We are looking for a Sturgeon Coordinator - WWF-CEE

Posted on 31 Aug 2022
WWF is the world's largest conservation organization, founded in 1961. We’re active in over 100 countries and have over 8000 employees. WWF Central and Eastern Europe is responsible for leading and to a significant extent implementing WWF’s efforts to preserve, restore and sustainably manage the natural values of the Danube Carpathian ecoregion, which we also call the Green Heart of Europe. With a team of over 200 highly specialised professionals, we are working across political borders through an ecoregional approach based on model projects, influencing policy, networking, capacity building, communication and crisis response.

Several new policy opportunities emerged in the last years that create an enabling environment for engagement in the Black Sea region and open opportunities to advance the protection of highly endangered sturgeon one of WWFs priority species such as the the Common Maritime Agenda for the Black Sea, the Black Sea Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (2019&2020), a European Parliament resolution (2021) or the GFCM 2030 Strategy for sustainable fisheries and aquaculture in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. The adoption of resolution GFCM/44/2021/5 on the mitigation of fisheries impacts upon the conservation of sturgeons in the Black Sea which encourages a pilot project in assessing and mitigating bycatch of sturgeons provides a concrete opportunity for WWF to engage.

WWF-CEE is looking for a Sturgeon Coordinator, to develop and lead a strategy and create a set of deliverables, as listed below.

This is a part-time opportunity at 50%, for a period of 2 years.

Location:  Ideally a Black Sea country

Responsibilities:

  • Engage with GFCM secretariat in close coordination with WWFs Marine Mediterranean Initiative (MMI) to drive the process of the sturgeon resolution and its implementation
  • Support the GFCM pilot project towards delivering results towards sturgeon conservation
  • Coordinate the technical input from WWF sturgeon and fisheries colleagues to the process from WWF offices in the Black Sea region (Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Georgia, Russia (tbc) and Turkey) to the process
  • Scope funding opportunities and lead proposal development to ensure further work for sturgeon conservation for WWF offices in the region.
  • Scope and develop other relevant and promising engagement opportunities for WWF in the Black Sea in agreement with the relevant Network offices
  • Facilitate knowledge management and information exchange with relevant WWF offices

Expected deliverables:

  • WWF position paper on sturgeon conservation in the Black Sea more generally including our key asks
  • Overview report on policy processes and identification of WWF intervention points for sturgeon conservation
  • List of funding opportunities
  • Project concept developed with input from all WWF offices active in Black Sea countries

Key requirements:

  • Experience in engaging in policy processes in the international/ macro-regional context
  • In-depth knowledge in the field of fisheries, by-catch, IUU (and ideally sturgeon conservation)
  • Excellent networker and cross-cultural communication skills
  • Excellent English, presentation, and communication skills, further knowledge of a Black Sea range state of advantage
  • Perseverance and patience
  • Strategic thinking
  • Highly efficient and effective working style
  • Commitment to WWF’s mission, priorities and values: Courage, Integrity, Respect and Collaboration

We offer:

  • the opportunity to make a difference – for the CEE region and for WWF
  • challenging and fulfilling work in one of Europe’s most exciting eco-regions
  • friendly and highly professional working atmosphere in an international context
  • varying tasks and opportunity to grow
  • a pleasant working atmosphere and great learning environment
  • a salary according to NGO standards*

* The compensation package will be aligned with local salary and benefits conditions, in line with our reward policy.

If you are interested in joining our team, send your CV and cover letter (in English) to the attention of Tsveta Petrushinova, Regional HR Manager at hr@wwf.bg no later than 18 September 2022. Please understand that we can only reply to short-listed candidates.

For more information about WWF-CEE, kindly check the website: https://www.wwfcee.org/.

Thumbnail image:  Dam and reservoir, Danube river, Portile de Fier Nature Park, Romania © Michel Gunther / WWF

sturgeon dams and hydropower protected areas Danube