Position overview

This is a unique and exciting opportunity for a highly motivated and experienced person to join the Environmental Justice Foundation’s (EJF) Ocean Programme in Ghana. EJF’s Oceans Campaign works to protect marine biodiversity and habitats and promote sustainable, equitable and legal fisheries. You will be joining EJF’s growing international team that is working to secure a world where natural habitats and environments can sustain, and be sustained by, the communities that depend upon them for their basic needs and livelihoods.  www.ejfoundation.org

This role offers an unusual level of career development for the right person looking to excel and make a strong impact in both protecting Ghana’s fisheries sector and managing a growing set of projects and partnerships. It will entail travel within Ghana, in particular to Accra and other coastal areas.

Working closely with EJF’s senior management to manage the team in Ghana, liaising with our Ghanaian partners and reporting to EJF’s CEO, your role will be key to the delivery of EJF’s goals in the country on time and within budget.

You will help mentor local staff and oversee their work according to agreed key performance indicators (KPIs), and ensure highly cost-effective and efficient project implementation.

You will support extensive engagement with local partners and government agencies, and ensure effective project outreach including through local and national media, and social media platforms.

Your role will cross sectors and skill-sets, including research and field investigations, through to capacity-building (video, vessel monitoring); outreach and advocacy.

You will work closely with EJF’s film unit, communications team and other colleagues based in London and globally and provide highly detailed regular reporting to the CEO and Senior Management Team.

The position will:

• Coordinate, guide and support the implementation of EJF’s projects to document, expose and eradicate illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, improve community management of small-scale fisheries, and protect marine and coastal environments in Ghana.
• Track and evaluate outcomes against agreed KPIs and commitments as well as identifying synergies and opportunities to share learnings.
• Require close, effective coordination with partner organisations working with EJF in Ghana
• Involve management, mentoring and support of the team in Ghana
• Support internal and external reporting of programmatic impacts and track budget expenditures, ensuring the greatest possible efficiency.
• Develop and oversee outreach within communities and the wider public (including through local, national and international media); working with the communications colleagues in Ghana and globally to initiate and develop appropriate communications outputs including events and materials.
• Ensure that our advocacy with high-level decision-makers in Ghana is influential, appropriate and effective, working within EJF’s wider campaigns team to share relevant information and outcomes and leverage international support for our objectives.

Job specification and required skills and experience:

• A proven track record of leading and delivering high-quality, high-impact development and/or environmental programmes, with at least six years experience working in a related field.
• Understanding and experience of institutional donors, grant reporting and monitoring KPIs.
• Strong and dynamic leadership skills, including the ability to mentor and motivate to get the best from EJF’s local team and project partners, whilst being flexible to changing needs and opportunities.
• Work effectively under pressure and in remote situations.
• Superb oral and written communication skills able to deliver effective presentations to diverse high-level audiences, media and local partners and communities.
• Understanding of budgets and the need for the most efficient and effective use of resources; creating results-driven actions, alongside detailed monitoring and evaluation of impact.
• Resourceful, able to bring skills in capacity building, training and relationship management to ensure the long-term impact and durability of work undertaken by EJF and its partners.
• A great negotiator, able to be diplomatic and tactful to secure the right outcomes. You have good cross-cultural awareness and a genuine interest in working with communities to improve their lives and protect their environment.
• Good organisational skills and ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, stress full environmental
• Experience in working with national partners, ensuring agreed activities are efficiently executed on time and within budget
• A genuine interest in working with communities to improve their lives and protect their environment and a commitment to EJF, its Mission and goals of protecting people, wildlife and our shared planet.
• Good knowledge in fisheries management and governance of industrial and small-scale fisheries in Ghana is strongly desirable
• Graduate degree in a relevant field
• Fluency in English and at least one other relevant language