Programme Officer, Sustainable Fisheries

WWF-Malaysia; Semporna; On-site; MYR 33,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

WWF-Malaysia is seeking a Programme Officer for Sustainable Fisheries in Semporna-Darvel Bay. You will act as site focal person, coordinating fisheries projects, monitoring data, and engaging fishers and communities to advance sustainable practices and traceability.

You will plan budgets, deliver donor reports and ensure timely, high-quality outputs. The role requires a degree in Fisheries or related field, with relevant field experience, and willingness to travel.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Fisheries Science or related discipline, with at least three years of relevant working experience; or at least seven years of relevant practical experience for candidates without a tertiary qualification.
• Experience coordinating fisheries or marine field projects, stakeholder engagement, workplans, budgets, technical reporting, donor-funded deliverables or sub-grantee implementation.
• Practical experience in catch and effort monitoring, length-weight data collection, fisheries databases, field surveys, data analysis or community-based fisheries monitoring.
• Knowledge or experience relating to Fishery Improvement Projects, small-scale fisheries, seafood traceability, responsible fishing, fisheries governance, community co-management or sustainable seafood value chains is an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Develop and monitor annual and quarterly workplans, budgets, implementation schedules, procurement requirements, risks, indicators, deliverables and reporting for the assigned sustainable-fisheries portfolio.
• Coordinate EU-CSO–supported capacity-building, citizen-science and sub-grantee activities, including technical delivery, stakeholder coordination, donor deliverables and supporting documentation.
• Coordinate the Larapan Small-Scale Fishery Project, including establishment of the reef-fish exploitation baseline, regular monitoring and reporting of the exploitation rate under Strategy 2.6, community-enumerator arrangements, participatory validation of findings and development and monitoring of practical management recommendations.
• Coordinate implementation and review of the Yellowfin Tuna Fishery Improvement Project actions, governance, verification, audits and progress reporting.
• Direct and quality assure fisheries monitoring, field surveys, data collection and databases for catch, effort, length-weight, gear, bycatch, traceability and related socioeconomic information.
• Analyse fisheries status and trends with technical partners and translate findings into practical management recommendations.
• Establish and monitor the Strategy 2.10 threat-level baseline with community engagement and documentation.
• Strengthen traceability, responsible-fishing and post-harvest practices, and refer suspected IUU to the Officer, Ocean Stewardship.
• Facilitate fisher participation and community co-management with documented actions and roles.

Skills

Organisational skills

Interpersonal skills

Facilitation

Problem-solving

English & Bahasa Malaysia

Willingness to travel

Driving licence

SCUBA certification

Education

Bachelor's degree in Fisheries Science or related field

Tools

Microsoft 365

Data collection tools

Fisheries data management tools

Job description

PURPOSE OF THE JOB

The Programme Officer Sustainable Fisheries, Semporna-Darvel Bay, serves as WWF-Malaysia's site focal person for sustainable fisheries management and fisheries-related community co-management in the Semporna-Darvel Bay Seascape. The incumbent coordinates and implements assigned sustainable-fisheries priorities under Marine Programme Phase 4 and reports directly to the Team Lead, Semporna-Darvel Bay.

The position coordinates the Yellowfin Tuna Fishery Improvement Project, the Larapan Small-Scale Fishery Project and fisheries-related components of the European Union Civil Society Organisation Fishery Improvement Project. The incumbent is responsible for work planning, technical coordination, fisheries monitoring and data quality, seafood traceability, stakeholder engagement, sub-grantee monitoring, safeguards, financial monitoring and programme and donor reporting.

The incumbent supervises the Senior Programme Assistant, Sustainable Fisheries and coordinates community enumerators and other participating personnel. The Officer provides technical direction, assigns work, reviews and quality assures fisheries datasets and documentation, monitors performance and retains accountability for the timely delivery and technical quality of assigned outputs.

The role focuses on monitoring fisheries exploitation rates under Strategy 2.6, catch and effort monitoring, Fishery Improvement Project progress, responsible fishing, seafood traceability, small-scale fisheries management and the fisheries-related components of threat-level baselines under Strategy 2.10. The Officer, Ocean Stewardship retains responsibility for IUU and destructive-fishing baselines, blast and cyanide-fishing monitoring, patrol and surveillance systems, vessel-encroachment monitoring and enforcement coordination. Both officers collaborate on relevant data sharing, fisher engagement, referrals and management responses without duplicating technical accountability.

