Executive Director

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council is seeking motivated candidates to serve as Executive Director. Interested individuals must apply by COB October 31, 2025.

The Council seeks a strong leader for its staff, with excellent administrative and organizational skills and wide knowledge of natural resource conservation and management matters. The Council is established under the authority of the Magnuson–Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) to develop and recommend management measures for marine fisheries within 3-200 miles off the coast of Alaska. For more information on the purpose, background, and activity of the North Pacific Council, see www.npfmc.org.

Th... position is stationed in Anchorage, Alaska. The salary range mirrors the federal GS-15 scale and is currently $165 – $195K annually, with the State of Alaska Retirement Plan, as well as annual leave, sick leave, and health insurance benefits, and an employee-paid 403(b) deferred compensation plan. North Pacific Council staff are not Federal or state employees, although the Federal salary schedule is used and many of the operating policies and procedures mirror those of a typical Federal or state natural resource agency. The Council is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation that receives only Federal funding, with annual budgets of approximately $5 million.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Executive Director is the chief executive officer of the Council and serves at the pleasure of the Council. Key position duties include the following.

• Organizing and managing for up to five Council meetings per year in the open and transparent fashion required by the MSA, in a manner to enable fully informed policy-level decision-making on important marine fishery conservation and management issues.
• Coordinating the provision of the necessary analyses and other technical information necessary for Council decision-making.
• Managing the fiscal affairs of the Council, including development and administration of operating budgets; internal financial controls; grant applications and reporting; contracting; and financial audits.
• Supervision and review of professional and administrative staff (approximately 14 persons) to support Council processes and decision-making.
• Representing the Council in a variety of forums, including conferences and international fisheries delegations where relevant.
• Tracking and responding to proposed or enacted federal and state legislation, upon request, pertaining to the Council and its fisheries management mission.
• Communicating effectively with the Council and public, and coordinating activities and planning with the National Marine Fisheries Service and other agencies and institutions.

A complete Position Description is appended to this recruitment announcement.

Minimum Qualifications

• A Master’s degree or higher majoring in a field related to natural resource management; relevant biological sciences, socio-economic sciences, or earth sciences; or public policy.
• Ten years of relevant professional experience in natural resource management or related field, with at least 5 years of experience at or near the level of duties and responsibility described in the position description, including supervisory experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of, and applied experience with, fisheries and fisheries management in the North Pacific region.

Competency Criteria

The Council seeks an individual who thrives when faced with the challenges inherent to this position, and who has the ability to lead staff to execute analyses and projects successfully and within reasonable time constraints. Necessary competencies include the following.

Leadership – This includes 1) leadership as appropriate at Council meetings and when interacting with cooperating agencies to maintain the Council’s reputation as a preeminent regional marine fishery management governance body, and 2) leadership of Council staff to sustain a culture of consistently achieving high quality work while meeting deadlines, to maintain high morale among Council staff, and to facilitate a working environment where individual staff members take pride in their work and in Council accomplishments.

Communication – Effective written and verbal communication skills at conveying highly complex scientific, policy, and legal concepts to a wide variety of audiences in a manner that bridges gaps between technical experts and non-technical participants in the Council process.

Collaboration and Coordination – An ability to establish positive working relationships with government agencies, fishery constituent representatives, active fishery participants, members of non-governmental environmental organizations, academics, Tribal entities, and others in a natural resource conservation and management context.

Executive Decision-Making – An ability to make organizational and administrative decisions on a daily basis such that planned activities are achieved consistent with established deadlines, and an ability to develop sound long-range operational and strategic plans.

Application Process

Provide a personal statement and a complete resume or curriculum vitae by the application deadline. The personal statement should explain your interest in and suitability for the position, should not exceed 1,000 words, and should demonstrate your written communication abilities. The resume or c.v. should include complete information on academic and professional qualifications and include three professional references. Application materials are to be sent via email to the Council Chair, Ms. Angel Drobnica at the link provided at https://www.npfmc.org/vacancy-.... Please use “Executive Director Position Application” in the email subject line.

Position Description – Executive Director

Updated 9/15/2025

Overview of the Position Duties

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council develops fishery management plans and regulations for the federal fisheries (EEZ) in U.S. waters off Alaska. Key management partners include the National Marine Fisheries Service; the State of Alaska; the U.S. Coast Guard; the U.S. State Department; the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and the International Pacific Halibut Commission. The Executive Director is the chief executive officer of the North Pacific Council and serves at the pleasure of the Council, per the provisions of the Council’s SOPPs.

Key position duties include the following.

• Organizing and managing for up to five Council meetings per year in the open and transparent fashion required by the MSA, in a manner to enable fully informed policy level decision-making on important marine fishery conservation and management issues, including coordinating the provision of the necessary analyses and other technical information necessary for Council decision-making.
• Managing the fiscal affairs of the Council, including development and administration of operating budgets; internal financial controls; Grant reporting requirements; contracting; and biennial financial audits.
• Supervision and review of professional and administrative staff (approximately 14 persons) to support Council processes and decision-making.
• Representing the North Pacific Council in a variety of forums outside Council meetings, including conferences and international fisheries delegations where relevant.
• Tracking and responding to proposed or enacted federal and state legislation pertaining to the Council and its fisheries management mission.
• Communicating effectively with the Council and public, and coordinating activities and planning with NMFS, other agencies and institutions.

For a more detailed position description, please visit our vacancy announcement at https://www.npfmc.org/vacancy-...