International Food Safety Consultant

Organizational Setting

FAO's Subregional Office for Southern Africa is responsible for developing, promoting, overseeing and implementing agreed strategies for addressing subregional food, agriculture and rural development priorities. It develops and maintains relations with subregion-wide institutions including Regional Economic Integration Organizations (REIOs). It assists the FAO Representations (FAORs) in the subregion with addressing subregional food security, agriculture and rural development issues at country level. The Subregional Office is a subsidiary of FAO’s Regional Office for Africa

Reporting Lines

The Food Safety consultant reports to the Subregional Coordinator and maintains regular contact with Senior Food Safety Officer for functional guidance on matters relating to food safety and governance support in the food and agricultural sectors.

Technical Focus

Provides leadership, guidance and operational support for results-based food safety assistance and governance work of decentralized offices in the Sub Region, in relation to regional and sub-regional food safety issues, and provides guidance to the work of food safety officers posted at country level in relation to their work on food security, nutrition and sustainable agricultural development.

Comprehensive technical and policy expertise to support the planning, development and implementation of Departmental/Division programmes, projects, products and services with regard to food safety/food controls in accordance with Division objectives and FAO Strategic Objectives.

Tasks and Responsibilities

• Plan and lead components of multi-disciplinary teams, leads and/or participates on Organization-wide, cross-committees, project teams, and working groups and/or provides specialized expertise on technical networks and/or international technical policy and/or international technical policy and standard setting bodies;

• Develop technical, analytical, monitoring and reporting frameworks, and related methodologies, tools, systems and databases etc. to support the planning, implementation/delivery and monitoring of programmes of work, projects, products and/or services;

• Design and conduct research, data collection, validation, analysis and/or reporting activities to support the development of technical standards, international instruments, innovative approaches and strategies, new tools, technologies, technical reports/publications, and/or policy proposals as well as the provision of technical/policy/ specialist/advice and expertise;

• Respond to country requests for technical and policy assistance, provides technical advice, assistance and solutions to Decentralized Offices and provides technical backstopping to field projects;

• Collaborate in, provide technical backstopping to and ensure the quality / effectiveness of capacity development and knowledge sharing activities within member countries such as policy support, organizational development and individual learning events including preparation of related information, learning materials, on-line tools;

• Promote international cooperation/advocates best practices, increased policy dialogue and provides technical expertise at international/intergovernmental meetings;

• Participate in resource mobilization activities in accordance with the FAO Corporate strategy;

• Participate in representing the Organization at international meetings and conferences, identifies and implement strategic partnerships, advocate best practices and increased policy dialogue and develops and negotiates effective working relationships/consensus and agreements with international and national stakeholders

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree in chemistry, biochemistry, food science, food technology, pharmacology/toxicology, or a related field

• Ten years of relevant experience in safety/risk assessment of chemicals in food

• Working knowledge of English and limited knowledge of another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish)

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, particularly in field positions is desirable

• Extent and relevance of experience or knowledge of food safety.

• Extent and relevance of experience in analysing food safety and quality and related issues

• Extent and relevance of experience in relation to the use, occurrence and analysis of chemicals in food and associated food safety risks

• Extent and relevance of experience in different countries and regions, especially in developing countries and countries in transition

• Ability to mobilize resources and to deliver against deadlines