Company Overview
The Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability (GDST) is a Partnership organization dedicated to advancing the standardization and adoption of Digital Interoperable Data Exchange and Traceability throughout fishery and aquaculture supply chains around the world through its global traceability standard.
GDST Vision: A world where universally adopted, digital traceability promotes trust in fishery and aquaculture supply chains.
GDST Mission: To champion and advance the standardization, adoption, and implementation of interoperable, digital traceability through global collaboration, dialogue, and practical tools.
Position Overview
The Market Development Lead role develops relationships and leads an innovative shift from “none / paper records” towards interoperable, digital traceability throughout global fishery & aquaculture supply chains. The primary goal is to promote the adoption and implementation of the GDST standards within seafood retail, processing, distribution, aquaculture and wild-caught harvest companies, and software solutions providers whether large, industrial, or small scale. The second goal is to identify and secure Partnerships with seafood organizations that share the digital traceability vision of the GDST and want to contribute to the development, adoption, implementation and operationalizing of the GDST standard.
The GDST standards offer a unique opportunity to harness a common language about seafood products and to use a common language for interoperable digital traceability. To do this well, we need skilled and engaged contractors and employees who understand our standards and the areas in which they work and can work as part of a small but dedicated team.
Operating Structure
Market Development Leads have full responsibility for and control of the day-to-day maintenance of relationships with existing and new companies engaging with GDST in the region they have responsibility for. As the lead for EMEA (and possibly other countries), you will be responsible for time, cost, and task management to the standards required of you, with day-to-day reporting to the Vice President, Global Market Development.
In addition, you will be required to liaise with the other Market Development Leads in LATAM, APAC, and the Government Engagement Lead to ensure that operational alignment and financial goals for regional organizational targets are maintained.
Position Overview
The EMEA Market Development Lead is a key position for GDST, recognizing the importance of the region to global seafood supplies. This role will require well-developed interpersonal skills, an understanding of seafood supply chains, the challenges involved with Partners obtaining internal approval to adopt the GDST standards and fund the GDST activities through its Partnership model. You will also be asked to assist companies with their GDST standards and implementation journey. The ability to speak fluent English is mandatory with preference given to additional languages. Travel within EMEA and internationally will be necessary with prior approval.
Principal Duties & Responsibilities
Relationship Management & Strategy
- Maintain current relationships with existing GDST partners and support them in their GDST adoption and implementation journey.
- Scope and develop new partnerships with prospective seafood organizations, working with them to justify their financial commitment and technical partnership with GDST and translating the opportunities they provide to adopt and implement the standards.
- Support specific in-country engagement with software solution providers (traceability, recall, manufacturing, ERP, WMS, EDI) and GS1 (whose standards form the core underpinning of the GDST standards).
- Develop a strategy that will deliver GDST’s work in EMEA that is fully funded by GDST resources in 2026, is funded 50% by partnerships and tool & test income derived from EMEA businesses in 2027, and fully funded by partnership and tool & test income from EMEA businesses in 2028 onward.
- Follow developments in the EMEA market related to seafood traceability, digital traceability, and legislation that can affect the GDST.
Market Development Tools, Reports & Analysis
- Tools include our glossary & terms of reference, Zoho CRM software (customer relationship management), email, Zoom & MS Teams for client calls, LinkedIn, webinars, white papers, technical and non-technical implementation guidance documents, press releases, panel discussions at food / seafood conferences, booth space reserved at seafood or related expositions, and technical working groups.
- Maintain all market development records in Zoho CRM so that the GDST executive team can understand at any point in time the client status: communication, partnerships, and services tendered including the leads within the seafood harvesting and processing industry, software solution providers, as well as government agencies, NGOs, etc.
- Create reports and presentations to existing and potential partners.
- Provide input into the tools that Partners need when adopting and implementing GDST standards within their supply chains.
Other
- Develop and maintain an informed awareness of traceability, from both food safety and sustainability pillars, to effectively gain adoption of GDST standards to the target audience.
- Other duties as approved and assigned, including media interviews, public speaking, and training events.
- Assist with content for social media, communication resources, and website related to EMEA with Mindfully Wired and the GDST core team
- Complete detailed time sheets to account for consulting hours, business travel time, project and client status, and travel related expenses.
Job Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree required
- A minimum of eight years of relevant professional experience in market development or working within the sector
- Excellent written and oral communication skills is a must. Proficient in English with preference to additional languages
- Experience within the territory with seafood harvesters, processing, retail, and regulatory entities
- A task-orientated and inclusive style is needed to achieve partnership development
- Strong interpersonal skills and readiness to embrace electronic ways of working are required, managing international conference calls with US, EMEA and APAC time zones.
- Good judgment and able to make and justify recommendations.
Location: Europe, with preferred access to major retail, food service, or seafood production headquarters
Working Hours: GDST supports flexible, remote working, so the pattern of hours may vary according to operational, client, and personal needs. GDST works across different time zones and weekend work may be required on occasion. The post holder will be required to undertake periodic regional and international travel. No overtime is payable to a contractor. This contract work requires a minimum of 10 hours per week and up to 80 hours per month.
Holiday: There is no paid holiday/vacation time for contractors
References: Please include two references with name, email and phone contacts. References will be able to support your performance of the responsibilities and skills necessary to succeed in the Market Development Lead role.
Interviews: Please convey your availability for virtual interviews with members of the GDST core team and management board members.
Starting Date: The successful candidate should be available to start on or about May 5, 2026.
Please send an email with your cover letter and resume to: Kevin.Edwards@thegdst.org.