Food Safety and Quality Officer

Overview

To provide support to the collection, analyses and reporting of information relevant to the implementation of WFP food safety and quality initiatives, policies and procedures. Job holders liaise with supply chain and programme functions to improve an integrated approach that supports WFP’s strategic objectives in food assistance.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide technical inputs to assist with the implementation of policies and procedures that align WFP’s FSQA approach with FSQA and supply chain strategies, and support compliance with FSQA regulations.
• Draft specific inputs related to the design and implementation of WFP food assistance programmes, ensuring that food safety and quality is embedded in all food-related WFP operations.
• Participate in planning, execution and reporting of all food safety and quality programmes relevant to the Sierra Leone Country Office and aligned with the Food Safety and Quality Manual.
• Participate in the planning, implementation and reporting of all Sierra Leone CO food safety and quality activities including trainings, workshops, technical assessments and technical visits.
• Generate, collate and store relevant knowledge assets pertaining to WFP Sierra Leone food safety and quality.
• Gather information for drafting of documentations for risk and incident management, assist with investigations to support rapid response to food safety concerns, and share lessons learned to reduce re-occurrences.
• Follow WFP FSQA regulations in the organisation of field operations systems for the prevention and mitigation of FSQA issues.
• Provide technical inputs to supply chain colleagues, within the area of assignment, to support maintaining and monitoring food safety and quality throughout the WFP supply chain.
• Liaise with counterparts across UN agencies, NGOs, governments, and the private sector to identify and compile relevant sources of data for operational collaboration.
• Participate in FSQA assurance and packaging research required for implementing WFP FSQA guidelines and regulations.
• Liaise with WFP staff, partners, and governments to contribute to efforts aimed at strengthening the capacity of local food producers.
• Assist country operations to build the capacity of local food and food control systems.
• When required by operational structures exceptionally, staffing limitations hinder full segregation of duties between FSQA management and capacity building, assist FSQA embedded initiatives in COs.
• Collect and organize data to support the preparation of reports that inform planning and decision-making.
• Act in an assigned emergency response capacity as required to meet emergency food assistance needs.
• Other as required.

Required Experience

• Experience or training in food safety and quality protocols, with basic exposure to implementing tools or procedures within operational contexts.
• Experience with data collection and analysis, using insights to monitor trends and support decision-making or operational activities.
• Worked in collaborative team environments, contributing to tasks across different functional areas and supporting emergency or time-sensitive operations. Minimum 1 year of relevant experience in Food Safety and Quality.

Qualifications

Advanced university degree in Food Technology, Health Sciences, Food Control, Nutrition or other related field, or First University degree with two additional years of related work experience.

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