Country Officer

**Background**: Global Fishing Watch is an international, non-profit organization committed to advancing ocean governance through increased transparency. We create and publicly share knowledge about human activity at sea to enable fair and sustainable use of our ocean. Founded in 2015 through a collaboration between Oceana, SkyTruth, and Google, Global Fishing Watch became an independent non-profit organization in June 2017. Using cutting-edge technology, we create and publicly share map visualizations, data and analysis tools to enable scientific research and drive a transformation in how we manage our ocean. To pursue our unified organisational strategy, by 2030 across 30 countries we aim to empower institutions and people to 1) support the reduction of illegal unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and destructive fishing practices 2) better enforce and protect the rights of 1 million small scale fishers and 3) improve the effective designation and management of marine protected areas and other area based conservation measures.

Latin America is a region deeply intertwined with the ocean—its more than 35,000 miles (56,000 kilometers) of coastline shape the lives, economies and cultural identities of its coastal communities. Global Fishing Watch works closely with countries across the region, including Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Ecuador, Panama and Peru, to strengthen ocean stewardship and advance global conservation goals. A major focus of our efforts is the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP), one of the most biodiverse marine regions on the planet. While most ETP countries have already designated at least 30 percent of their waters for protection, they continue to face significant challenges. Through improved monitoring, transparency and enforcement, Global Fishing Watch aims to support countries in achieving meaningful conservation outcomes and contributing to the global 30x30 target.

**The Position**

This is an exciting opportunity to join Global Fishing Watch and support the delivery of our mission in Colombia, working alongside a dynamic, international team committed to advancing transparency and effective ocean governance. The Country Officer will play a central role in driving two of our key organizational impacts: making data accessible and actionable, by coordinating national partnerships, government engagement, and enabling the use of our data and tools across partner institutions.

The Officer will also support our work in Colombia championing transparency by preparing briefs and proposals, coordinating meetings and workshops, and engaging with national stakeholders across government and civil society. They will act as GFW's primary representative in-country, working with the regional analysis team to deliver insights and reports that meaningfully inform actions.

Global Fishing Watch is a dynamic and rapidly evolving organization that values creativity and innovative thinking and fosters strong teamwork.

**Principal Duties and Responsibilities**

Primary responsible for the successful development and implementation of a work plan to achieve our transparency and making data accessible and enforcement outcomes.

Communication and Public Relationships:

- Facilitate dialogue with government agencies, marine users and other stakeholders to highlight the value of public data sharing and strengthen interagency cooperation.
- Maintain strong relationships with key national and regional partners, representing Global Fishing Watch in relevant meetings and events in Colombia and overseas.
- Proactively stay informed about relevant national and international developments and emerging issues in the fisheries and marine biodiversity sectors, including conducting desk research and gathering insights.
- Provide timely updates to internal teams on key developments and their potential implications for the organization's work.
- Identify strategic windows for delivering results and advance them through partnerships and collaborative engagement.
- Support effective grant management by coordinating implementation, monitoring progress against deliverables, and preparing high-quality grant reports in line with donor requirements.

Government related Actions
- Support the deployment of actions that improve monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS), including the preparation of tailored analytical products and reports.
- Provide technical advice and targeted support to government partners on fisheries and biodiversity monitoring.
- Deliver real-time, case-specific assistance to partners using GFW tools and data.

Transparency
- Collaborate with multiple ministries, departments, and civil society to advance transparency in ocean governance.
- Promote public sharing of vessel identification, registration and authorization information across MPAs, national waters and ETP.
- Pursue new data-sharing agreements, building on existing collaborations.
- Support integration of new vessel tracking data into the GFW