Food Safety Specialist - FAO

The Regional Office for Africa (RAF) leads FAO’s response to regional priorities for food security, agriculture and rural development. It ensures a multidisciplinary approach to programmes, identifies priority areas of action for the Organization in the region and, in collaboration with departments and divisions at Headquarters, develops, promotes and oversees FAO’s strategic response to regional priorities. In its programme delivery, RAF contributes to the achievements of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially the eradication of poverty, achieving zero hunger, good health and well-being. The Sub-Saharan African region continues to be afflicted by hunger and malnutrition. Critical factors contributing to sub-optimal food systems in the region are related to high levels of Post-Harvest Losses, weak investment in agribusiness and value chains and food safety issues that hamper trade in food commodities. It is therefore vital that systems are put in place to enable more inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems at local, national and international levels. This could be done through reinforcing public sector capacity to work with the private sector and civil society organizations in order to develop sustainable value chains for agricultural products, with particular attention to strengthening farmer market-agribusiness linkages.

Reporting Lines

The Food Specialist Consultant will work under the technical supervision of the Food Safety Officer and under the overall supervision of the Senior Nutrition Officer and the Regional Programme Leader (RPL). He/she will work in consultation with Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), Animal Health, Trade and Post-harvest Losses (PHL) teams.

Technical Focus

Food safety control system including assessment and support for the development and implementation of food safety regulatory frameworks and implementation strategies and food safety risk management activities. The food safety specialist will also provide support to capacity building activities on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures.

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Tasks and responsibilities

• Support the implementation of Codex Trust Fund (CTF) projects in countries led by FAO: Facilitate the development and finalization of project documents, provide technical assistance to CTF supported activities at country and/or regional level, Facilitate reporting and communications activities related to CTF projects;
• Provide technical support and backstopping to field projects;
• Develop guidance to countries on food safety risk analysis, risk profiling, risk ranking and risk communication including the preparation of technical reports and briefs;
• Develop and implement field activities which contribute to improvement of food safety systems including development of tools and training materials related to the implementation and the monitoring of the control measures;

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree (for Consultants) / University degree (only for PSA) in Agricultural and Food Sciences, Food Sciences, agricultural economics or related field;
• Five years of relevant experience in food control systems in terms of project design/implementation and implementation of control measures including Good Hygienic Practices (GHPs), Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP).
• Working knowledge of English, French or Spanish and limited knowledge of one of the other two or Arabic, Chinese, Russian. (For PSA, working knowledge of English only).

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Work experience in more than one location or area of work
• Familiarity with food safety regulatory framework and implementation instruments including food standards and Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS measures)
• Working knowledge of both English and French will be an important asset.