Position: Resilient Oceans Manager
Location: Osa Conservation Campus
Status: Full-Time
Job Summary
Osa Conservation’s (OC) mission is to conserve the globally significant terrestrial and marine
biological diversity of the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica by implementing ecosystem stewardship,
enhancing scientific understanding, providing education, and training, and creating sustainable
economic opportunities.
We believe in a holistic approach to conservation, one grounded in a systematic understanding
of the ecological, social, and economic relationships that shape environmental problems. Our
work (carried out by a team of ~60 staff) is founded in science and supported by strategic
partnerships, well-informed decision-making processes, and a strong commitment to improving
lives through protecting nature. We recognize that for conservation to succeed, it must be
coupled with science, community engagement, and strong systems of support upon which to
collaboratively build a more sustainable future.
OC’ marine conservation efforts largely focus on six strategies across the Costa Rica Pacific
Southwest: the expansion and management of the marine protected area of Corcovado
National Park; Mangrove restoration; Marine Biodiversity Monitoring of pelagic fish populations
and community assemblages; Sustainable Fisheries; Sea Turtles Conservation and
Environmental Education.
Supporting these strategies, OC maintains a strong commitment to applied marine scientific
research and is building its capacity to leverage our impact through innovative partnerships. To
deliver on these objectives at scale, this position will oversee all OC´s marine conservation
efforts, including the implementation of marine conservation actions by a directorate of five staff
in Osa Conservation and volunteers and interns assisting the different teams seasonally. This is
a highly exciting position for an experienced marine scientist or marine conservation practitioner
aiming to build up a cohesive and impactful Marine Conservation Program. This role will be
fundamental to spearhead the expansion of the marine protected area of Corcovado National
Park, and the development of a new research center in the South Pacific region of Costa Rica.
This is a one-year fixed term position with possibility of extension based on programmatic
needs and funding. The full-time position is based in the Osa Conservation main office in the
Osa Peninsula (Puerto Jiménez, Costa Rica), with considerable time for fieldwork and traveling
for meetings, events locally, regionally and/or internationally. The Manager will live in Puerto
Jimenez with a minimum of one day per week on site in the OC Campus living in basic
conditions and facilities when required with a multicultural team. It will require a passionate and
hard-working individual to work alongside OC Program teams, interacting with donors, school groups, researchers to increase the impact, innovative approach and success of the program and organization’s mission.
Roles and responsibilities
● Report and coordinate their actions directly with the OC Director of Conservation.
● Based on the Resilient Oceans strategic plan as articulated in OC 2023, provide
guidance and technical oversight to project development and implementation; facilitate
communication and coordination among and between programs and OC, and between
OC programs and other institutions.
● Supervise the work, directly line manage five primary marine staff in Osa Conservation:
Marine Coordinators (2), Mangrove Restoration Coordinators (2), Sea Turtle
Coordinator (1), and oversee OC´s engagement with community focal areas and
relevant stakeholders and collaborators.
● Spearhead OC’s efforts on supporting the national, regional and local process of the
expansion of the Corcovado Marine Protected Area, and creating active engagement
among key stakeholders. Assess program priorities, strategy, and approaches to
achieve this.
● Oversight the development of a new Osa Marine Science Center with research facilities
and a Fellowship Program aiming at building capacity for marine research and
biodiversity monitoring.
● Lead the establishment of a long-term strategy for marine research and monitoring to
inform conservation in the Pacific Southwest of Costa Rica.
● Contribute to secure funding to meet program goals.
● Identify conservation needs in the marine realm and evaluate direction and success of
projects, and personnel.
● Ensure that all projects; mangrove, marine and sea turtles meet their annual targets,
and produce high quality content for excellent donor reports, communications, and
social media on a regular basis.
● Support the larger OC 2023 Conservation Strategic Plan implementation and other
organizational priorities beyond marine conservation.
● Represent OC marine conservation and science at high level scientific-conservation
meetings, and with government and private sector institutions.
● Build partnerships with research institutions and other conservation entities; meet
potential donors; speak at fundraising events and other development engagements; and
maintain contact and reporting with funding sources.
● Act as a senior management staff member and coordinate with other OC senior
management staff.
● Provide institution-wide support on ocean conservation issues, national and local ocean
policy, and the other cross-cutting marine themes, and leverage within-program assets
to promote marine conservation with national governments, international agencies, and
other non-governmental organizations.
● Write and publish technical reports, and research papers. Be active in professional
societies, attending meetings, workshops, strategy sessions, action plans and so on.
● Execute general activities to support other OC programs, OC properties, including Osa
Conservation Campus to achieve the organization mission.
What skills are needed to do this job?
● PhD in marine conservation with at least minimum experience of 3 years in marine
conservation related field work and implementation, preferably the Americas – and
significant amounts of time working within a field station.
● Excellent oral and written communication skills in English and Spanish.
● Ability to coordinate with multiple actors, for teamwork and the development of activities
in culturally diverse environments.
● At least 3 publications in peer-reviewed and indexed scientific journals.
● Demonstrate strong initiative, team worker, positive attitude, innovative, hardworking,
able to work under pressure, results oriented, problem solver, good communication and
presentation skills, and comfortable/capable to travel around Costa Rica
independently.As a team member, the candidate must be highly motivated, committed
to realizing OC’s goals.
● Advanced level of Spanish and English (written and oral).
● Valid drivers’ license (manual vehicles) and experience driving on dirt roads in remote
locations.
● Willingness to live in a remote region of southern Costa Rica – Osa Peninsula.
● Good physical condition for work in adverse conditions in the field.
● Availability to travel for meetings and regular fundraising efforts, and a strong desire to
be in the field.
Main job responsibilities and estimated percentage of time for each
● Monitor execution and outputs of the Ocean Recovery, Coastal Resilience and Species
Conservation Focal Initiatives of the OC´s Resilient Oceans Program both outputs via
log-frames and budgets.
● Oversight OC’s engagement at the technical and political level on the expansion of the
Corcovado Marine Protected Area.
● Oversight the construction of the Osa Marine Science Center in OC and establish the
Fellowship Program on marine research and conservation in OC.
● Work with the development team to ensure that all donor and grant reports are
executed to a high level and on time.
● Review with the scientific field staff any proposed marine research at OC field sites and
ensure all permits for conservation and science projects are up to date- and reports are
delivered for the permit requirements.
● Work with the teams to build a 2024 logframe and fundraising strategy for the marine
projects.
● Support the communications team to disseminate the OC´s Resilient Oceans Program’s
findings nationally and internationally, generating connections with researchers and
teachers from national and foreign universities to attract research in the Osa Marine
Science Center and the Osa Campus.
● Support proposals for the financing of field and marine conservation projects
● Organise training courses where necessary for team members.
● Support and coordinate other activities as required with the different OC Conservation
programs and Campus in the different OC properties to achieve the organization’s
mission.
● Other tasks and duties ongoing and as assigned.
To apply
Please submit a copy of your resume and a cover letter to [email protected], with “Resilient Oceans Manager” as the subject line – by the end of day on 30th March, 2023 latest. Be sure to address in the cover letter how you meet the outlined requirements and how you feel that your previous experience makes you suitable for this demanding role. Applications who do not submit a CV and cover letter will not be considered. Only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.