Africa Regional Coordinator

Based: EJF offices in Cape Coast, Ghana or Dakar, Senegal, with regular local, national and international travel required.

Contract: Full-time, renewed annually based on performance

Salary range: Competitive, up to US$31,000 (gross) per annum, dependent on experience and proven track record.

Benefits:

• Health insurance package

• Annual leave of 17 days plus all national public holidays, increasing by 2 days each year of service, plus one personal day per year

• A dynamic and supportive working environment that encourages innovation and career development.

• Opportunity to contribute to impactful projects that protect marine ecosystems and support communities.

Reporting to: Programme Coordinator - Global Toolkit for Participatory Fisheries Governance and the Country Manager/West Africa Regional Manager

About the role

EJF seeks a highly motivated candidate to support the Africa component of our EU-funded project, the Global Toolkit for Participatory Fisheries Governance, which aims to train, equip and empower small-scale fishing communities in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in 15 countries across the Global South. The project focuses on three main pillars:

• Community surveillance: EJF trains fishers on the use of our bespoke mobile app, DASE, which enables the documentation and reporting of IUU fishing.

• Co-management associations (CMAs): EJF sets up new CMAs or reforms existing CMAs in line with the principles of the FAO’s Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure (VGGT), and trains them on artisanal IUU fishing issues and national advocacy.

• National fisher associations (NFAs): EJF supports NFAs through trainings on national advocacy and the VGGT principles.

The Africa Regional Coordinator joins the project at a critical stage in its implementation. The Global Toolkit has been introduced to 3 African countries to date (Senegal, Cameroon, Somalia) and is set to be rolled out to an additional 4 African countries in 2026.

With the remote guidance of the London-based Programme Coordinator and in close coordination with our in-country teams, you will support all aspects of the Africa component of the project in countries where we are already operational, from day-to-day project administration and financial tracking, to supporting strategic planning, coordinating field activities, and overseeing the delivery of subgrants to local partners. In addition, as we scale up to new countries where we do not have an in-country presence, you will also lead project entry and set-up, including stakeholder and institutional mapping, identifying local consultants, introductory engagement with government and civil society partners, and organising and participating in scoping missions.

The successful applicant will have demonstrable professional experience in project management or coordination, ideally within an NGO or international development organisation working in the fisheries, oceans, or environment sectors. You should be proactive and have a positive ‘can do’ attitude, be curious and quick to learn, take pride in your work, and have excellent organisational skills, with the ability to juggle multiple, often competing priorities simultaneously.

The role is full-time and in-person based in EJF’s Ghana or Senegal office to allow the successful candidate to quickly learn from other EJF team members, and will require international travel, occasionally at short notice.

Key responsibilities

Oversee in-country implementation of the project’s African component

• Support the coordination of field missions and other activities that effectively engage small-scale fishing communities in the project (including defining clear mission objectives, drafting ToRs, preparing mission budgets, supporting logistics where required etc)

• Hold regular coordination calls with multiple in-country teams, providing high-calibre remote support and strategic guidance

• Participate in country missions as and when required (e.g. to identify communities to support, to deliver a workshop etc)

• Support the advertising for, and contracting and mentoring of consultants and/or partner organisations to implement the Global Toolkit project in African countries in which EJF has no presence (e.g. providing guidance while monitoring progress and assisting to resolve obstacles)

• Contribute to the review of existing training and guidance materials on participatory fisheries governance (e.g. the Global Toolkit document, PowerPoint presentations, step-by-step manuals etc)

• Create new training and guidance materials upon request, adapting them to each country context

Partnerships and external engagement

• Build and maintain close partnerships with national and community-based civil society groups in African countries (e.g. small-scale fishing communities, co-management associations, national fisher associations)

• As directed, represent the project in conferences and calls with external stakeholders (government authorities, partner NGOs, coastguards, etc) and support communications efforts, where relevant

M&E and donor reporting

• Develop and maintain practical impact tracking tools and templates for use by the in-country teams, using them to closely monitor the project’s implementation against agreed KPIs

• Support the Programme Coordinator in donor reporting obligations, including coordinating drafting of progress updates for African countries and reviewing expenses

Financial management and subgrant oversight

• Prepare budgets, liaise with the finance teams to make payments, and process expense reports for field missions

• Support budget tracking across the African component of the project to ensure the budget is effectively spent

• Support budget forecasting and reallocations, together with the Programme Coordinator

• Support the administration of subgrants and contracts (including drafting calls for proposals, assessing applicants, drafting subgrant agreements)

Reporting

• Report in detail to the Programme Coordinator and as requested by the Senior Management Team (SMT), in person and in a monthly written report on the project, clearly highlighting actions, outputs and overall progress, alongside problems and challenges

Required experience and skills

• A demonstrable commitment to EJF's Mission, Values and Vision, together with a strong sense of ethics, and a determination to achieve positive outcomes to restore and protect the natural world and defend our human right to a secure environment.

• University degree in a relevant discipline (e.g. environment, international development, project management, social sciences etc)

• At least 3 years’ professional experience delivering development projects in similar roles, ideally across multiple countries in natural resource management, fisheries, or community development projects, to a high standard and within budget

• Fluency in English and French (written and spoken)

• Strong public-speaking skills and experience delivering workshops or trainings

• Proven track record in building relationships with external stakeholders across government and civil society

• Demonstrable experience building detailed project budgets in Excel, reviewing budgets, tracking expenditure against agreed forecasts, and supporting financial reporting.

• Experience developing templates and standardising practices (SOPs, M&E, feedback processes, training materials)

• Excellent attention to detail and organisational skills

• Ability to be proactive and work independently, while operating within an international, multicultural team environment

• Strong problem-solving and creative thinking abilities

• Strong writing skills, with an ability to simplify complex ideas into a comprehensible format and tailor writing styles to various audiences

• Strong skills across the Microsoft Office suite, particularly PowerPoint and Excel

• Willingness to undertake some international travel

• A commitment to teamwork and a collegiate approach.

Desirable skills

• Experience working on fisheries governance issues (community surveillance, co-management processes, VGGT principles, national advocacy)

• Experience working on EU-funded multi-country projects

• Experience working with small-scale fishing communities, other types of communities and/or grassroots organisations

• Additional language fluency (ideally Portuguese)

Applications: Please fill in the attached application form here, ensuring to answer all questions and attach your CV and cover letter (maximum 1.5 pages each).

Closing date for applications: 6 pm Friday GMT, 20th March 2026.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Candidates must have the legal right to work in Ghana and/or Senegal.

EJF is an equal opportunity employer, committed to diversity within the workplace. We encourage minorities and underrepresented groups (especially women) to apply.

Background

Our work to secure environmental justice aims to protect our global climate, ocean, forests, wetlands, wildlife and defend the fundamental human right to a secure natural environment, recognising that all other rights are contingent on this.

EJF works internationally to inform policy and drive systemic, durable reforms to protect our environment and defend human rights. We investigate and expose abuses and support environmental defenders, Indigenous peoples, communities, and independent journalists on the frontlines of environmental injustice. Our campaigns aim to secure peaceful, equitable and sustainable futures. Our investigators, researchers, filmmakers, and campaigners work with grassroots partners and environmental defenders across the globe.