The incumbent works closely with fishers, community organisations, fisheries agencies, research institutions, seafood businesses, project partners and relevant WWF-Malaysia teams. Technical guidance is provided by the Manager, Sarawak/Fisheries and relevant Fisheries and Strategy Leads, while the Team Lead retains overall accountability for integrated delivery in Semporna-Darvel Bay.

KEY OUTPUTS

1. Annual and quarterly workplans, budgets, implementation schedules, risk records and required programme, donor, financial and progress reports for the assigned sustainable-fisheries portfolio are completed and regularly reviewed within agreed timelines and quality standards.
2. Yellowfin Tuna Fishery Improvement Project and European Union Civil Society Organisation-supported outputs are delivered and documented, including capacity building, citizen science, agreed Action Plan activities, sub-grantee deliverables, expenditure inputs, stakeholder records and means of verification.
3. Larapan Small-Scale Fishery Project outputs are delivered, including establishment of the reef-fish exploitation baseline and regular monitoring of the exploitation rate under Strategy 2.6 against agreed baselines and thresholds, functioning community-enumerator arrangements, participatory validation of findings and documented management recommendations.
4. Quality-assured fisheries datasets and status information are maintained for selected commercially valuable fisheries, including catch, effort, length-weight, fishing grounds, fishing gear, bycatch, traceability and relevant socioeconomic information, with yellowfin tuna and reef-fish exploitation trends monitored against agreed baselines and thresholds.
5. The fisheries-related components of the Strategy 2.10 threat-level baseline are established and regularly monitored, with community engagement and local information supported by the Senior Officer, Community Conservation and changes, trends and management implications documented.
6. Fisheries traceability, responsible-fishing and post-harvest systems are strengthened through fit-for-purpose data and documentation processes, with discrepancies and corrective actions recorded and suspected IUU or enforcement matters referred to the Officer, Ocean Stewardship.
7. Fisher participation, fisheries-related community co-management and institutional capacity are strengthened through structured consultation, training, mentoring and documented management actions, roles and decision-making arrangements.
8. At least one quality-assured technical report, case study or peer-reviewed publication relating to sustainable fisheries, fisheries monitoring, traceability or community co-management is completed annually, with relevant evidence communicated for programme planning, policy engagement and conservation management.
9. Funding needs and opportunities for sustainable-fisheries priorities are identified, with relevant concept notes, funding proposals and donor-engagement inputs developed or contributed annually.

MAJOR ACTIVITIES

EU-CSO output and activity references are included where the responsibility directly contributes to the approved donor logical framework. Activities without an EU-CSO reference remain responsibilities under Marine Programme Phase 4 or other approved projects.

Sustainable Fisheries Project Delivery

1. Develop and monitor annual and quarterly workplans, budgets, implementation schedules, procurement requirements, risks, indicators, deliverables and reporting for the assigned sustainable-fisheries portfolio.
2. Coordinate European Union Civil Society Organisation-supported capacity-building, citizen-science and sub-grantee activities, including technical delivery, stakeholder coordination, donor deliverables and supporting documentation.
3. Coordinate the Larapan Small-Scale Fishery Project, including establishment of the reef-fish exploitation baseline, regular monitoring and reporting of the exploitation rate under Strategy 2.6, community-enumerator arrangements, participatory validation of findings and development and monitoring of practical management recommendations.
4. Coordinate implementation and review of the Yellowfin Tuna Fishery Improvement Project Action Plan, social-responsibility workplan, stakeholder-governance arrangements, verification, audits and applicable progress reporting.

