CCB is looking for a Network Officer to join our team at the CCB International Secretariat (closed)

CCB • April 9, 2025

Coalition Clean Baltic – CCB is a politically independent network, uniting 27 environmental non-profit organizations, as well as partners and experts from 11 countries surrounding the Baltic Sea. The main goal of CCB is to promote the protection and improvement of the environment and natural resources of the Baltic Sea region by encouraging new and constructive approaches and engaging people to become part of the solution instead of part of the problem. CCB Secretariat is based in Uppsala, Sweden.


CCB* is recruiting a Network Officer to play a central role in strengthening the voices of its Member and Observer organizations in joint actions. This includes acting as a point of contact between the CCB Member organizations as well as the CCB Secretariat, facilitating a coordination platform to promote joint efforts and impacts, gathering and sharing information about activities in the Baltic Sea Region that are of relevance to Members and Observers. The Network Officer will also work with supporting Members and Observers’ national and joint international work in different ways, i.a. organizational, capacity building, outreach and financial support to their environmental activities. 


You will work closely with the CCB Secretariat team in Sweden and beyond on different topic-wise issues to ensure effective implementation of CCB’s projects and initiatives. You will also support the development and coordination of CCB’s strategic and thematic plans and ensure their effective implementation.


The CCB Network Officer

  • Serves as the main liaison and contact person between the CCB Secretariat, Working Area Leaders, Working Group Coordinators and Members & Observers;
  • Facilitates coordination through the CCB platform to strengthen Members & Observers cooperation;
  • Maintains direct and permanent in- and outbound communication channels for Members & Observers;
  • Ensures implementation of CCB Constitution provisions relevant for Members & Observers;
  • Represents the CCB, its Members/Observers at relevant events or networking opportunities; 
  • Prepares and coordinates the implementation of the Network Development Strategy.



More specifically the position includes the following tasks and responsibilities:

  • Keeping the registry of CCB Members & Observers updated, including general and specific contacts for Working Areas and Working Groups;
  • Advising on the development and implementation of the Network’s Development Strategy;
  • Promoting CCB Membership / Observership: seeking for new potential Member Organisations; keeping membership criteria updated and visible; supporting on-/offboarding of network Members & Observers;
  • Coordinating arrangements of General Meetings and Annual Conferences (dates and venues, hosts, etc.), as well as performing the secretary functions for those (circulating documents, taking minutes);
  • Coordinating the arrangement and supporting communication & promotion of CCB joint events that serve the whole network, incl. Our Common Baltic, River University, Baltic Climate School, etc.;
  • Regularly liaising with Members & Observers to respond to any questions related to CCB and to have an overview of what they’re working on/are interested in, and what their challenges are;
  • Facilitating and promoting active participation of Members & Observers in the CCB Working Areas/Working Groups and joint events;
  • Facilitating implementation of relevant CCB policies (travel policy, gender policy); supervising the implementation of CCB’s Travel Policy, incl. climate footprint of travels/events;
  • Monitoring and coordinating training opportunities for Members & Observers;
  • Facilitating CCB financial support to Members & Observers, based on their applications and requests;
  • Facilitating communication of Members & Observers’ news across CCB via the internal newsletter;
  • Supporting communication functions by providing information and updates about Members & Observers through CCB’s communication materials and channels, regarding activities relevant to CCB;
  • Supporting the CCB Communication Officer’s work as agreed and deemed necessary;
  • Cooperating with and providing ad hoc support to other staff, as needed.



Required skills and backgroud:

We are seeking candidates with:


-  Relevant knowledge of global, EU and regional environmental policies, preferably in the NGO sector;

-  BSc./MSc. qualification in communication (environmental / intercultural) or social sciences;

-  Previous experience in similar positions, e.g. working on memberships support, working in multicultural environment, as well as competences in events organization;

-  Skills and experience in communication tools and channels, e.g. newsletter tool;

-  EU citizenship or at least residence and work permit in order to travel for work purposes;

-  Excellent proficiency in spoken and written English.


We would also welcome interest from candidates who have been working in wider/non-marine environmental policy areas, if they can demonstrate relevant skills and knowledge.



Desirable skills:

Experience of working for a non-profit organization is a merit.


Working knowledge of any other language common in the Baltic Sea catchment area, including Swedish, Danish, Finnish, German, Polish, Latvian, Lithuanian, Estonian and Ukrainian.


If you are an adaptable, people-oriented and solutions-focused professional with advocacy or campaigning expertise, a positive disposition, a passion for environmental conservation, vibrant team spirit and a can-do attitude, we’d love to hear from you!



Salary: Salary comparable to NGO staff in Sweden and in accordance with the Collective Agreements of the respective unions. Subject to adjustment depending on experience and annual increase.


