Food Safety and Quality Assurance Officer

Job Posting Organization:
The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization dedicated to saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build pathways to peace, stability, and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters, and the impacts of climate change. Established in 1961, WFP operates in over 80 countries, employing thousands of staff members who are committed to the mission of eradicating hunger and improving nutrition. WFP's vision is to create a future workforce that is diverse, skilled, and high-performing, operating in an inclusive environment that reflects its core values of Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity, and Inclusion. WFP has been recognized for its efforts, notably being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 202

• The organization emphasizes personal and professional development through various training and mentorship programs, offering employees opportunities for career advancement across its global offices.

Job Overview:
The Food Safety and Quality Assurance Officer will play a crucial role in implementing WFP's food safety and quality initiatives, policies, and procedures. This position requires collaboration with supply chain and program functions to ensure that food safety and quality are integrated into all food-related operations. The officer will be responsible for adapting and implementing policies to align with WFP's strategies, providing technical guidance to the Ethiopia Country Office, and establishing systems for risk management and compliance. The role is vital in safeguarding beneficiary health and enhancing food systems, contributing directly to the outcomes of WFP's Country Strategic Plan (CSP) for Ethiopia. The officer will also engage with various stakeholders to incorporate best practices and facilitate research related to food safety and quality assurance, ensuring that WFP can deliver safe and nutritious food assistance effectively.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Adapt and implement policies and procedures to align WFP’s FSQA approach with WFP and supply chain strategies and coordinate the implementation of FSQA regulations to ensure compliance.
• Provide technical guidance and input to Ethiopia Country Office (ETCO) in the design and implementation of WFP food assistance programmes, ensuring that food safety and quality is embedded in all food-related WFP operations.
• Implement field operations protocols for risk and incident management to enable rapid response to food safety concerns.
• Establish and/or support the establishment of field operations systems for the prevention and mitigation of FSQA issues, including creating product specifications, advising ETCO to engage with national and regional food authorities regarding national food regulations, and implementing risk-based systems for supplier assessment and compliance.
• Collaborate with supply chain and other relevant functions to establish standard operating procedures, protocols, and tools that maintain, monitor, and verify food safety and quality throughout the WFP supply chain.
• Build relationships with stakeholders across UN agencies, NGOs, governments, and the private sector to leverage opportunities to incorporate industry best practices enhancing WFP’s capacity to operate effectively.
• Coordinate and facilitate WFP’s involvement in research related to FSQA assurance, packaging, and principles, enabling the organization to provide safe, quality foods and achieve desired programme impacts.
• Provide advice and technical guidance to WFP staff at all levels, partners, and governments, supporting country operations to build the capacity of local food producers. This may include enhancing quality assurance in food production, establishing suitable food processing facilities, acquisition of food processing machinery, and conducting product stability studies in line with regulations.
• Guide and provide technical support to enhance national food systems by strengthening the capacity of local and regional quality infrastructure institutions. This includes food standards agencies, control systems, laboratory testing facilities, certification, and inspection bodies and Fortification support. 1
• When required by operational structures exceptionally, staffing limitations hinder full segregation of duties between FSQA management and capacity building, coordinate on FSQA-embedded initiatives in COs, such as strengthening food systems or improving food diversity for nutrition interventions, in close collaboration with Global HQ FSQA. 1
• Prepare accurate and timely accounting, data collection, and reporting, to inform decision-making and contribute to a knowledge base that supports continuous improvement of WFP’s FSQA approach and overall Supply Chain. 1
• Facilitate cross-functional collaboration and knowledge sharing across supply chain functions for an integrated approach to food safety and operational effectiveness. 1
• Guide and motivate a small team providing coaching, training, and guidance as required to enable professional development and high performance. 1
• Act in an assigned emergency response capacity as required to meet emergency food assistance needs. 1
• Other duties as required.

Required Qualifications:
The position requires an advanced university degree in Food Technology, Health Sciences, Food Control, Nutrition, or a related field. Alternatively, a first university degree with two additional years of relevant work experience is acceptable. Candidates must possess a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in Food Safety and Quality, procurement, logistics, or supply chain management, along with additional relevant training in food safety and quality. Desired skills include experience in managing food assistance programmes, preparing reports for senior leadership, and collaborating across functions to build professional relationships.

Educational Background:
Candidates must hold an advanced university degree in Food Technology, Health Sciences, Food Control, Nutrition, or a related field. A first university degree with two additional years of related work experience is also acceptable. This educational background is essential to ensure that the candidate has the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively implement food safety and quality assurance initiatives.

Experience:
A minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in Food Safety and Quality is required, along with experience in procurement, logistics, or supply chain management. Candidates should have additional relevant training in food safety and quality, which will enhance their ability to perform the duties of the position effectively. Experience in managing food assistance programmes and operating in emergency contexts is highly desirable.

Languages:
Fluency in both oral and written communication in English is mandatory for this position. Proficiency in additional languages may be considered an asset but is not explicitly required.

Additional Notes:
The position is classified as a Regular Consultant at Consultant Level 2 and is open only to non-Ethiopian nationals. The contract duration is for 11 months, and the role is based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. WFP offers an attractive compensation package, and the organization is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free from discrimination and harassment. All applications must be submitted through WFP's online recruiting system, and candidates are advised to ensure their profiles are complete and accurate.