Director, Fisheries & Seafood

We need the ocean. The ocean needs us.

As the Director, Fisheries & Seafood, you will lead Ocean Wise’s next phase of growth, innovation and impact for the Fisheries & Seafood program. You will work to advance both sides of the program – strengthening engagement with fisheries, while expanding demand and market opportunities for responsibly harvested seafood. Working across programs, market engagement, communications, and philanthropy & partnerships, you will help build the partnerships, profile, funding, and market connections needed to scale the program and expand its conservation and community impact across Canada.

This role has multiple interconnected areas of focus including building trusted relationships with fisheries, with particular attention to Indigenous and small-scale fisheries; expanding market opportunities and use of the Ocean Wise Seafood label; strengthening communications and engagement; developing partnerships and resources; and identifying innovative opportunities for growth.

As Director, Fisheries & Seafood, you will also lead and develop the Fisheries & Seafood team and work closely with the Vice President, Programs and colleagues across Ocean Wise to turn promising ideas into scalable, measurable impact.

* Please note that the successful candidate must be located within the Metro Vancouver region or reasonable commutable distance and be available to attend in-person meetings, events, and stakeholder engagements in and around Vancouver as required*

You are a strategic and relationship-driven leader with a passion for sustainable fisheries, marine conservation, and creating meaningful impact for communities and ecosystems. You excel at building trusted relationships across diverse stakeholder groups and translating opportunities into partnerships, resources, and measurable outcomes that advance shared goals. Equally comfortable setting long-term direction and rolling up your sleeves to execute, you are motivated by growing innovative programs that create lasting benefits for fisheries, coastal communities, and ocean health.

Program Strategy, Innovation & Growth

• In collaboration with the Vice President, Programs, develop and implement the strategic direction and annual workplans for Ocean Wise's Canadian Fisheries & Seafood program.
• Identify and pursue opportunities to grow the scale, reach, profile and impact of the program, translating promising opportunities into partnerships, funding, market engagement, and measurable conservation outcomes.
• Identify, assess, and prioritize Canadian fisheries and market partners for participation in the Ocean Wise Seafood program based on conservation outcomes, community priorities, and market readiness.
• Support participating fisheries and market partners through onboarding, continuous improvement, and participation in the Ocean Wise Seafood program.
• Develop and oversee performance measures, reporting frameworks, and evaluation processes that demonstrate conservation, community, and market outcomes.

Fisheries, Communities & Market Growth

• Build and maintain trusted, long-term relationships with First Nations, Indigenous organizations, harvesters, fishing communities, seafood producers, governments, NGOs, academic institutions, and other strategic partners across Canada.
• Work particularly with Indigenous and small-scale fisheries to identify opportunities where Ocean Wise can support conservation, stewardship, economic opportunity and market access.
• Work closely with Ocean Wise's Market Engagement team to connect participating fisheries with restaurants, retailers, distributors, processors and other seafood buyers to expand demand for responsibly harvested seafood.
• Foster collaborative partnerships that strengthen sustainable fisheries, support Indigenous leadership and stewardship, and create pathways for responsible seafood products to reach Ocean Wise market partners.
• Identify new market opportunities and approaches that can expand participation in and use of the Ocean Wise Seafood program and strengthen its value to fisheries, business and consumers.
• Represent Ocean Wise in cross-sector partnerships,…