Location: Flexible, preferably within the Baltic Sea Region. Work from the office in Uppsala, as well as residence in Sweden is appreciated, but not mandatory. Several joint offline events for the whole Secretariat staff and Council expected per year in Sweden.


Travel: Candidates should be flexible to travel as required for meetings and events – mostly within the Baltic Sea Region. You may need to be able to participate in occasional events on weekends.


Contract type: Intended permanent position with 6-month probation period.


Starting time: As soon as possible, depending on availability of the chosen candidate.


Application and deadline


Should you be interested in applying for this position please send your CV (max. 2 pages) together with a personal letter (max. 1 page) before 15 May 2025 to secretariat@ccb.se.


Being an international organization, CCB’s work is carried out in English. Applications submitted in any other language will not be considered.


Incomplete applications (e.g. lacking either CV or personal letter) will be also not considered.


Likewise any inquiries related to this vacancy announcement should be forwarded to the above email or to Executive Secretary Mikhail Durkin at mikhail.durkin@ccb.se and +46 739 770 793.


In the application and hiring process, CCB will not discriminate against any individual based on race, colour, sex, language, religion, national or social origin, property, disability, age, family status, sexual orientation and gender identity, economic and social situation.


* Coalition Clean Baltic – CCB Being an international network organization, CCB has the advantage of being able to work both at the international and national policy levels as well as with concrete field projects. Four ways to reach our goal are: (1) Advocacy, (2) Information, environmental education and other activities, (3) Concrete co-operation projects in the field and (4) Support to Member Organizations. In order to strengthen its efforts and promote joint action to restore the environment of the Baltic Sea, CCB has 4 main Working Areas that are important for all its members: Eutrophication, Biodiversity, Hazardous Substances and Maritime.

CCB is Member of IUCN, BSAС; GWP Partner; Observer at HELCOM, NASCO, IWC.


To read more about CCB’s engagement in marine policy implementation, please visit our recent Annual Reports


Further information about CCB’s policies and main documents is available here.


CCB's submission on sustainable fishing in the EU

By CCB • August 31, 2026
Uppsala, 31 August 2026 - Coalition Clean Baltic (CCB) welcomes the Commission’s recognition that declining fishing pressure has not consistently delivered higher biomass, that recruitment and biomass are deteriorating for a number of stocks, and that Baltic fisheries urgently need rebuilding trajectories. These findings must now shape the Council’s decision on the 2027 fishing opportunities and the Commission’s position during the Council negotiations. The poor status and decline of many Baltic Sea fish populations have been documented over several decades and show that the ecosystem is in severe distress. Cumulative human pressures have contributed to major ecosystem shifts, and at the same time climate change is making the shallow, semi-enclosed Baltic Sea warmer and less saline. These combined pressures affect not only fish biomass but also recruitment, population age and size structures, species interactions and the functioning of the wider food web. The Baltic crisis reflects the persistent failure to fully implement the CFP and the Baltic MAP, including their precautionary safeguards and the legal obligation to apply ecosystem-based fisheries management. Fishing opportunities for 2027 must therefore mark the first concrete step towards ambitious, timebound rebuilding trajectories that reduce fishing pressure and enable depleted populations to recover to healthy levels. These trajectories must include implementation of an ecosystem based approach by accounting for species interactions, food-web needs, habitat conditions, environmental and climatic change and scientific uncertainty, while reinforcing, not replacing the CFP’s objectives and the Baltic MAP’s existing safeguards in Art. 4.6. The Commission’s 2027 proposal is now before the Council. The October Council must turn the commitment to rebuild Baltic fish populations into measurable action by adopting fishing opportunities that deliver rapid and sustained recovery. Under no circumstances should the TACs adopted be higher than levels proposed by the European Commission. Fishing opportunities aligned with scientific evidence, legal safeguards and ecosystem needs are the basis for both a recovering Baltic Sea and viable fisheries in the long term. Read the full CCB's submission and recommendations here .

