Senior Food Safety Officer

• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented member nations and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply for this position
• FAO does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality
• The incumbent may be re-assigned to different activities and/or duty stations depending on the evolving needs of the Organization.

The position is located in the Food Systems and Food Safety Division (ESF), Economic and Social Development Stream. The Division supports a coordinated approach to the development of food systems, including inter alia, engagement in global level dialogue, platform and initiatives, the strengthening of food safety and quality at national, regional and international levels, the development of sustainable food value chains, reductions in food loss and waste and the implementation of the urban food agenda. The post is located at FAO HQ in Rome, Italy.

The Senior Food Safety Officer reports to Director, ESF.

Development and implementation of programmes regarding food safety policies (normative work and capacity development).

Leadership and technical expertise for the planning, development and implementation of the FAO Programme on the provision of food safety scientific advice in accordance with Departmental priorities and FAO Strategic Objectives.

Key Functions

• Leads a multi-disciplinary team on the provision of scientific advice on food safety, coordinates and participates in Organization-wide, cross-Departmental project teams and working groups, and provides technical leadership and secretariat services on technical scientific advisory bodies.

• Implements and monitors the programme of work on the provision of scientific advice on food safety in accordance with the principles and procedures for the provision of scientific advice and other relevant procedures necessary for safeguarding the integrity of FAO's scientific advice outputs.

• Leads periodic reviews of the methodologies used by the scientific advice bodies to undertake their safety/ risk assessments and oversee the update and maintenance of the relevant databases, website and rosters.

• Analyzes global trends on the evolution of food safety issues in particular in terms of the occurrence and distribution of contaminants in the context of contributing to the overall FAO programme of work on food safety.

• Designs and oversees initiatives aimed at generation of data to inform the elaboration of scientific advice to support the development of international instruments.

• Analyzes country specific requirements in the areas of food safety risk analysis to provide critical input into the FAO Strategic Objectives, Programme of Work, work plans and the supporting budgets and/or resourcing strategies.

• Leads the development of training materials and other technical documents related to science-based and risk-based approaches to food safety decision-making and the implementation of the related training programmes and collaborates in providing technical backstopping to, and ensuring the quality / effectiveness of capacity development and knowledge sharing activities within member countries.

• Provides technical advisory services to Member Countries and technical support to Decentralized Offices in the development and implementation of their programmes of work related to food safety risk analysis.

• Represents the Organization at international/inter-governmental meetings in particular the Codex Alimentarius Commission and its subsidiary bodies, and conferences, facilitates effective communication between the FAO scientific advice programme and the Codex Alimentarius, advocates strategic partnerships and best practices and develops and negotiates effective working relationships with international and national partners.

• Supports resource mobilization activities for the programme of food safety scientific advice in accordance with the FAO Corporate strategy.

• Analyzes global trends on the evolution of food policy issues in particular in terms of national and regional food control programmes.

• Designs and oversees initiatives aimed at generation of data to inform the elaboration of food safety and food control policies in support the establishment and strengthening of international instruments.

• Analyzes country specific requirements in the area of food safety/control policies in order to provide critical input into the FAO Strategic Objectives, Programme of Work, work plans and the supporting budgets and/or resourcing strategies.

• Leads the development of training materials and other technical documents related to food control and food safety decision-making and the implementation of the related training programmes and collaborates in providing technical backstopping to, and ensuring the quality / effectiveness of capacity development and knowledge sharing activities within member countries.

• Provides technical advisory services to Member Countries and technical support to Decentralized Offices in the development and implementation of their programmes of work related to food control.

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• Advanced University degree in food science, food technology, food policy, food safety or a related subject

• Ten years of relevant experience in design, implementation and evaluation of food control programmes, including at least 5 years' experience in leading such work at national, regional or international level

Working knowledge of English and limited knowledge of another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish)

• Results Focus

• Leading, Engaging and Empowering

• Communication

• Partnering and Advocating

• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

• Strategic Thinking

• Extent and relevance of knowledge and experience in relation to the safety/ risk assessments of food additives

• Extent and relevance of knowledge and experience in relation to capacity development programmes to establish and strengthen risk-based food control at an international, regional and national level

• Extent and relevance of knowledge and experience in relation to food safety and food hygiene

• Extent and relevance of knowledge and experience in relation to the work of Codex Alimentarius Commission and its subsidiary bodies is considered a strong asset

• Extent of experience in relation to resource mobilization

• Ability in human resources and programme management