Food Fortification Consultant

WFP seeks candidates of the highest integrity and professionalism who share our humanitarian principles

Selection of staff is made on a competitive basis, and we are committed to promoting diversity and gender balance

 

 

 

Job Title: Consultant

 

Type of Contract: When Actually Employed (WAE) Consultant

 

Division: Nutrition

 

Duty Station (City, Country): Rome, Italy (Home-based)

 

Duration: 85 days over a period of 11 months

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

In 2017, WFP approved their Nutrition Policy, which focuses on supporting countries to achieve zero hunger through improved nutrition, with prevention and treatment of all forms of malnutrition a central part of this policy. In support of this shift in programming, WFP will play a bigger role in addressing micronutrient deficiencies around the world through its food assistance programmes.  This includes making sure that nutrient rich rations are provided when WFP distributes food, and making sure that, to the fullest extent possible, the food WFP purchases internationally, regionally and locally is appropriately fortified for the environment where it will be delivered and maximises the nutritional impact of interventions.  Further, WFP plans to explore other modalities to encourage governments, assistance programmes, and markets to provide or encourage the use of fortified commodities, and ultimately to encourage local fortification of local crops in contexts where it is appropriate, feasible and cost effective.

 

Food fortification is one strategy to increase vitamin and mineral intake among the general population. This position will support all aspects of fortification, including fortification of staple products, such as rice, local production of fortified nutritious foods, capacity building around quality assurance and quality control, harmonization of good manufacturing practices etc.

 

Rice fortification: Over the past 10+ years, WFP, together with a number of partners, has worked on research and implementation of fortification programs, including rice fortification programs. This work originated in Asia and programs are now underway in that region as well as in the Latin America and the Caribbean Region, West Africa, and Southern Africa.

 

 

 

ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

 

Consultant will provide support to the HQ Fortification and SNF team in the following tasks:

 

• Develop a Costing model for fortified rice that can be adapted for different countries/scenarios (10 days)

 

• Other duties, as needed, potentially in support of requests from WFP Regional Bureaux (RBs) and Country Offices (COs) (10 days)

 

 

Consultant will provide support to the Regional Bureau Bangkok team in the following tasks:

 

• Document country case studies to enhance the visibility of best practices and lessons from country experience in scaling up rice fortification (25 days)

 

 

Consultant will provide support to the Regional Bureau Dakar (RBD) Nutrition team in the following tasks:

 

• Provide technical support and strategic guidance on the implementation of 2022 activities under the WFP/DSM partnership, in particular the scale up of Rice fortification in the West Africa region, mostly on the deployment of the pilots for school feeding programs. In particular, the consultant will:

 

• Support rice fortification programmes in six West African countries as per new WFP/DSM partnership agreement (15 days)

 

• • Provide (remote or on-the-ground) technical support to key countries on request: Senegal, CIV, Gambia, Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana for the implementation of their respective activities
  • Technical support is required to set up blending lines with private sector partners, ensure FSQA requirements are set, integration into school feeding programs, engagement with Government, national workshops
  • Support M&E development for the integration in School Feeding activities
  • On site missions to support CO (if required)

 

 

• Strengthen Regional West Africa fortification strategy for Rice fortification (15 days)

 

• • Support standard setting at Regional level
  • Provide support to strengthen and create new partnerships with key stakeholders, incl. governments, civil society, private sector, research institutions and donors at regional level and input into global partnerships (e.g. ECOWAS, UEMOA and WAHO). Key partnerships to initiate in 2022 include with ECOWAS and CERFAM to support the development of regional standard.
  • Support the RF manager at RBD to coordinate effectively the regional and national level activities

 

Consultant will provide support to the Madagascar CO Nutrition team in the following task:

 

• Collect and document lessons learned from Rice Fortification efforts, including school feeding pilot and Fortified Rice Procurement process (10 days)

 

 

DELIVERABLES:

 

• • Global Costing Model for fortified rice;
  • Case Studies and related documentation of efforts to fortify rice in Asia;
  • Support provided to 6 West African countries to enable them to meet their targets under the DSM partnership;
  • M&E plan for integration of fortified rice in school feeding programmes in select West African countries;
  • Support in developing a regional standard for fortified rice in West Africa;
  • Fortified rice advocacy and communication materials.

 

 

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

 

Education:

 

Graduate Degree in Nutrition, Food Safety and Quality, Business, or Science.

 

Experience:

 

At least 12 years of relevant working experience at the interface of the public and private sector, preferably related to food fortification.

 

 

Knowledge and Skills:

 

Strong program management skills. Experience in capacity development especially of government counterparts and private sector on aspects related to food fortification. Collaborative spirit: able to liaise with a wide range of people at all levels and across different cultures and to act with credibility and diplomacy. Communication: able to engage with various stakeholders from different sectors and backgrounds. Strong drive, self-motivated and able to work with a high degree of autonomy. Understanding of food processing or technology, packaging and distribution of fortified rice a plus. Work experience in high rice consuming countries a plus.

 

Language:

 

Spoken and written proficiency in English is required; spoken and written proficiency

in French is preferred.

 

 

 

Terms and Conditions

WFP offers a competitive compensation package which will be determined by the contract type and selected candidate’s qualifications and experience.

Please visit the following websites for detailed information on working with WFP.

http://www.wfp.org Click on: “Our work” and “Countries” to learn more about WFP’s operations.

Deadline for applications: 29 June 2022  

Ref.: VA No. 167123 

 

Qualified female applicants and qualified applicants from developing countries are especially encouraged to apply

WFP has zero tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service

Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with

oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.