NGOs urge EU fisheries ministers to turn fragile progress into lasting recovery

By CCB • August 25, 2026
25 August 2026 - Following yesterday’s European Commission proposal for 2027 Baltic Sea fishing opportunities , environmental and angling organisations call on EU fisheries ministers not to treat the early signs of recovery for some Baltic Sea fish populations as a licence for steep quota increases. The latest scientific assessment on central Baltic herring shows some encouraging signs of improvement. This is welcome, but the changes are recent and do not mean that the population has fully recovered. An increase in biomass alone does not demonstrate that fish populations are healthy and resilient or justify higher catch limits. Fishing limits for small pelagic fish in the Baltic Sea have been set too high for years; last year’s Agriculture and Fisheries Council’s (AGRIFISH) decisions provide a recent example [1]. Herring proposals support recovery, but sprat’s wider ecosystem role must not be overlooked NGOs support the Commission’s proposed 2027 catch limit of 143,860 tonnes for central Baltic herring. Although 49% higher than last year, the proposal reflects the population’s recent growth, whilst also increasing the chances of the still fragile population to continue rebuilding. NGOs also cautiously welcome the proposed catch limit of 57,308 tonnes for Bothnian herring, a 3% increase, and the retention of the three- month spawning closure. Nevertheless, the population remains vulnerable and continues to be below healthy levels according to scientific advice [2]. An even more cautious fishing level would be needed in order to restore the population to the required healthy level. NGOs therefore strongly recommend a lower Total Allowable Catch (TAC) of 45,544 tonnes. For sprat, the proposed catch limit of 291,590 tonnes and proposed removal of the spawning closure do not sufficiently account for the observed and documented misreporting issues, or for species’ vital role in the wider Baltic Sea ecosystem. “The Commission has taken a careful approach to herring, and the same is needed for sprat. Sprat may be small, but they play a vital role in the Baltic Sea as key prey for cod, salmon and seabirds. Fisheries ministers should set a lower catch limit that leaves enough sprat in the sea to help the fragile Baltic Sea ecosystem recover,” says Cathrine Pedersen Schirmer, Senior Fisheries Policy Advisor, Coalition Clean Baltic. Cod remains in crisis Scientists continue to advise zero catch for both eastern and western Baltic cod in 2027, a reminder of how depleted these populations remain. NGOs welcome the Commission's proposal to reduce cod bycatch quotas by 51% (to 211 tonnes) for eastern Baltic cod and by 88% (to 31 tonnes) for western Baltic cod, and to maintain the current conservation measures. However, to increase the chances for recovery for Baltic cod populations, EU decision makers must walk the talk. New legal obligations require the use of fishing gear in flatfish fisheries designed to avoid accidental catches of cod. With this gear now mandatory, cod bycatch quotas should be reduced and set as close as possible to the advised zero catch. For plaice, the Commission proposes to keep the same fishing opportunity as in 2026. However, cod is also caught as bycatch in the plaice fishery. NGOs therefore urge ministers to keep the plaice quota at a lower level, no higher than 1,593 tonnes for 2027, to help reduce accidental cod catches. "Fishing opportunities for 2027 should reflect the objectives of the Nature Restoration Regulation. As Member States prepare their national restoration plans, fishing limits must help rebuild fish populations and support the recovery of resilient marine ecosystems. Overfishing and neglecting an ecosystem-based approach would undermine restoration efforts," says Justyna Zajchowska, Fisheries Lead for WWF Baltic Sea Programme. E ncouraging salmon returns do not show recovery across all rivers Salmon returns to several large rivers in Sweden and Finland have been encouraging in 2026 [3]. However, several smaller northern Swedish populations remain at critically low levels, and the effects of the three previous poor years are expected to persist. The regional picture therefore remains uneven. NGOs welcome the Commission’s proposal not to increase fishing opportunities for Baltic salmon. However, for both the Main Basin salmon and the Gulf of Finland salmon, fishing should only take place on compensatory released salmon or salmon from rivers where stocks are at full reproductive capacity. “Good returns to the Torne and several other large rivers are welcome, but Baltic salmon cannot be judged by a few rivers alone. Many smaller populations remain at critical levels, and there is no room to increase fishing pressure on wild salmon,” says Thomas Johansson, Chairman, Östersjölaxälvar i Samverkan, and Secretary General, Baltic Salmon Fund. Fisheries ministers must turn promises into action for a real recovery of the Baltic Sea When agreeing the Baltic Sea fishing opportunities for 2027 in October, EU fisheries ministers must apply a precautionary and ecosystem-based approach and: Follow the Commission’s proposal on fishing opportunities for: Central Baltic herring, Western Baltic herring, Eastern Baltic cod, Western Baltic cod; Set lower, more precautionary and ecosystem-based fishing opportunities for: sprat, Bothnian herring, Gulf of Riga herring, plaice, Main Basin salmon, Gulf of Finland salmon; Under no circumstances set fishing opportunities for