Application Guide
How to Apply for Chief Program Officer
at Aquatic Life Institute
🏢 About Aquatic Life Institute
The Aquatic Life Institute is a unique nonprofit focused exclusively on improving the welfare of aquatic animals through movement-building and strategic interventions. Unlike broader animal welfare organizations, ALI specializes in aquatic species and works to accelerate the entire field through research, advocacy, and coalition-building. Someone might want to work here to be at the forefront of an emerging movement with global impact potential.
About This Role
As Chief Program Officer, you'll be responsible for aligning all of ALI's programs to maximize impact on aquatic animal welfare, translating strategic priorities into measurable outcomes across initiatives. This role is impactful because you'll directly coordinate teams and external partnerships to accelerate the growth of the entire aquatic animal welfare movement, ensuring operational excellence in a mission-critical position.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might involve coordinating with program leads across research, advocacy, and partnerships teams to ensure alignment on strategic priorities, while also developing project management frameworks to track progress. You'd likely spend time facilitating external partnership meetings with other NGOs or research institutions, and analyzing program data to identify areas for operational improvement and greater impact.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Aquatic Life Institute Is Looking For
- Has 5+ years of experience managing complex nonprofit programs with demonstrated success in strategic execution and measurable outcomes
- Possesses expertise in implementing project management frameworks (like Agile, Scrum, or PMBOK) specifically in remote, cross-functional environments
- Demonstrates proven ability to build and maintain external partnerships with NGOs, research institutions, or advocacy groups in the animal welfare or environmental space
- Shows a track record of proactively identifying programmatic needs and supporting strategic initiatives without waiting for direction
📝 Tips for Applying to Aquatic Life Institute
Highlight specific experience coordinating programs across multiple teams in a remote setting, as ALI is fully remote
Quantify your impact in previous roles using metrics related to program outcomes, partnership development, or operational improvements
Demonstrate knowledge of aquatic animal welfare issues by referencing ALI's specific focus areas (like fish welfare standards or aquaculture reform)
Show how you've implemented project management standards in previous roles with concrete examples of processes you established
Emphasize experience working with external partners in the nonprofit or advocacy space, as this is crucial for ALI's movement-building approach
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
['Your experience aligning programs across teams to achieve strategic objectives in a mission-driven organization', 'Specific examples of implementing project management standards that improved operational excellence', "Knowledge of aquatic animal welfare issues and how your skills can accelerate ALI's movement-building work", 'Experience facilitating external partnerships that expanded organizational impact']
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → ALI's specific program areas and current initiatives listed on their website (ali.fish)
- → The organization's recent publications or position papers on aquatic animal welfare
- → Key partners and coalitions ALI participates in (like the Aquatic Animal Alliance)
- → The current state of the aquatic animal welfare movement and major challenges it faces
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Applying with generic program management experience without demonstrating knowledge of aquatic animal welfare or ALI's specific mission
- Failing to provide concrete examples of coordinating activities across teams in previous roles
- Submitting a cover letter that doesn't address how you would support ALI's movement-building approach to aquatic animal welfare
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!
Ready to Apply?
Good luck with your application to Aquatic Life Institute!