Organizational Setting
The position is located at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy, in the Agrifood Systems and Food Safety Division (ESF), Economic and Social Development Stream. The Division provides strategic leadership for FAO’s support to Members in the development of more sustainable agrifood systems. Working in close coordination with other technical units at headquarters and the Decentralized Offices, the Division is tasked with integrating FAO’s scientific and economic analyses to provide improved policy guidance and targeted investment in agrifood systems. Bringing together FAO’s longstanding experience and capacities in strengthening systems of food safety and quality control with its technical support to Member Nations in the areas of value chain development, agroindustry and agribusiness enterprise development, urban food systems and food loss and waste, the Division integrates and extends food systems support across the Organization.

Reporting Lines
The Food Safety Officer reports to the Senior Food Safety Officer, ESF.

Technical Focus
Effective and efficient management of food safety and of official food control measures to improve food safety at national, regional and global levels

Key Results
Research, technical analysis and project related services to support the delivery of programme projects, products and services.

Key Functions
• Researches and analyses technical, social, economic, environmental, institutional and technology related information, data and statistics and/or related policy issues to support the delivery of programme projects, products and services.
• Produces a variety of technical information, data, statistics and reports, as well as input for technical documents and web pages.
• Provides technical support/analysis to various assessments, studies and initiatives and provides technical backstopping to field projects.
• Collaborates in the development of improved/updated tools, systems, processes and databases.
• Participates in multidisciplinary teams and/or leads working groups/teams; collaborates with other Divisions/Offices/Centres on work groups and committees and promotes best practices.
• Collaborates in, provides technical backstopping to and ensures the quality/effectiveness of capacity development activities within Member Nations, such as policy support, organizational development and individual learning events, including preparation of related information, learning materials and on-line tools.
• Promotes knowledge sharing and best practices at international meetings and conferences and influences partners in stakeholder consultations.
• Supports resource mobilization activities in accordance with the FAO Strategic Framework.

Specific Functions
• Contributes to the maintenance of continuous relevance of the FAO/WHO (World Health Organization) Food Control System Assessment Tool.
• Supports the assessment of national food control systems as a basis to address the capacity development needs in a strategic manner.
• Contributes to and supports the formulation and implementation of national and regional projects aiming at strengthening food safety and food control systems (or parts thereof, such as for example, strengthening capacities in relation to Codex Alimentarius processes, development of risk based food control policies, strategies and programmes, etc.), and of the capacities of its different stakeholders to fulfill their responsibilities, in the framework of FAO’s programme of work and country needs.
• Gathers knowledge and contributes to the development of training materials and technical guidance documents related to official food controls and food safety, implements the related training programmes and collaborates in providing technical backstopping to capacity development and knowledge sharing activities within Members.
• Supports technical assistance to Members with regard to their capacities to implement the food safety provisions of SPS related trade agreements.
• Analyses country specific requirements in the area of food safety and food control policies in order to input into the FAO Programme of Work, divisional work plans and the supporting budgets and/or resourcing mobilization efforts in line with the FAO Strategic Priorities for Food Safety.
• Contributes technical knowledge and policy advice to Decentralized Offices in the development and implementation of projects aiming at strengthening food control systems and food safety policies.
• Supports partnerships with non-government stakeholders, in particular civil society organizations, donors and organizations, including those of the private sector, around specific food safety and food control issues.
• Collaborates closely with other FAO units at headquarters, Regional, Subregional and Country Offices, as well as with relevant national and international institutions.

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CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements
• Advanced university degree in chemistry, biochemistry, food science, food technology, pharmacology/toxicology, veterinary public health, food microbiology or a related field.
• Five years of relevant experience in advising on, managing and implementing food control programmes and public sector policies for food safety.
• Working knowledge (proficient – level C) of English and limited knowledge (intermediate – level B) of another official FAO language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

Competencies
• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills
• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions.
• Extent and relevance of experience and knowledge of food control systems, including policy and regulatory matters, as well as implementation of official food control measures.
• Extent and relevance of experience in implementing food control capacity development programmes and in providing technical and policy advice in relation to national and regional policy making processes, strengthening regulatory and non-regulatory approaches to food safety, enhancing the use of Codex Alimentarius standards, implementing the conditions set out in the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) and related trade agreements and other trade considerations, and related matters.
• Extent and relevance of experience in different countries and regions, especially in developing countries and countries in transition, at regional and national levels.
• Experience with project formulation, resource mobilization, sound resources management support, operations and capacity to deliver against deadlines.