Fisheries Monitoring Evidence and Traceability

1. Direct and quality assure fisheries monitoring, field surveys, data collection and database management covering catch, effort, length-weight, fishing grounds, fishing gear, bycatch, traceability and relevant socioeconomic information using approved methods.
2. Analyse and interpret fisheries status and trends with relevant technical specialists and research partners and translate findings into practical fisheries-management, responsible-fishing and adaptive-management recommendations.
3. Establish and regularly monitor the fisheries-related components of the Strategy 2.10 threat-level baseline, with the Senior Officer, Community Conservation supporting community engagement, local information collection and documentation.
4. Strengthen Fishery Improvement Project traceability, landing and supply-chain documentation, responsible-fishing and post-harvest practices, and refer suspected IUU incidents, destructive-fishing information and enforcement matters to the Officer, Ocean Stewardship.

Community Co Management Capacity and Partnerships

1. Facilitate fisher participation, community consultations and fisheries-related co-management processes, including participatory interpretation of findings, clarification of roles and decision-making arrangements and documentation of agreed management actions.
2. Coordinate training, mentoring and technical guidance for fishers, community organisations, community enumerators, seafood actors and local institutions on fisheries monitoring, stock sustainability, traceability, responsible fishing, governance, human rights and social responsibility.
3. Maintain working relationships with fisheries agencies, communities, research institutions, seafood businesses, project partners and relevant WWF-Malaysia teams and represent WWF-Malaysia in relevant meetings when authorised by the supervisor.

Programme Team Safeguards and Resources

1. Supervise and develop the Senior Programme Assistant, Sustainable Fisheries and coordinate other participating personnel through clear workplans, task assignment, performance monitoring, coaching, technical guidance and quality assurance of delegated outputs.
2. Apply relevant ESSF, FPIC, Human Rights and Social Responsibility, GEDSI, Human Well-Being, grievance and feedback, occupational-safety, data-management and donor requirements and promptly refer identified risks through the reporting line.
3. Prepare programme, donor, technical and monitoring reports and complete at least one quality-assured technical report, case study or peer-reviewed publication annually, contributing relevant evidence to communications, policy engagement, concept notes and funding proposals.
4. Participate wholeheartedly in the general activities of WWF-Malaysia, particularly events and activities that require the full support and participation of all staff members, whether or not the focus of a particular event or activity has a direct bearing on the job description and assigned programme objectives and activities.

JOB SPECIFICATIONS

Qualifications and Experience

1. A bachelor's degree in Fisheries Science, Marine Biology, Marine Science, Natural Resource Management, Environmental Science, Conservation or another relevant discipline, with at least three years of relevant working experience; or at least seven years of relevant practical experience for candidates without a tertiary qualification.
2. Experience coordinating fisheries or marine field projects, stakeholder engagement, workplans, budgets, technical reporting, donor-funded deliverables or sub-grantee implementation.
3. Practical experience in catch and effort monitoring, length-weight data collection, fisheries databases, field surveys, data analysis or community-based fisheries monitoring.
4. Knowledge or experience relating to Fishery Improvement Projects, small-scale fisheries, seafood traceability, responsible fishing, fisheries governance, community co-management or sustainable seafood value chains is an advantage.

Technical Competencies

1. Ability to coordinate and quality assure fisheries datasets, interpret monitoring findings and prepare clear technical, programme and donor-reporting outputs. Familiarity with fisheries analytical tools or stock-assessment methods is an advantage.
2. Ability to supervise and develop supporting personnel, coordinate partners and manage several deliverables within agreed timelines and quality standards.
3. Understanding of ESSF, FPIC, Human Rights and Social Responsibility, GEDSI, Human Well-Being, grievance and feedback mechanisms and inclusive community engagement, or demonstrated ability to apply these requirements.
4. Competence in Microsoft 365 and suitable digital tools for fisheries data collection, database management, analysis and presentation.

Personal Attributes and Other Requirements

1. Good organisational, interpersonal, facilitation and problem-solving skills, with the ability to work independently and collaboratively across field and office settings.
2. Good spoken and written communication skills in English and Bahasa Malaysia. Ability to communicate in Sabah Malay or relevant local languages is an advantage.
3. Willingness to travel, work flexible hours and undertake coastal, island, landing-site and boat-based field assignments.
4. Possession of a valid driving licence. A recognised SCUBA certification is an advantage where diving is operationally required.
5. Identifies and aligns with WWF's values of Courage, Integrity, Respect and Collaboration and meets applicable recruitment and background-screening requirements.

Salary Range

RM3,000 - RM3,600