Project Officer, Fisheries

About Fauna & Flora

At Fauna & Flora, the shared purpose is to protect the diversity of life on Earth, for the survival of the planet and its people. Fauna & Flora works closely with local conservation partners around the world to save nature, together, harnessing collective expertise to inspire positive change globally.

Marine Team

Fauna & Flora has been working in marine conservation for decades, launching its formal marine programme in 2011, focused on three strands: securing important areas to safeguard marine biodiversity; informing and influencing policies and practice affecting the marine environment; and supporting key national and local institutions to help them deliver effective marine conservation.

Since 2011, Fauna & Flora has worked across 197 countries with over 90 partners, contributing directly to the establishment or strengthening of over 50 marine protected areas and dozens of new no-take zones, witnessing a reduction in destructive fishing activities at 45% of all sites and evidence of recovery in key species groups and habitats.

Fauna & Flora recognises that unsustainable wild capture fisheries can be a key threat to biodiversity at many sites where it operates, through direct impacts on marine habitats, vulnerable species mortality, and impacts on wider marine food chains. Current interventions focus on influencing global policy, promoting more equitable and sustainable fisheries policy, and supporting a global coalition to transform bottom trawling.

The Opportunity

Fauna & Flora is offering a unique opportunity to play a central role in ensuring the effective delivery, administration and financial management of Fauna & Flora's project 'Securing fair and equitable foreign fishing access arrangements'. This project aims to address the impacts of distant water fleets in West Africa and empower communities and governments to secure sustainable, inclusive, and transparent fisheries management that supports food security, nutrition, and livelihoods in the region.

In this position, the successful candidate will support the smooth implementation of project activities by maintaining compliance with internal policies and donor requirements, coordinating routine financial processes, monitoring expenditure and budgets, overseeing partner financial reporting, and helping to ensure that project plans, documentation and reporting are delivered to high standards.

Working closely with the Technical Specialist, Fisheries, the postholder will support project cycle management, contribute to monitoring and evaluation, provide fisheries-related technical input where needed, and help translate project findings into clear and accessible reports, communications and knowledge products.

Job Description

• Job Title: Project Officer, Fisheries.
• Reports to: Technical Specialist, Fisheries.
• Key working relationships: Director, Marine; Director, Global Policy; Technical Specialist, Marine MEL; Programme Manager, Marine; Regional Marine Leads; Partner organisations.

Purpose: The Project Officer, Fisheries will play a central role in supporting effective delivery of a project focused on tackling the individual and cumulative negative impact of foreign fisheries access arrangements on the coastal communities of West African countries and the biodiversity within their waters.

Responsibilities

Project Administration

• Ensure that Fauna & Flora's institutional and administrative policies, protocols and processes are adhered to, including the preparation of internal documents, project concepts and proposals, work plans and reports.
• Coordinate and conduct routine financial tasks including preparation, review and processing of invoices and procurement documents.
• Have oversight of monthly partner cashbooks in order to keep accounts up to date and to facilitate tracking of project budgets.
• Analyse project financial performance, including postings and spend, and reconcile financial expenditure in relation to planned activities and support the Technical Specialist to re-budget throughout the year as required.
• Support budget tracking and forecasting expenditure and ensure compliance with Fauna & Flora and donor requirements.
• Provide financial administration and tracking of expenditure of project funds, ensuring compliance with Fauna & Flora and donor requirements, and generate routine donor financial reports.
• In coordination with the Technical Specialist, Fisheries, draft and process project sub-grant agreements which are appropriate to, and comply with, Fauna & Flora operating standards, the Delegation of Authority (DoA), and policies and regulations of the project's donors.
• Analyse, interpret and apply donor regulations, award terms and conditions, and Fauna & Flora's policies in the day-to-day management of the project, serving as administrative focal point on compliance to project staff and sub-granted partners.
• Cultivate and maintain strong collaborative and working relationships with project staff, funders, and partners to facilitate the delivery of agreed project activities in line with donor requirements and respond to queries as they arise.
• Support project cycle management, bringing deadlines and obligations to the attention of the partners and the Technical Specialist, Fisheries.

