Food Safety and Quality Assurance Officer, CST II - Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Position: Food Safety and Quality Assurance Officer

Grade: Consultant Level 2
Type of Contract: Regular Consultant

Unit: Supply Chain
Duty Station (City, Country): Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Duration:11 months

Only Open to Non-Ethiopian nationals

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT:
Ethiopia’s Country Strategic Plan (CSP 2026–2030) aims to tackle conflict, climate shocks, poverty, and food insecurity while supporting the nation’s ambition of becoming an “African beacon of prosperity” by 2030. WFP’s systems approach integrates humanitarian and development interventions to save lives, build resilience, and strengthen national capacities, with cross‑cutting priorities in nutrition, protection, accountability, and sustainability.

Within this framework, Food Safety and Quality Assurance (FSQ) is critical to ensuring safe, nutritious, and compliant food assistance. FSQ contributes directly to CSP outcomes by safeguarding beneficiary health, embedding nutrition‑sensitive quality assurance in programmes, strengthening resilient food systems, and enhancing government and stakeholder capacities in risk management and food governance.

JOB PURPOSE:
To implement WFP food safety and quality initiatives, policies and procedures. Job holders collaborate with supply chain and programme functions to ensure an integrated approach that supports WFP’s strategic objectives in food assistance.

1.    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. 
2.    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. 
3.    Implement field operations protocols for risk and incident management to enable rapid response to food safety concerns. 
4.    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. 
5.    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. 
6.    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.
7.    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.
8.    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.
9.    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 
10.    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.
11.    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.
12.    Facilitate cross-functional collaboration and knowledge sharing across supply chain functions for an integrated approach to food safety and operational effectiveness.
13.    Guide and motivate a small team providing coaching, training and guidance as required to enable professional development and high performance.
14.    Act in an assigned emergency response capacity as required to meet emergency food assistance needs.
15.    Other as required.

Education: 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.

Experience: Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in Food Safety and Quality and/or experience in procurement, logistics, and/or supply chain management with additional relevant training in food safety and quality.

• Experience managing and implementing food assistance programmes.
  
• Experience preparing reports and presentations for senior leadership or partners.
  
• Experience collaborating across functions and building professional relationships.
  
• Experience operating in emergency contexts.
  
• Experience monitoring and assessing food safety and quality issues.
  
• Negotiation skills with high regulatory authorities on matters related to quality.
  
• Perfect understanding of food import and export requirements, with the ability to align donors’ in‑kind food quality with national regulations.

Language: Fluency in both oral and written communication in English.