Application Guide

How to Apply for Sustainable Aquaculture Policy Program Manager

at Lever Foundation

🏢 About Lever Foundation

Lever Foundation is a public charity driving systemic change in Asia's food supply chain by partnering with major food companies and producers to adopt more humane and sustainable practices. Working here means being at the forefront of transforming aquaculture, a critical yet often overlooked sector, with a focus on tangible, measurable improvements in animal welfare and environmental impact.

About This Role

As the Sustainable Aquaculture Policy Program Manager, you'll lead outreach to aquaculture producers across Asia, connecting them with innovative technology and service providers to improve welfare and sustainability. This role is impactful because you'll directly facilitate on-farm changes that reduce suffering and environmental harm, while building a network that bridges producers, tech innovators, and large food companies.

💡 A Day in the Life

Your day might start with reviewing a list of target farms in Vietnam, then sending personalized LinkedIn messages and emails to production managers. By afternoon, you could be on a call with a technology provider to coordinate a demo for a prospective farm, followed by a virtual meeting with a food company procurement manager to discuss supply chain improvements. Once a week, you might travel to a farm for an in-person visit or attend an industry conference to network and present Lever Foundation's work.

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who Lever Foundation Is Looking For

  • A proven 'people person' with 3+ years of experience in sales, business development, or policy advocacy, ideally in agriculture, food, or sustainability sectors.
  • Comfortable with cold outreach (email, LinkedIn, phone) and persistent follow-up to build relationships with farm owners and managers.
  • Self-motivated and resilient, able to work independently in a remote setting and travel occasionally for farm visits and industry events.
  • Passionate about sustainability, animal welfare, or food systems, with excellent English communication skills (additional Asian languages a plus).

📝 Tips for Applying to Lever Foundation

1

Highlight specific examples of successful outreach campaigns or partnerships you've built, quantifying results (e.g., 'secured 15 new producer commitments').

2

Tailor your resume to emphasize sales or advocacy experience in agriculture or food supply chains, not just generic business development.

3

In your cover letter, explicitly connect your personal interest in sustainability to Lever Foundation's mission, referencing their work in Asia.

4

Research Lever Foundation's current campaigns (e.g., cage-free eggs, antibiotic reduction) and mention how your skills could advance similar goals in aquaculture.

5

Since the role requires fluency in English and travel, demonstrate your comfort with cross-cultural communication and willingness to travel (e.g., 'available for 20% travel to Southeast Asia').

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Your ability to build relationships with diverse stakeholders (farmers, tech providers, procurement managers) and drive behavioral change.', 'Your success-driven, independent work style with concrete examples of achieving targets without micromanagement.', 'Your understanding of aquaculture sustainability challenges (e.g., disease, water pollution) and how technology can address them.', "Your enthusiasm for Lever Foundation's approach of market-based advocacy rather than confrontation."]

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Review Lever Foundation's website and recent press releases to understand their campaigns and partnerships (e.g., with Thai Union, CJ CheilJedang).
  • → Read up on key aquaculture sustainability issues (e.g., shrimp farming, antibiotic use, feed conversion) and innovations (e.g., RAS, probiotics, AI monitoring).
  • → Familiarize yourself with major aquaculture producers in Asia (e.g., Charoen Pokphand Foods, Thai Union, Marine Harvest) and their sustainability commitments.
  • → Understand the competitive landscape: other NGOs like Fish Welfare Initiative or Sustainable Fisheries Partnership that work in similar spaces.

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 How would you approach a cold call to a fish farm owner in Thailand? Walk us through your script and strategy.
2 Describe a time you persuaded a skeptical stakeholder to adopt a new practice. What tactics did you use?
3 How do you prioritize which producers to target when you have limited time and resources?
4 What do you know about the current state of aquaculture sustainability in Asia, and what role do you see technology playing?
5 How do you handle rejection or lack of response from prospects, and how do you stay motivated?
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Avoid a generic cover letter that doesn't mention aquaculture or Lever Foundation's specific work—this role requires niche knowledge.
  • Don't overemphasize policy expertise if you lack outreach/sales experience; the job is about direct engagement, not lobbying.
  • Avoid downplaying the need for persistence; candidates who seem uncomfortable with cold outreach or rejection are unlikely to succeed.

📅 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:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Lever Foundation!

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