Technical Support

• Provide fisheries technical support where needed, in collaboration with the Technical Specialist, Fisheries.
• Support project monitoring and evaluation, ensuring logical framework milestones and indicators are attained within set timeframes and budgets.
• Attend workshops, technical working groups and conferences as a Fauna & Flora representative, documenting and sharing learnings with the wider marine team and partners.
• Undertake desk-based research and produce case studies on key areas of work as required, to support project delivery and development.
• Contribute to and, where required, draft and proof donor reports, and support internal annual reporting processes.
• In coordination with the Technical Specialist, Fisheries and the Communications team, translate project findings and reports into accessible communications outputs, including supporting partners to communicate about their achievements.
• Produce and support communications in relation to elements of the fisheries programme, updating web content, and developing or sourcing news stories or blogs, as required.

Other

• With the agreement of the Line Manager or the Director, Marine, carry out any other reasonable duties consistent with the post and the aims and objectives of the position.
• When required, conduct international site visits and meetings, and work collaboratively to resolve any problems. Travel would most likely include to the EU (Brussels), West Africa and/or Cabo Verde.

Person Specification

Essential

• Undergraduate degree or equivalent qualification in relevant discipline or equivalent level experience.
• Excellent writing skills, including the ability to write a range of outputs, adapting style to suit the audience.
• Proven financial administration skills, including review, analysis of budgets and preparation of financial reports.
• Experience in using financial project reporting software/packages.
• Experience supporting grant compliance.
• Applied skills in project monitoring and evaluation.
• Experience in undertaking desk-based research and critical thinking skills, the ability to assess information against criteria and provide constructive feedback.
• Excellent verbal communication and networking skills, including ability to deliver oral presentations.
• Excellent prioritisation and time management skills, with ability to work to multiple deadlines and a clear focus on delivery of outputs.
• Knowledge and understanding of fisheries and the wider context for conservation.
• Fluency in written and spoken English.
• Working proficiency in French.
• Pre-existing right to work in the UK.

Desirable

• Qualifications or experience in fisheries.
• Experience of working in an NGO environment.
• Experience of working in the West Africa region.
• Experience of working effectively with different types of partner organisations, including national and local NGOs, government agencies, and community-based organisations.
• Experience of working with remote teams.
• Financial or grant management experience.
• Working proficiency in Portuguese.
• Willingness and ability to undertake international travel when required.

Behavioural Qualities

• Demonstrates Fauna & Flora's values.
• Builds effective personal and organisational relationships.
• Ability to deal with challenges in a pragmatic way.
• Culturally sensitive.
• Self-starter, able to work well under own initiative.
• Team player, demonstrating ability to seek out and harness the views and contributions of others.
• Commitment to and empathy with Fauna & Flora's vision and mission.

Fauna & Flora Values

We act with integrity; we are collaborative; we are committed; we are inclusive, supportive & respectful; we get things done.

Terms and Conditions

• Start Date: As soon as possible.
• Duration of Contract: 2 years fixed term contract.
• Probation Period: 4 months.
• Gross Salary: £32,515 per annum.
• Location: Fauna & Flora, Cambridge. Current policy offers partial remote working within the UK.
• Benefits: 25 working days' annual holiday entitlement plus Public/Bank Holidays and any normal working days that fall between 24 December to 1 January inclusive; 8% pension contribution after 3 months' continuous employment (UK-based contracts); Group Life insurance set at 4 x basic salary.
• Hours of Work: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday inclusive.

This role is not eligible for sponsorship for a Skilled Worker Visa. The office is located in The David Attenborough Building in central Cambridge.

How to Apply

Applications should consist of: a covering letter explaining why you are applying, relating your experience and skills to the role; a full CV; and contact details for two referees (who will not be approached without permission).

Applications should be submitted electronically to juan.lechuga@fauna-flora.org. Please mark the application 'Project Officer, Fisheries' and indicate in the covering letter where you saw the position advertised.

The closing date for applications is Sunday, 16 August 2026. Interviews are likely to take place during the week commencing 24 August 2026. No agencies please.

Due to limited resources and the high number of applications received, Fauna & Flora is only able to contact short-listed candidates.

Fauna & Flora encourages applications from individuals with a disability who are able to carry out the duties of the post. Special needs inquiries can be directed to Jade Bedwell, People Adviser, Tel: +44 (0)1223 571000 or Email: jade.bedwell@fauna-flora.org.

More information: https://www.fauna-flora.org/about/career/project-officer-fisheries/