Rations Quality Control/Quality Assurance Officer

Volunteering

Overview

Oversee quality control for food rations to ensure compliance with standards.

You have:

• Ability to live and work in difficult and harsh conditions of developing countries is essential.
• Experience in conducting food safety management system audits and inspections in food production, warehousing and/or catering facilities is desirable.
• Professionalism, client orientation and respect for diversity and gender are desired qualities.
• Conduct scheduled and unannounced inspections at all unit/contingent's rations stores, kitchens and dining halls to ensure compliance with management guidelines.
• Conduct periodic inspections at sub-contracted local bakeries and suppliers to ascertain compliance with hygienic and quality standards.

Contract

This is a UNV International Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as International UN Volunteer. It is normally internationally recruited only. More about UNV International Specialist contracts.

Assignment is a non-family (GOMA)

Under the direct supervision of Chief, Rations Unit through the Rations Operations Officer, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

• Examine, verify, and review the contract terms in respect of food rations items supplied by the contractors to ensure that they respect the contractual terms, conditions, and obligations. • Monitor shipments of incoming containers and inspect the rations on arrival, including accompanying documentation as required, i.e., health and safety certifications to conform to UN Standard. • Perform Quality Control (QC) and Quality Assurance (QA) and KPIs for all work and/or services provided by the contractor. • Conduct regular inspections/site visits at contractor's facility (warehouse & vehicles) to check cleanliness, validation and warranty of fresh, frozen, and dry items and subsequent submission of reports to Rations Operations 0fficer/Chief Rations Unit. • Conduct follow-up inspections to ensure compliance with directives/instructions given during previous inspections. • Conduct scheduled and unannounced inspections at all unit/contingent's rations stores, reefers, kitchens and dining halls to ensure compliance with ration management guidelines and procedures, hygienic and safety standards of both food handlers and equipment. • Conduct periodic inspections at sub-contracted local bakeries and suppliers to ascertain compliance with hygienic and quality standards of products provided to military units/contingents. • Assist food officers (contingents) in resolving rations quality complaints. • Participate in training programs, i.e., Electronic Rations Management System (ERMS), food seminars and food conferences for contingent's food officers organized by Rations Unit or at the Sector level. • Provide suggestions and solutions on quality problems revealed and provide input to the reports. • Monitor the cold chain used by the contractor so that food is stored in acceptable conditions of storing; Perform other related functions as assigned by the Chief of Unit.

Professionalism, client orientation and respect for diversity and gender, Teamwork, Integrity

supporting supply operations and rations services in support of, or in a field operation is desirable.

Experience in conducting food safety management system audits and inspections in food production, warehousing and/or in catering facilities is desirable.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is the second largest country in Africa, and as a result is quite diverse.

Living conditions therefore vary between MONUSCO duty stations, with all usual amenities present in the capital Kinshasa, but only very basic conditions in remote duty stations in the provinces, where, for instance, there may be no guarantee of public power supply nor running water. The ability to live and work in difficult and harsh conditions of developing countries is essential. Accommodation is very expensive in both Kinshasa and Lubumbashi. Supermarkets exist in the large towns (e.g. Bukavu, Kisangani), but consumer items are generally very expensive (as everything is imported). For food, local markets offer a much cheaper alternative.

All MONUSCO duty stations are considered non-family duty stations, except for Kinshasa, Lubumbashi and Entebbe which are now considered family duty stations, and most are currently under UN Security Phase III (“relocation phase”: internationally-recruited staff are temporarily concentrated or relocated to specified sites/locations). In addition to insecurity related to the relatively volatile political situation as well as various conflict situations, certain places are subject to increasing street and residential crime, including in Kinshasa and Goma. Some degree of medical service is provided in all MONUSCO duty stations. Certain vaccinations are mandatory for MONUSCO personnel to enter the DRC, while others are compulsory for all other incoming persons. It is possible for incoming MONUSCO personnel, including UN Volunteers, to be asked to provide proof of some or all vaccinations, though this is unlikely. All UN Volunteers must ensure that they are up-to-date with all appropriate vaccinations, which should be clearly and properly endorsed in the International Certificate of Vaccination (“carte jaune”). Malaria is present virtually throughout the DRC, and it is therefore recommended to take prophylaxis.

The unit of currency is the Congolese Franc. The US dollar is the other preferred currency. It may be impossible to exchange traveller’s checks away from the capital city. Credit cards are usually accepted in major hotels only in Kinshasa. In larger towns and cities (e.g. Kinshasa, Goma, Bukavu, Kisangani), UN Volunteers are recommended to open US Dollar bank accounts, while in other places, banks may be absent (including ATMs) and VLA payments will be processed in cash. UN Volunteers have the possibility to send part of their allowances to a bank account abroad.

In addition to French, there are four major spoken languages in DRC, namely Lingala, Kikongo, Tshiluba and Swahili.

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Potential interview questions

Added 2 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: unv.org