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Request for Proposal (RFP) - Senior Advisor, GFW Biodiversity Initiative
Global Fishing Watch
Remote
Posted on Jun 19, 2025
Background:
Global Fishing Watch is an international nonprofit organization committed to advancing ocean sustainability and stewardship through increasing transparency. We do this by offering, for free, data and near real-time tracking of global commercial fishing activity, supporting new science and research, and boosting global cooperation on ocean transparency.
Purpose and Objectives:
Global Fishing Watch’s Biodiversity Initiative drives our ambition to protect and regenerate marine biodiversity through greater transparency and accountability. As outlined in our 2023–2030 Strategic Plan, we aim to support the designation, management, and monitoring of marine protected areas (MPAs) and other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs), reduce destructive fishing practices, and empower equitable, science-based conservation through open data and technology.
Our approach has to date centered on MPAs as essential tools to safeguard biodiversity and we are steadily increasing our support on OECMs and other area based management measures. By combining satellite monitoring, data analytics, and policy engagement, we support countries and partners to strengthen spatial protections and assess their effectiveness in line with global commitments such as 30x30.
To date, we have an embedded program on biodiversity in Latin America and the Mediterranean, supporting biodiversity efforts through regional partnerships. As we scale this work, we see opportunities to broaden both our geographic reach and thematic focus—engaging in areas such as biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ), bycatch mitigation, endangered species protections, ocean regeneration and governance of destructive fisheries.
The Senior Advisor, Biodiversity Initiative will play a critical role in this evolution, helping to refine and implement our strategic direction. They will guide the development of the Biodiversity Initiative Roadmap, lead the creation of policy guidance for our MPA/OECM work, and help position GFW through high-level partnerships and global biodiversity dialogues.
Biodiversity Initiative Roadmap: Develop and internally socialize a strategic roadmap to guide the evolution of GFW’s Biodiversity Initiative. This roadmap will align with organizational priorities and global biodiversity frameworks with a focus on MPAs and OECMs, providing a clear direction for GFW to create impact and meet its organizational goals by 2030. This will include participation and attendance to key meetings, conduct focus group discussions, and internal and external dialogues.
Outputs
- Co-developed Biodiversity Initiative Roadmap, including a timeline of key activities and interventions across the geographies GFW works, international policy goals, key strategic partnerships, policy and impact milestones, funding requirements and risks.
- Internal and external briefing notes aligning the biodiversity strategic roadmap with organizational initiatives (e.g., product development, MEL, regional delivery).
Policy Guidance: Lead the development of technical and policy guidance that supports MPA and OECM designation, management, and monitoring,
Outputs
- Guidance document on best practice for providing government partners with policy recommendations related to designation, management and monitoring of MPAs and OECMs.
- Socialisation and training on the guidance to our regional and global practice teams.
- Briefing document on how transparency principles supports biodiversity goals, specifically on area- based management.
- Provide policy and technical support to regional teams as needed and in relation to big impact opportunities like designation, management and monitoring of MPAs and OECMs both in Mediterranean, Europe and Latin America.
Promoting GFW Biodiversity Initiative: Strengthen GFW’s positioning as a key contributor to global biodiversity governance by building strategic partnerships and representing the organization in relevant forums and policy processes.
Outputs
- Priority partner mapping and partnership engagement plan.
- Representation of GFW in discussions with target partners and at key fora as required and within the scope of the engagement.
Scope of Engagement:
The Senior Advisor, GFW Biodiversity Initiative grantee will be contracted part time to work closely with key GFW staff responsible for design and delivery of the biodiversity initiative from July until December 2025.
They will be responsible for delivering the above activities throughout 2025. Proposals should include the planned activities, timelines and time requirements in days along with a day rate.
Roles and Responsibilities:
The Subgrantees will be directly responsible for delivering the Scope of Engagement. Global Fishing Watch will provide the Subgrantees with relevant input, including information materials if helpful. In addition, Global Fishing Watch’s leadership team will coordinate with the Subgrantee to ensure that the Scope of Engagement will contribute to the expectations of and fulfilment of Global Fishing Watch’s objectives and goals.
Quality Assurance:
The Subgrantees will be responsible for ensuring that the process and outputs covered under the Scope of Engagement is rigorous, reliable, and credible. This will include developing appropriate data collection and validation methods and tools, ensuring that data is collected and analysed in a consistent and transparent manner, and using appropriate statistical and qualitative analysis techniques.
Ethics and Confidentiality:
The Subgrantees will be required to adhere to Global Fishing Watch’s ethical standards and ensure that all data collection and analysis activities are conducted in a manner that protects the confidentiality and privacy of Global Fishing Watch’s partners’ data where necessary.
Timeline and Budget:
Below is the timeline for this Subgrantee engagement:
- July 2025: Kick off meetings & finalization of scope of engagement
- July 2025 - December 2025: Engagement and delivery of activities
The Subgrantee will be responsible for developing a detailed timeline and budget breakdown that clearly identifies the resources required and expected outputs for each activity. The Subgrantees will work with the Global Fishing Watch’s Program Initiatives Team and Chief Program Officer to ensure that the Scope of Engagement is completed on time and within budget. :
Global Fishing Watch Point of Contact:
Charles Kilgour - Director, Program Initiatives
Application deadline: 30 June 2025.