to issues relevant to the MSC programme by stakeholders around the world. 

Management and Organisational Abilities 

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate: 

• Excellence in working within a small team and motivating colleagues to contribute to achieving the overall mission and vision of an organisation.
• Strategic thinking and planning at a team level.
• Skills in developing budgets and monitoring expenditure.
• Experience in project management, delivery and evaluation. 

Communication

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate: 

• Excellence in written and spoken English with an ability to communicate successfully with a diverse range of people.
• Ability to represent the MSC as an ambassador and negotiator in an international arena at the highest levels of business, government, science and the non-profit world.
• Proficiency in a relevant second language is highly desired.
• Ability to work effectively with staff at all levels of the MSC.
• Ability to promote positive and effective relationships with independent CABs, enabling the credible and quality conduct of the fishery assessment and post-certification surveillance process, consistent with the intent of the MSC standard.  

To Apply 

• Please click below: "Apply Here!" for more details, requirements and application instructions.
• Closing date for applications is December 1, 2016 (09.00 GMT).