Remote Senior Specialist, Whale Report Alert System

We need the ocean. The ocean needs us.

Role Summary

As the Senior Specialist for the Whale Report Alert System (WRAS), Ocean Wise’s flagship conservation technology, you will lead the delivery and ongoing advancement of the platform to reduce vessel strikes and disturbance to Whales. Working closely with the Director, Whales, the Whales team, Ocean Wise staff, and external partners, you will oversee WRAS operations, funding agreements, strategic partnerships, technology development, stakeholder engagement, and reporting to achieve measurable conservation outcomes and support the overall Whales Program goals. In collaboration with the Ocean Wise IT team, software developers, researchers, and conservation partners, you will guide the continued evolution of WRAS, ensuring it remains significantly robust, operationally effective, and responsive to the needs of industry, government, Indigenous communities, researchers, and other marine stakeholders while driving innovation that expands the adoption and conservation impact of Ocean Wise’s whale protection technologies.

*Please note this role requires the successful candidate to be located in either the Vancouver lower mainland area or Southern Vancouver island region with intended start date of November 2nd, 2026*

Who You Are

You are a marine conservation specialist passionate about advancing cetacean conservation through science, technology, and collaboration. You bring strong expertise in program and project delivery, stakeholder partnerships, and data-driven conservation, with the ability to connect diverse partners and translate complex information into practical solutions that strengthen the Whales Program and its conservation impact.

What You Will Be Doing

Program Leadership & Delivery

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• Lead the implementation and continual improvement of the WRAS, ensuring activities align with the Whales Program’s strategic plan, annual goals, funding agreement requirements, and measurable conservation outcomes.
  
• Oversee the day-to-day delivery of the WRAS portfolio, ensuring projects, timelines, deliverables, budgets, funding and reporting requirements are completed on schedule and to a high standard.
  
• Work with the Whales Director and Senior Manager to develop annual work plans and priorities to monitor progress, while adapting activities to maximize conservation outcomes and operational effectiveness.
  
• Chair the WRAS Advisory Committee by establishing priorities, coordinating meetings, facilitating collaboration among partners, and ensuring recommendations are translated into WRAS improvements.
  
• Supporting cross-program initiatives within the Whales team and contributing to broader Ocean Wise conservation and education programs as required.
  

Technology & Product Management

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• Serve as the project lead and product owner for the WRAS platform, working collaboratively with Ocean Wise's IT team, software developers, contractors, and external technology partners to maintain, enhance, and expand WRAS functionality.
  
• Collaborate with the Whales Director, WRAS Coordinator, and the Ocean Wise IT team to continuously evaluate the effectiveness of the digital reporting and alerting application for the WRAS, including using user feedback, project data, and emerging technologies to inform its continual improvement, usability, reliability, and scalability.
  
• Define WRAS user and data requirements, prioritize software enhancements, evaluate new features, oversee user acceptance testing, and support the implementation of system upgrades and maintenance activities.
  
• Oversee database governance, data quality standards, system documentation, and platform performance to ensure the WRAS remains a trusted conservation decision-support tool.
  

Partnerships, Stakeholder Engagement, & Outreach

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• Develop, manage, and strengthen strategic relationships with industry, Indigenous communities, government agencies, researchers, NGOs, and marine organizations to increase participation in and conservation impact of the WRAS.
  
• Work with the Whales Director to establish and maintain strong strategic partnerships by developing, negotiating, and executing partner data-sharing agreements and memoranda of understanding (MOUs) that support the successful delivery and growth of the WRAS.
  
• Represent Ocean Wise at conferences, workshops, advisory committees, stakeholder meetings, media interviews, and public events to communicate conservation outcomes and promote the adoption of the WRAS.
  
• Oversee external communications for the WRAS in collaboration with the WRAS Coo