Entrepreneurship in the territories: is it the right time?
The Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) exists to protect the natural world and defend our basic human right to a secure environment.
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. Our work to secure environmental justice aims to protect our global climate, ocean, forests, and wildlife and defend basic human rights. We have worked in Thailand since 2014 to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and human rights abuses on fishing vessels, actively promote improvements to policy-making, corporate governance, and management of fisheries.
The Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) seeks a motivated Programme Officer to play a pivotal role in its IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated) Campaign through the Alliance for Sustainable, Legal, and Ethical Fisheries in Thailand. Working at the intersection of fisheries transparency, rights-based advocacy, and community empowerment, this position will deliver impactful integration between EJF’s IUU work and broader sustainable fisheries strategies.Recently, EJF launched an ambitious alliance project to secure sustainable, legal and ethical fisheries, amplify the voices of small-scale fishers (SSFs), and re-centre sustainability, labour rights, and transparency in fisheries governance. The Programme Officer will play a pivotal role in implementing this project by coordinating a diverse alliance of stakeholders, producing high-impact research and advocacy outputs, and supporting legislative and public engagement to secure ethical and sustainable seafood practices in Thailand. This is an exciting opportunity for a motivated individual with a strong commitment to environmental and social justice to help drive systemic change in one of the world’s most important seafood-producing nations. The ideal candidate will have experience working with grassroots groups, a solid understanding of fisheries governance and human rights, and a passion for inclusive and rights-based approaches to policy and advocacy.
Post Title: Programme Officer — IUU Campaign, Fisheries Transparency & Community Alliances
Type of appointment: Contract
Remuneration: 40,000-60,000 baht per month, depending on experience
Duration of contract: (potentially renewable with opportunity for role expansion, subject to performance review)
Start date: As soon as possible
Location: Bangkok based with opportunity to travel often.
Job descriptions and responsibilities:
1. Alliance coordination and community empowerment
- Facilitate the establishment of a diverse and inclusive multi-stakeholder alliance that centres the voices of SSF associations, SSF women’s groups, youth collectives, CSOs, local leaders, Coastal indigenous communities groups, labour groups, journalists, academia, and ethical seafood businesses.
- Convene regular alliance meetings (both online and in-person) to promote participatory dialogue, joint planning, and community-led decision-making.
- Support inclusive leadership and capacity sharing across the alliance to ensure all members have equal opportunities to shape strategies and campaigns.
- Strengthen solidarity and trust among grassroots and civil society actors by fostering shared ownership of goals, outcomes, and advocacy direction.
2. Rights-based policy, advocacy, and legal empowerment
- Conduct participatory policy research and analysis on fisheries governance, labour protections, and marine ecosystem rights with and for affected communities.
- Develop accessible advocacy materials and tools to empower communities to engage with lawmakers and assert their rights.
- Facilitate community-led submissions, public statements, and representation in legislative and policy-making forums.
- Advocate for policies that uphold the rights of fishers, migrant workers, and marine-dependent communities in line with international human rights and environmental standards.
3. Community-led capacity strengthening
- Co-design and deliver rights-focused workshops and training for Alliance members, especially SSFs and grassroots groups, on legal literacy, policy advocacy, sustainable fisheries practices, and civic engagement.
- Create and distribute culturally relevant and language-accessible IEC materials that support informed participation in governance and policy debates.
- Promote knowledge exchange between communities and experts, ensuring that local knowledge is respected and integrated into decision-making processes.
4. Public engagement and movement building
- Support alliance communications to elevate community narratives and lived experiences in the national and regional discourse on fisheries and labour rights.
- Develop outreach campaigns and public-facing content to raise awareness about systemic injustices and promote collective action.
- Build alliances with grassroots media, community radio, and youth-led networks to strengthen community visibility and influence.
5. Participatory monitoring, learning, and accountability
- Facilitate the development of community-defined indicators of success and wellbeing in the context of fisheries governance and labour protections.
- Support the alliance in conducting annual participatory reviews to reflect on progress, identify barriers, and adjust strategies through shared learning.
- Ensure transparency and accountability mechanisms are in place for alliance governance, including community feedback and grievance systems.
6. Finance, equity and donor engagement
- Ensure financial planning and budget monitoring are inclusive, transparent, and aligned with community priorities and alliance activities.
- Contribute to the preparation of donor reports that centre on community impacts, qualitative outcomes, and stories of change from the grassroots.
- Support equitable and just resource allocation to alliance members, particularly smaller or under-resourced groups.
- Participate in financial forecasting and support procurement processes that respect fair labour and sustainability principles.
