China Program Director

How You Will Improve...

January 10 announcement: The application deadline for this role has now been set to rolling. Candidates who have already applied will be contacted soon regarding the next steps in the recruitment process.

Fish Welfare Initiative (FWI) has been collaborating with local partners to promote the novel field of fish welfare in China over the last three years. After a brief hiatus, we are resuming our collaborations with local partners in China to promote fish welfare. We are seeking an experienced leader to coordinate these partnerships, facilitate impactful projects, and advance fish welfare standards through joint initiatives. This role offers a unique opportunity to shape the growth of fish welfare in the country through both field-building efforts as well as collaboration on impactful projects with local partners.

This role is suited for someone with leadership and strategic experience, who will also be responsible for promoting collaboration among local partners, advancing welfare standards, and fostering research initiatives that facilitates knowledge exchange between international and local experts on fish welfare in aquaculture.

This is a unique opportunity for a visionary leader to shape the future of fish welfare in China. By leading a pioneering program, you will have the chance to address an emerging field in aquaculture, driving positive change with both local and international partners.

Who We Are

Fish Welfare Initiative (FWI) is a relatively young organization dedicated to significantly improving fish welfare, with a primary focus on farmed fishes, which constitute a major portion of global fish consumption. We currently support projects in India and China, and we have also worked in the Philippines.

In China, we have collaborated with local partners such as International Cooperation Committee of Animal Welfare (ICCAW) in China to introduce fish welfare concepts, support conferences, and advise on welfare standards since 2021. You can find more information about the highlights of our work in the country here.

Primary Responsibilities

Develop strategy: Further develop and lead FWI’s multi-year strategy for China, with a focus on both field-building and impactful projects with local partners.
Plan and support field-building projects: Foster partnerships with research institutions and other local partners to build a network that supports fish welfare research.
Stakeholder management: Act as the primary liaison between FWI and local organizations, including research institutions, industry stakeholders, and other entities, fostering effective collaboration on joint projects.
Lead a growing organization: In collaboration with the FWI Global team, make future hires for our China team and serve as the in-country leader for our work.
Other tasks related to organizational growth: Lead all other tasks as needed to make FWI’s work in China a success, including supervising legal compliance, operations, communications, etc.

Qualifications

Required Criteria

You must meet all of the following criteria to be eligible for this position:

Nationality: Chinese national residing in China.
Experience: 3 or more years of leadership experience, preferably in fields related to global development, animal welfare, environmental protection, or agriculture. We prefer applicants who have 5 or more years of leadership experience.
Stakeholder engagement: Strong stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to work effectively with local partners and international colleagues.
Project management: Experience in managing and leading impactful projects in a complex or interdisciplinary field.
Language: Native proficiency in Mandarin and fluent in English, with the ability to work effectively in an international context.

Ideal Criteria

We will favor candidates who meet some or more of the following criteria, although these are not required:

Experience: 5 or more years of leadership experience, preferably in fields related to global development, animal welfare, environmental protection, or agriculture.
Interest in animal welfare: Interest and/or openness to animal welfare, particularly related to fishes.
Experience in aquaculture: Experience working in aquaculture, or with farmed animals.
Research collaboration: Experience in working with universities or research institutions, particularly in establishing new research areas.
Pre-existing network: Established network within China’s aquaculture or agriculture sector.

Key Competencies

Leadership: Proven ability to lead a team and provide direction in a complex, underdeveloped field with limited prior research.
Strategic Thinking: Ability to develop a long-term strategy while remaining adaptable to new opportunities and challenges.
Cultural Sensitivity: Understanding of the Chinese cultural and social landscape, particularly regarding partnerships with local stakeholders.
Communication Skills: Ability to clearly convey ideas and represent FWI in diverse settings, including conferences and meetings with partners.

We encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet every single qualification. At FWI, we recognize that the right candidate may bring valuable experiences and perspectives that aren't perfectly captured by the list of criteria. If this role excites you and you believe you could make an impact, we would love to hear from you.

The Fine Print

Location: Remote (based in China; travel may be required within China and occasionally internationally).
Position Status: Full-time.
Start Date: ASAP, with some flexibility.
Pay: Based on needs, location and experience, the range we expect to pay for this role is $50,000-60,000 per annum. A salary up to $75,000 may be considered for an ideal candidate.

Equal Opportunity Policy

FWI is committed to building a diverse and inclusive team. We encourage people of every color, orientation, age, sex, gender, ethnicity, and ability to apply. Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns regarding accessibility, and we will do our best to make adjustments throughout the process where possible.

How to Apply

Please send an email to siddharth@fishwelfareinitaitive.org with your application, including all required documents in PDF form and details. The subject line should include “China Program Director Application”. Emails that do not include this subject line may not be considered.

Your email should include the following:

CV
Cover Letter
- This should outline your motivation for applying to the China Program Director role and demonstrate why you believe you would make a significant impact in this position. Please note that there is no need to spend more than a few hours on this.
Answers to the Following Questions in the Body of the Email:
- Leadership Experience: Please outline your previous leadership experience, including the roles you held, responsibilities you managed, and the timeline for each. (200–300 words)
- Proficiency in Mandarin: Indicate your proficiency level - Native, Fluent, Intermediate, or Basic.
- Proficiency in English: Indicate your proficiency level - Native, Fluent, Intermediate, or Basic.
- Rough salary expectations: Indicate your salary expectations.
- Availability to start: Provide the earliest date you can begin.
- Source of information: Specify how you heard about this job opening.

Applicants who previously submitted their applications via the form do not need to reapply. We have transitioned to accepting applications via email to improve accessibility

Application Stages

To ensure we find the right fit for this critical role, our hiring process is designed to be thorough, transparent, and mutually beneficial. Below is an outline of the stages you will go through, providing clarity on what to expect as you move forward.

Round 1 interview
Test Task
Round 2 interview
Online work trial*

*This paid work trial offers an opportunity to assess our collaboration and for you to learn more about this role. Please note that this step is tentative and subject to further confirmation.

Frequently Asked Questions

I meet the criteria but have never worked with fish welfare before. Should I still apply?
Yes. While prior experience in fish welfare or aquaculture is advantageous, it is not a required criterion. We provide an intensive onboarding process to ensure our team members are equipped with the skills needed for the role.

Is there flexibility in the work location within China?

Yes, there is flexibility regarding where you work within the country. You can choose a base anywhere in China, as long as you can travel when required for in-person meetings.

What are the main challenges associated with this role?

Working in an emerging field like fish welfare can be challenging, especially in a complex regulatory environment like China. The role requires adaptability, strategic thinking, and the ability to navigate relationships with diverse stakeholders.

I have another question about whether I should apply that isn’t listed here.
Then you should contact us—we’re happy to let you know whether you should apply, in order to potentially save you the time on filling out yet another application.