National Hub Expert – Bulgaria (Black Sea / Common Maritime Agenda)

📍 Location: Bulgaria (remote / national-based; travel required for events and meetings)

📋 Type: Part-time (minimum 50% FTE); Expert pool for project bid and future assignments

About NTU International & This Opportunity

NTU International A/S is an international consulting company providing advisory and programme management services for governments and international organisations. We work extensively with EU institutions on policy, maritime affairs, and technical assistance initiatives.

NTU is currently preparing a bid for Call for Tenders CINEA/2026/OP/0001 – "Assistance Mechanism for the European Sea Basin Strategies in the Atlantic, Western Mediterranean, Black and North Seas" – a contract issued by the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). The contract supports the implementation of four EU Sea Basin Strategies through technical assistance, stakeholder engagement, communication, and national-level coordination.

To strengthen our bid and build our expert pool for future assignments, we are seeking a qualified National Hub Expert based in Bulgaria to support the Black Sea (Common Maritime Agenda – CMA) Sea Basin Strategy. Bulgaria is one of the seven Black Sea coastal countries participating in the Common Maritime Agenda (CMA), alongside Georgia, Romania, Türkiye, Ukraine, and the Republic of Moldova.

About the Common Maritime Agenda for the Black Sea

The CMA for the Black Sea is a regional cooperation framework on sustainable blue economy, setting three major goals: healthy marine and coastal ecosystems; a competitive, innovative, and sustainable blue economy; and fostering investment. Active Technical Groups cover sustainable aquaculture (Black Sea SustAQUA) and coastal and maritime tourism. The National Hub in Bulgaria will support stakeholders in implementing CMA priorities and engaging with funding opportunities.

Key Tasks and Responsibilities

• Identify, develop, and support project ideas systematically linked to relevant funding opportunities
• Build relationships with national, regional, and local authorities, clusters, maritime networks, and stakeholders
• Support partner matchmaking and cooperation across the sea basin
• Organise national and bi-national events, thematic workshops, and roadshows in line with strategy priorities
• Participate in external events to promote visibility of the sea basin strategy
• Raise awareness and disseminate strategy priorities and results
• Provide input to the maritime data hub / CINEA Qlik Sense dashboard
• Draft rolling annual roadmaps in consultation with national coordinators
• Support the Sea Basin Coordinator in monitoring and reporting activities
• Contribute to policy feedback and analysis on blue economy priorities

Profile Requirements

We are looking for experts with the following qualifications:

• At least 5 years of professional experience in maritime policy and/or blue economy sectors
• Demonstrated experience of working with sector stakeholders at national or regional level
• Relevant higher education degree related to maritime affairs, blue economy, or equivalent
• Strong knowledge of national and EU funding instruments relevant to maritime/blue economy
• Excellent networking and stakeholder engagement skills
• Fluency in English (written and spoken); proficiency in the national language is essential
• Experience with EU-funded projects or programmes is highly desirable

Country-Specific Requirements

• In-depth knowledge of Bulgaria's maritime and Black Sea economic sectors, including fisheries, aquaculture, and coastal tourism
• Familiarity with Bulgarian and EU funding instruments relevant to blue economy (e.g. EMFAF, ERDF, national maritime programmes)
• Existing network within Bulgarian maritime authorities, Black Sea regional institutions, and blue economy stakeholders
• Awareness of the geopolitical context of the Black Sea region and its impact on cooperation
• Professional proficiency in Bulgarian (native or near-native level); English proficiency is essential

How to Apply

Please apply via LinkedIn and upload your most recent CV, ensuring it includes your email address and telephone number.

We encourage all applicants to follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ntu-international/

Only shortlisted experts will be contacted when relevant opportunities arise.

Due to the expected volume of applications, NTU will contact specialists whose profiles match the requirements of specific assignments.