Chief Impact Officer

Global Fishing Watch

3d•$230,000 - $250,000•Remote

About The Position

Global Fishing Watch (GFW) is seeking a Chief Impact Officer (CIO) to lead its global program and ensure the organization translates its work into measurable impact. The CIO reports to the CEO and is part of the leadership team, overseeing strategy, delivery, and monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL). The program focuses on countering illegal fishing, strengthening marine protection, and promoting transparency at sea. The role involves both direct impact through program and policy work, and scaling impact by making GFW's platform accessible to more governments and civil society. The CIO will lead a global, remote team and requires experience in international marine conservation, partnership building, and engaging senior government officials. They will collaborate with the CEO and leadership team on strategic priorities, manage the program budget, and oversee the MEL program. GFW is planning for its next decade, building on recent investments to scale impact and explore new avenues. The CIO will be instrumental in this phase, investing in successful initiatives, scaling efforts, and unlocking new opportunities for impact. This requires understanding geopolitical dynamics, building partnerships, and delivering results. A key responsibility is translating strategic goals into funded programs, working closely with the philanthropy team and donors. The CIO will also serve as an outward-facing representative, articulating GFW's mission, capabilities, and impact at high-level international forums. Frequent international travel and flexible working hours are expected due to the global nature of the role.

Requirements

Demonstrated senior-level experience designing, leading, and managing large-scale programs aimed at governance reform, specifically within international ocean conservation.
A Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field is required; a Master’s degree is highly preferred.
Deep technical knowledge of global marine conservation issues, international ocean policies, and the political economy of marine governance.
Substantive senior-level experience leading, mentoring, and scaling globally distributed teams, with a strong track record of recruiting and building high-performing groups diverse in gender, nationality, and background.
Proven ability to balance strategic planning with agile execution, keeping teams tightly focused on core organizational priorities.
Proven track record in strategic planning and project management, with strict accountability for delivering concurrent major organizational goals and translating long-term objectives into measurable outcomes.
Superlative diplomatic, negotiation, and advocacy skills. You must possess a proven ability to build and navigate complex, multi-stakeholder partnerships involving government agencies, NGOs, and scientific bodies.
Proven ability to anticipate, assess, and mitigate risk within complex environments.
Experience working effectively at the highest levels, confidently representing the organization, promoting ideas, and influencing decision-makers.
An exceptional communicator capable of serving as a global spokesperson.
Demonstrated success in global fundraising, including cultivating relationships with a variety of public, private, and government donors.
Solid, hands-on budget management skills with the ability to strategically align financial resources with program priorities.
Native or highly proficient in the English language.
Candidates must be authorized to work for GFW without visa sponsorship for at least two years after their start date, or for the entire duration of their contract if on a fixed-term agreement.
Individuals on student visas must be eligible for full-time employment on their visa and have valid work authorization (such as Optional Practical Training (OPT) or equivalent) that remains valid for at least two years or the duration of their contract.
Candidates relying on a spouse’s visa for work authorization are not eligible, as they must independently qualify for employment.

Nice To Haves

A Master’s degree is highly preferred.
Fluency in Spanish and/or French is highly preferred.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with the leadership team to inform the development and delivery of GFW’s organizational strategy, actively contributing to strategic planning, performance reviews, and impact reporting.
Drive program innovation, ensuring that we remain responsive to global trends and extend our reach and impact around the world.
Partner with department heads to lead and support planning and priority-setting, actively breaking down silos to ensure collaboration across GFW’s divisions—including programs, technology, science and innovation, communications, and operations—to deliver impact.
Provide the CEO and Board of Directors with critical insights regarding programmatic impact, risks, and successes.
Oversee the establishment of program Objectives and Key Results (OKRs), manage team performance, and foster a collaborative, safe, and inclusive remote work environment.
Identify capacity gaps and proactively coach and mentor staff, ensuring the program team is fully equipped to execute their responsibilities.
Lead the strategic and financial oversight of GFW’s global program, designing and executing large-scale, multi-year strategies and their associated budgets, and driving and delivering impact in partnership with others.
Act as a key thought partner to the technology, and science and innovation teams, shaping and driving continuous platform improvements to accelerate and scale impact.
Identify and respond to evolving ocean governance trends, leveraging these opportunities to advance GFW’s programmatic goals.
Ensure robust frameworks are in place to evaluate program effectiveness, enhance continuous learning, track outcomes, and report impact to key stakeholders.
Proactively identify programmatic needs, risks, or bottlenecks—and propose solutions.
Contribute to the development of compelling grant proposals to advance new funding opportunities.
Manage the departmental budget, partnering with Finance to monitor expenditures, prepare forecasts, and ensure compliance with donor rules and regulations.
Undertake effective planning, budgeting, and financial management with the program leadership team, ensuring alignment with all relevant policies and procedures.
Demonstrate value for money to donors through accurate, timely financial and narrative reporting.
Represent GFW at relevant international conferences, roundtables, and senior bilateral meetings, serving as a key organizational spokesperson, including with the media.
Champion a holistic narrative that clearly highlights how our combined data, technology, and program efforts drive our mission forward.
Develop and implement partner engagement strategies that advance program priorities and initiatives while ensuring mutual accountability and shared learning.