Bothnian herring higher than the Commission’s proposal. A higher level of fishing would lead to a decrease in stock size; Honour the October AGRIFISH 2025 commitment by agreeing to a clear timetable for ambitious, time-bound rebuilding plans for every depleted Baltic Sea fish population, based on rebuilding trajectories that restore populations to healthy levels as quickly as possible; and Ensure that Baltic Sea fishing opportunities are aligned with EU nature restoration objectives, so that public and private work and investments in marine restoration are not undermined by continued overfishing, insufficient rebuilding measures and lack of implementation of ecosystem-based fisheries management. In October 2025, the Commission and the eight Baltic EU Member States agreed [4] on the urgent need to rebuild Baltic Sea fish populations. The 2027 fishing-opportunities decision is the first real test of that commitment. Some improvements in Central Baltic herring and sprat show that recovery is possible ministers must now adopt fishing limits that secure that progress in the long term and give every depleted Baltic Sea fish population a credible chance to recover. - ENDS The full press release is available in PDF here . Extra info For the full joint NGO recommendations on Baltic Sea fishing opportunities for 2027, please see: https://www.ccb.se/joint-ngo-recommendations-on-baltic-sea-fishing-opportunities-for-2027 Central Baltic herring remains below the level at which rebuilding measures should begin. The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) expects the population to move only slightly above that level in 2027. Even then, fishing at the rate associated with maximum sustainable yield would leave a 36% probability of it falling below the threshold again in 2028 [5]. ICES also warns that the stock contains genetically distinct spawning groups and is therefore vulnerable to losses in genetic diversity and overall productivity [6]. The sprat population has grown and is now above key biomass reference points. However, fishing pressure is already at the level associated with maximum sustainable yield. ICES cautions that persistent misreporting of herring and sprat adds uncertainty to its assessment and advice [7]. Sprat is an important food source for cod, salmon and other marine wildlife [8], while ICES reports that industrial sprat fisheries can include substantial catches of herring [9]. Higher fishing pressure on sprat could therefore affect vulnerable herring populations as well as species that depend on sprat for food. Media contacts Beatrice Rindevall , Chairperson, Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, ordforande@naturskyddsforeningen.se Cathrine Pedersen Schirmer , Senior Fisheries Policy Advisor, Coalition Clean Baltic, Cathrine@ccb.se Justyna Zajchowska , Fisheries Lead, WWF Baltic Sea Programme, jzajchowska@wwf.pl Joonas Plaan , Board member, Marine and Climate programme, Estonian Fund for Nature, joonas.plaan@elfond.ee Dr. Katja Hockun , Senior Expert Meeresschutz, Deutsche Umwelthilfe e.V., hockun@duh.de Konrad Stralka , Executive Director, BalticWaters, konrad.stralka@balticwaters.org Magda Jentgena , Baltic Sea and Freshwater Programme Manager, Pasaules Dabas Fonds, mjentgena@pdf.lv Regan McEnroe , Chairperson, Nature and Youth Sweden, ordforande@faltbiologerna.se Tapani Veistola , Executive Director, Suomen luonnonsuojeluliitto (Finnish Association for Nature Conservation), tapani.veistola@sll.fi Thomas Johansson , Chairman, Östersjölaxälvar i Samverkan, and Secretary General, Baltic Salmon Fund, thomas@balticsalmonfund.com *** Notes [1] See joint NGO press release on the outcome: https://www.ccb.se/fisheries-ministers-risk-breaking-eu-law-jeopardising-baltic-sea-recovery [2] ICES (2026). Herring (Clupea harengus) in Subdivisions 30 and 31 (Gulf of Bothnia). ICES Advice: Recurrent Advice. Report. https://doi.org/10.17895/ices.advice.30932087.v1 [3] Finnish monitoring of salmon returns: https://luonnonvaratieto.luke.fi/numerotieto/raportit?panel=nousulohiseuranta&inits=REGION_ID%3D3&lang=en&state=REGION%3D3%3BREPORT%3Dfi%3Asalmon_run_monitoring%2F89%3BYEAR%3D2026 [4] Council of the European Union (2025), Draft minutes of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council , 27–28 October 2025, document 14646/25, p. 13, joint statement on the urgent need for rebuilding fisheries in the Baltic Sea. [5] ICES, Herring in subdivisions 25–29 and 32, excluding the Gulf of Riga, pp. 1–2. The stock is currently below MSY Btrigger; projected biomass for 2027 is only 5% above it. Under the FMSY scenario, ICES estimates a 36% probability of biomass being below MSY Btrigger in 2028. https://ices-library.figshare.com/articles/report/Herring_i_Clupea_harengus_i_in_subdivisions_25-29_and_32_excluding_the_Gulf_of_Riga_central_Baltic_Sea_/30932081?file=65083161 [6] Ibid., p. 4. ICES identifies genetically distinct spawning components and warns of vulnerability to losses in genetic diversity and overall productivity. [7] ICES, Sprat in subdivisions 22–32: ICES advice . [8] Birgersson, L. and Pedersen Schirmer, C. (2025). Small fish with a big impact – a review of forage fish importance for a healthy Baltic Sea. FishSec (Fiskesekretariatet), Stockholm, Sweden. [9] ICES. 2026. Baltic Fisheries Assessment Working Group (WGBFAS). ICES Scientific Reports 8:39, section 7.2.5, p. 531. ICES reports that industrial sprat fisheries in several Baltic countries may include large bycatches of other species, predominantly herring. https://doi.org/10.17895/ices.pub.32455056