Regulatory Affairs Advisor (Bivalve Aquaculture and Water Quality)

Job Details

The focus of this role is primarily on shellfish water quality, but there are opportunities for the job holder to also support our climate change, food safety, and marine environment priorities, depending on their skills and expertise. 

You will be responsible for managing our Seafish Expert Panel and helping Seafish to build research partnerships to ensure Seafish has access to appropriate research expertise to support its work programme. You will be also required to work with a broad range of stakeholders in this role; from shellfish producers to seafood processors to regulators to researchers, so you must have persuasive communication and influencing skills.  

The role requires the job holder to be comfortable working in technically complex areas and to be able to communicate important information to non-technical audiences.   

The main dimensions of the role are: 

• Support the aquaculture sector to navigate a complex regulatory environment, to realise the potential growth in trade opportunities in the UK and abroad, and to ensure the positive environmental aspects of shellfish aquaculture are understood and valued.  
• Contribute to the delivery of priorities in the Seafish Corporate Plan 2023-28, by providing science and regulatory advice, guidance, and expertise across key priority areas. The focus of this advice and guidance is primarily on shellfish water quality, but there are opportunities for the role holder to also support our climate change, food safety, and marine environment priorities, depending on their skills and expertise.  
• Build our network of research partnerships to ensure Seafish has access to appropriate research expertise to support its work programme.  

Key accountabilities will be: 

• The primary responsibility is to lead on Seafish’s shellfish water quality programme (80% of time) to contribute to the sustainable development, growth and success of the UK aquaculture sector, as part of a vibrant Blue Economy. In particular: 
• Work to address issues affecting shellfish production, such as water quality and the related food safety implications.  
• Lead and contribute to research projects to provide the required evidence to support changes in water quality policy and regulation that relate to shellfish production.  
• Facilitate the Shellfish Stakeholder Working Group and its project sub-groups, including the development and delivery of work programmes.  
• Work collaboratively with regulators, researchers, and seafood businesses to help foster a supportive regulatory environment that encourages innovation, economic growth, and environmental sustainability. 
• Produce regulatory guidance material for the shellfish aquaculture sector to assist it to understand the regulatory environment, how it impacts on their business and the steps it should take to ensure compliance. At times guidance material will also need to be produced to assist regulatory agencies to understand how the industry operates.   

Other Priority Areas: Depending on the candidate’s skill set, the role holder will contribute to at least one of the following workstreams (20%): 

• Support the delivery of Seafish’s Climate Change Priority by contributing to projects (and leading on specific work steams) relating to alternative fishing vessels and the successful development of the Seafood Emissions Profile Tool. 
• Support industry and regulators to understand the relationship between fishing and the marine environment and the measures that should be taken to manage impacts, and likely implications of these measures for seafood businesses.  
• Compliance with UK food safety requirements related to seafood production, and any regulatory divergence between the UK and key trading partners which could impact the viability of international trade.  

Requirements

• Demonstrate strong science and analytical skills to evaluate data, research, and evidence related to water quality, aquaculture, and the human health risks associated with live bivalve consumption.  
• Exhibit the ability to lead and manage projects aimed at supporting policy change and regulatory compliance.  
• Possess excellent interpersonal skills to engage with a diverse range of stakeholders, including policy makers, regulators, academia, industry representatives, and seafood businesses.  
• Be skilled at facilitating effective communication, collaboration, and consensus-building to ensure regulatory requirements are effective and proportionate. 
• Be adept at working across teams and across functions to contribute to the successful delivery of Seafish priorities 
• Possess strong written and verbal communication skills to convey complex technical and regulatory information to diverse audiences.  
• Prepare reports, guidance materials and presentations that are clear, concise, and accessible to stakeholders with varying levels of expertise. 
• Work effectively with colleagues, share knowledge and contribute to the overall objectives of the team, and the organisation.  
• Ability to provide secretariat responsibilities and chair meetings as required.   
• Ability to work across teams and across functions to contribute to the successful delivery of Seafish priorities.  
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision, using initiative to handle any issues that come up.  

Knowledge, skills and experience required 

To be a suitable candidate for this role you should have: 

• Relevant experience in the field is essential, with a relevant qualification also being desirable. 
• Excellent knowledge and familiarity of bivalve aquaculture practices, regulatory frameworks and processes related to bivalve aquaculture is essential.  
• Excellent knowledge of bivalve aquaculture and related water quality and official controls in the UK or EU. 
• Excellent understanding of regulatory frameworks and official controls related to bivalve aquaculture. 
• Effective communication and stakeholder engagement skills and the ability to work with diverse groups to foster consensus. 
• Possess excellent interpersonal skills to engage with a diverse range of stakeholders, including policy makers, regulators, academia, industry representatives, and seafood businesses. 
• Proven ability to interpret complex data and research outputs and communicate them to a non-technical audience. 
• Experience in supporting industry through regulatory change.  
• Experience of working across academia building links to support policy development and implementation. 
• Expert report writing skills and a high standard of literacy to understand legislation and write expert interventions and produce formal guidance documents. 
• Demonstrate strong science and analytical skills to evaluate data, research, and evidence related to water quality, aquaculture, and the human health risks associated with live bivalve consumption. 
• Be adept at working across teams and across functions to contribute to the successful delivery of Seafish priorities. 
• Comfortable using IT systems, including SharePoint, Microsoft Teams, and other common tools. 

Experience of the following would be advantageous:  

• Have experience of working on research projects and building relationships with universities and academic institutions. 
• Every role is Seafish is linked to our bespoke competency framework. The competency levels for this role are: 
• Growing Expertise – Creates a learning and development environment 
• Embracing Change – Shows the ability to adapt to change 
• Building Relationships – Builds links with others in order to develop and deliver the best solutions 
• Achieving Results – Leads team to achieve results 
• Influencing with Impact – Communicates Complex Messages 

Contact Information

The deadline for applications is Friday 20 March 2026.

To apply for the post, you should email your application to recruitment@seafish.co.uk. Please include “Regulatory Affairs Advisor” in the subject line of your email.  

Your application should include: 

• A covering letter or a short video explaining why you are a suitable candidate. 
• A recent copy of your CV so we can find out more about your skills and experience.  
• A completed copy of our recruitment consent form. 

Further information 

For any queries about the job description or the salary and benefits on offer, please email recruitment@seafish.co.uk.