Associate, Global Tuna Conservation and Global Shark Conservation

Associate, Global Tuna Conservation and Global Shark Conservation

The Pew Charitable Trusts

Washington, DC

Overview

The Pew Charitable Trusts is driven by the power of knowledge to solve today’s most challenging problems. Pew applies a rigorous, analytical approach to improve public policy, inform the public and invigorate civic life.

We are an independent nonprofit organization – the sole beneficiary of seven individual trusts established between 1948 and 1979 by two sons and two daughters of Sun Oil Company founder Joseph N. Pew and his wife, Mary Anderson Pew.

Our work lays the foundation for effective policy solutions by informing and engaging citizens, linking diverse interests to pursue common cause and insisting on tangible results. Our projects encourage efficient, responsive governments – at the local, state, national and international levels – serving the public interests.

With offices in Philadelphia, Washington DC, Australia, Brussels and London, and with additional staff in other regions of the United States and around the globe, Pew provides an exciting learning environment and the opportunity to work with highly talented individuals. We are a dynamic, rapidly evolving organization that values creativity and innovative thinking and fosters strong teamwork with mutual respect.

The Environmental Portfolio at the Pew Charitable Trusts

For the past twenty-five years, Pew has been a major force in educating the public and policy makers about the causes, consequences, and solutions to some of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges. Our environment work spans all seven continents with close to 250 professionals working full-time at the local, national, and international levels to reduce the scope and severity of global environmental problems, such as the erosion of large wilderness ecosystems that contain a great part of the world’s remaining biodiversity and the destruction of the marine environment.

Pew has worked in the United States and Canada since 1990 to protect vast stretches of unspoiled wilderness and more recently expanded our land conservation efforts to Australia’s Outback and Chilean Patagonia. Preserving these places offers an opportunity to conserve wildlife habitat, shorelines and pristine landscapes for future generations. Our work relies on the sciences of conservation, biology, and economics to advocate for sound solutions to the loss of biodiversity.

In the sea, reforms to how our oceans are managed are essential to address overfishing, pollution, and loss of habitat. Pew began its oceans program in the United States, focusing on ending overfishing and protecting fragile marine habitat. Since 2005, Pew’s ocean conservation program has expanded around the world and has played a significant role in reforming marine fisheries management in the European Union and on the high seas. Our work is grounded in the best available science and our goal is to reverse the decline of ocean life ranging from sharks and tunas to penguins and whales, and the habitat on which they depend.

Global Tuna Conservation Campaign

Pew’s Global Tuna Conservation Campaign works to ensure a future for the world’s largest tuna species and the largest tuna fishery. Industrial fishing vessels place more nets and hooks in the water in their search for tunas than in any other fishery in the world. These vessels are also responsible for the incidental catch of massive numbers of sharks, billfish, turtles, seabirds, and other marine species caught as collateral damage by these fisheries. Unfortunately, as valuable migratory species that cross national and international boundaries, developing the tools to effectively and sustainably manage tuna fisheries has proven challenging.

Pew aims to ensure that in ten years from now, our work has ended or prevented the overfishing of the 6 major commercially fished tuna species in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. We work to achieve this by pushing for strong compliance and enforcement measures for bluefin tuna in the Atlantic, and precautionary catch limits for select tuna species in the Pacific, thereby establishing the legal and regulatory framework to end overfishing on the water. Simultaneously, we are working for much-needed reforms for the two major gears used to catch tuna: purse seines with fish aggregating devices (FADs) and longlines.

Global Shark Conservation Campaign

Sharks have roamed our oceans since before the time of dinosaurs, but their long reign at the top of the ocean food chain may be ending. The onset of industrial fishing over the past 60 years has drastically depleted their populations and approximately 100 million sharks are killed every year to primarily support the global shark-fin industry, valued for the Asian delicacy shark-fin soup. In general, sharks are exceptionally vulnerable to overexploitation and slow to recover from depletion. As key predators, their depletion also has risks for the health of entire ocean ecosystems.

The global shark conservation campaign is designed to reverse this global decline of shark populations through public education, advocacy and research. The campaign is engaged in activities to educate and mobilize the public, media, and policymakers in international forums including regional fisheries management organizations, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and the United Nations, and to secure precautionary, science-based protections for sharks within countries targeted for nation-based action.

Position Overview

The associate provides program support to the staff of the global shark and tuna campaigns. The position reports to the associate manager, global tuna conservation, and is based in Washington, DC. The position has a set time frame that could be extended based on the success of the program, funding sources, and board decisions on continued support.

Responsibilities

Assist in the development and implementation of campaign strategy across the global shark conservation campaign and the global tuna conservation campaign

Draft and edit campaign materials, such as fact sheets, op-eds, memos, policy briefs, power point presentations, speeches, and web content.

Assist with the production of campaign publications and materials.

Develop and execute effective presentations for internal audiences.

Develop and maintain working relationships with government officials, nongovernmental organizations, contractors, businesses, and other partners of the campaign.

Represent Pew and the campaigns at meetings and events where shark and tuna conservation policies will be discussed.

Maintain knowledge of tuna and shark conservation and management issues worldwide.

Requirements

Associate’s degree required; Bachelor’s degree or higher strongly preferred.

At least one year of applicable experience required.

Prior to commencing employment with Pew, candidates for this position who were registered to lobby in any jurisdiction must certify termination of previous registration(s) and provide copies of termination notices with said jurisdiction(s) to Pew.

Ability to think strategically, critically and creatively; juggle multiple priorities; adjust to changing circumstances; organize time efficiently; remain attentive to details; and identify resources for projects.

Excellent written and oral communications skills, including an ease in communicating complex concepts in a clear effective manner for a general audience. Clear, effective writing style.

Demonstrated strong analytical skills, including an ability to synthesize large amounts of information and to focus quickly on the essence of an issue.

Must possess the capacity to work independently, be a self-starter and carry out project work independently of others as needed.

Acute political awareness and nonpartisan perspective and approach.

Excellent interpersonal skills; ability to develop and manage productive relationships both internally and externally. Excellent listening skills.

Recognized ability to meet multiple deadlines by maintaining a high level of organization.

Knowledge of tuna and shark conservation issues a plus.

Travel

This position will require international and domestic travel for meetings and conferences.

Compensation and Benefits

As this is a full-time position, we offer a competitive salary and benefit program, including: comprehensive, affordable health care through medical, dental and vision coverage; financial security with life and disability insurance; opportunities to save using health savings and flexible spending accounts; retirement benefits to help prepare for the future; and work/life benefits to help you maintain a good balance.

The Pew Charitable Trusts is an equal opportunity employer, committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. Pew considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to age, sex, ethnicity, religion, disability, marital status, sexual orientation or gender identity, military/veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.