Regional AMR Private Sector Food Safety Specialist

Overview

Lead initiatives for food safety and private sector engagement to combat AMR in Asia-Pacific.

You have:

• Master’s degree relevant to food safety, food science and technology, agriculture and food industries engineering, or related fields.
• At least seven years of relevant experience in the food industry working for or with companies or private sector organisations on areas relating to food standards and/or food safety.
• Excellent working knowledge of English and limited knowledge of one of the FAO languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish).

Organizational Setting

The FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific is responsible for leading FAO’s response to regional priorities for food security, agriculture and rural development through the identification, planning and implementation of focused, multi-disciplinary projects and programmes. It identifies priority areas of action for the Organization in the Region, in collaboration with departments and divisions at Headquarters, and promotes the value and deliverables of the FAO’s New Strategic Framework within the context and outputs of work to help our Members achieve Better Production, Better Nutrition, a Better Environment and a Better Life for all – leaving no one behind.

The visibility of FAO’s successes in delivering its good public works within the framework of the abovementioned “Four Betters” is critical to the benefit of our Members and our resource partners. The Regional Office aims to raise visibility of its supporting role for regional policy dialogue on food security, agriculture and rural development issues, in its own right, and through the development, facilitation and emergence of regional Partnerships, to support capacity development and resource mobilization for food security, agriculture and rural development across the region.

At the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, the Animal Health and Production Module is supporting delivery of the One Health Program Priority Area and the Regional Food Systems Transformation Initiative. Technical emphasis is placed on: 1) Improved Sustainable livestock production, good husbandry & farming practices including supporting the Animal Production and Health Commission for Asia and Pacific (APHCA): 2) Improved risk management, prevention and control of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR); 3) Prevention and control of zoonotic diseases (emerging, endemic & food-borne) & transboundary animal diseases; and 4) Expanding One Health beyond animal & public health stakeholders, to be inclusive of the forestry, wildlife, natural resource management & environment sectors.

The post is located in the Regional Office for Asia-Pacific

Reporting Lines

The incumbent will deliver tasks and outputs under the overall direction of reports to the Senior Animal Health & Production Officer in the Animal Health and Production Module.

Technical Focus

Combatting AMR has long been a priority for FAO, the Tripartite, European Commission, and a high level of political commitment has been mobilised within the G7, G20, United Nations (UN) and international organisations. To promote political commitment, good governance, and assist with developing relevant capacities across sectors to address AMR, FAO in collaboration with the Tripartite is commencing a European Commission funded project “Working together to fight antimicrobial resistance (AMR)” with nine Asian countries.

Tasks and responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Senior Animal Health and Production Officer in FAO’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP) in Bangkok, under the technical guidance of the Regional One Health AMR Coordinator (UNJP/RAS/399/EC) and in close consultation with the Regional AMR Surveillance Specialist, the Tripartite and EU regional and country project focal points and communication officers, the consultant will provide technical support to the “Working together to fight antimicrobial resistance (AMR)” project, the Animal Health and Production module and the One Health Regional Priority Program and, where appropriate, work with the EU project Food Safety and Private Sector Engagement Specialist, to perform the following tasks:

• Lead FAO’s work on the following activities under the UNJP/RAS/399/EC project, “Working together to fight antimicrobial resistance (AMR)” in collaboration with the Tripartite (WHO and WOAH), European Commission, country partners and other relevant international or regional partners:
  • Promote FAO's Strategy for Private Sector Engagement (PSE) and WOAH’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) typology and guidelines and support the development of PPP, aiming to improve AMR risk management through greater commitment and interaction with the private sector.
  • Develop AMR communication guidelines to involve the private sector as well as other stakeholders (linked to the Communications Specialist’s work on the overall strategic communication strategy).
  • As required, providing support to WOAH on a regional workshop on falsified and unauthorised drugs within the animal sector, with follow up support to develop a pharmacovigilance system in one country.
• Lead work with the AMR Surveillance Specialist, on the following activities under the UNJP/RAS/399/EC project, in collaboration with the Tripartite (WOAH and WHO), European Commission, country partners and other relevant international or regional partners:
  • As required, provide support to WOAH in the development of a mechanism/app to detect falsified or unauthorized veterinary products at the country level with pilot to be done in one or two countries.
  • Support the Regional AMR Advocacy and Communication Specialist in collecting lessons learned and evidence on good practices in veterinary medicine, food production and public health of the region. Use this information to generate advocacy and communication materials (videos, newsletters, social media, etc.) with a One Health perspective for private sector.
  • As required, provide advice to the FAO HQ legal team on research and a regional workshop on the improvement of AMR-related regulatory frameworks.
• Support the AMR Surveillance Specialist, on the following activities under the UNJP/RAS/399/EC project, in collaboration with the Tripartite (OIE and WHO), European Commission, country partners and other relevant international or regional partners:
  • Preparations for and delivery of a regional benchmarking workshop on findings from laboratory assessments (e.g. PT, JEE and ATLASS) relevant to Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (AST) at regional level.
  • Preparations for and delivery of national capacity building workshops to support lead national labs from each country to address the findings from laboratory assessments (e.g. PT, JEE and ATLASS) on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (AST)).
  • As required, contribute to WOAH training on surveillance of AMR aquatic and terrestrial food animals. Trainees to visit laboratories for medium-term training in techniques relating to aquatic and terrestrial species.
  • As required, provide advice related to: the creation of an inventory of AMR research activities undertaken in the Regional AMR project countries; scientific symposia to promote research & development; and fostering international AMR research coordination and collaboration in the animal health sector.
• Provide advice to FAORAP’s team developing regional guidelines on different aspects of food safety and private sector engagement;
• Map out and develop a regional private sector AMR stakeholder list and ensure close coordination with FAO HQ on the AMR partnership platform
• Familiarize him/herself with FAO’s work globally and in the regional on all aspects of food safety and private sector engagement.
• In collaboration with relevant RAP Regional AMR team members and the RAP Virtual Learning Centre, assist in the production and delivery of AMR training modules and related advocacy materials
• In collaboration with relevant RAP Regional AMR communications team, prepare quarterly web articles on AMR surveillance.
• Provide technical support to members of the FAO RAP Regional AMR working group and countries on food safety and private sector engagement.
• Support the Senior Animal Health and Production Officer to deliver the RAP Animal Health and Production Module (AHP) and One Heath Regional Program Priority Area including reporting against the One Health, livestock, animal health and production and relevant outputs, indicators, results and activities for the 2022-2023 biennial work plan, support planning and development of the 2024-2025 biennial work plan, and contribute to the Periodic Budgetary Report (PBR) work plan and One Health Joint Plan of Action.
• Provide food safety and private sector engagement-related technical advice to Decentralized Offices (sub-regional and country) and support, backstop, and facilitate implementation of One Health or animal health and production projects in the Asia and Pacific Region;
• Perform any other related duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Master’s degree relevant to the above areas (e.g. food safety, food science and technology, agriculture and food industries engineering, food safety regulations, nutrition)
• At least seven years of relevant experience at national and international levels in the food industry working for or with companies or private sector organisations on areas relating to food standards and/or food safety
• Excellent working knowledge of English and limited knowledge of one of the other FAO languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish).

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• An understanding of food science and technology particularly in relation to food safety
• Demonstrable knowledge of international food safety standards including Codex Alimentarius
• Knowledge of food safety regulations in the European Union and at least one South East Asian/Western Pacific country and issues relating to compliance
• Some knowledge of communication with and between private sector stakeholders
• Collaboration expertise with different stakeholders (civil society, academia, government counterparts, private sector, general public) and ability to work with diverse staff in an international work environment

Selection Criteria

• Extent and relevance of technical food safety experience
• Extent and relevance of food standards and regulations experience
• Extent and relevance of work with or within private sector organisations involved in food production and/or processing
• Demonstrated experience working well with a team of diverse professionals, diverse stakeholders and across multiple cultures

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Potential interview questions

Added 3 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: fao.org