Food Safety and Quality Officer
ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT:
This job is located in Haiti and reports to the Deputy Country Director and provide technical reporting to the regional Food safety and quality assurance officer.
Food Safety and Quality Assurance (FSQA) is a pillar of WFP’s end-to-end supply chain, ensuring that food safety standards, policies, and procedures are embedded from programme design through sourcing, storage, transport, and final distribution. The function requires collaboration with internal and external stakeholders to manage quality risks and uphold compliance. FSQA activities are aligned with broader supply chain strategies to safeguard beneficiary health and support the integrity of food assistance delivery.
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.
ACCOUNTABILITIES:
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 the country office in the design and implementation of WFP food assistance programmes, ensuring that food safety and quality is embedded in all food-related WFP operations. And oversee the implementation of suppliers* food safety and quality management in the country, including supplier assessment, audits, and review of corrective actions implementation.
*Suppliers include food manufacturers, inspection companies, laboratories, transportation companies, implementing partners and warehouses
3. Implement field operations protocols for risk and incident management to enable rapid esponse 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 CO 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 machineries, and conducting the 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.
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 Safety and Quality, Food Control (MSc. Or PhD)
GFSI recognized schemes auditor certification (FSSC 22000, BRCGS, etc.)
Experience:
Have a minimum of five years of full-time work experience in the food-chain-related industry. Preferably as Food Safety/Quality manager.
Substantial experience in third party auditing/assessment to FSSC22000, ISO 22000, BRCGS, HACCP and ISO9001 including system level auditing and process level auditing.
Have experience with a wide range of food products including but not limited to flour, dairy, oil, fortified foods, catering, food packaging and specialized nutritious foods.
Experience managing and/or implementing food assistance programmes
Experience preparing reports and presentations for senior leadership or external partners.
Experience operating in emergency contexts.
Knowledge & Skills:
Embedded skills and mindset focused on risk assessment and risk management, action-oriented and comfortable to stand-alone.
Ability to analyze complex situations and recommend decisions among conflicting priorities, prioritizing the safety and quality of the food and final consumer.
Technical knowledge in food safety and quality systems and standards, food technologies, food processing.
Language:
French: native or certified level C (comprehension, fluency, writing, expression)
English: fluent, level C (comprehension, fluency, writing, expression)
