Food Safety Specialist (Consultant) — Northeast Syria

Overview

Position Title: International Food Safety Specialist (STTA)

Location: Al Hassakeh and Deir ez-Zor Governorates (Northeast Syria)

Travel expected: 80%

Time Frame: 42 days LOE

Cooperative Housing Foundation (CHF) International is a humanitarian organization providing urgent support to the people of Syria. All project activities are politically neutral, independent, and impartial. We provide support to everyone based on need, not political, religious, ethnic, or tribal affiliation.

CHF is seeking to contract with an internationally experienced Food Safety Specialist to support our team as a Short-Term Technical Assistance (STTA) for a multi-year USAID-funded project “Growing Agriculture and Incomes in Syria (GROW) Activity” in Northeast Syria. This position reports to the Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP).

Job Summary:

The STTA will develop assessment tools to identify gaps in compliance with internationally accepted standards in manufacturing, hygiene, and sanitation and opportunities for improvement. The Food Safety Specialist (STTA) will be responsible for assessing at least 20 medium, small, and micro enterprises (MSMEs) actively participating in the red meat value chain. The information gathered will be used to develop butchery-specific training modules, identify modern meat processing equipment and additionally inform future interventions that will support the improvement of food safety outcomes throughout the entire red meat value chain. The STTA will work with the Agriculture Productivity and Enterprise Development Specialists to develop concept notes, requests for proposals, expressions of interest, and bills of quantity to guide co-investment opportunities that specifically address challenges observed during the site visits.

Scope of Work:

The Food Safety Specialist (STTA) is responsible for the following:

1. Deliver an inception report outlining the methodology, timeline, and resources required to complete the contract.
2. Develop audit formats covering Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Good Hygiene Practices (GHP), sanitation, and food safety principles which will be used for the baseline assessment of the enterprises.
3. Carry out the audits/site visits and consolidate audit outcomes to guide the development of a curriculum and training materials that address the non-conformances observed.
4. Deliver training of trainer (ToT) sessions to business owners within the red meat value chain to enhance their understanding of food safety standards and practices and capacitate them to spread the knowledge further as meme leaders in their communities.
5. Document all training activities and maintain accurate records of participant attendance and feedback and provide weekly activity reports.
6. Work with the Agriculture Productivity and Enterprise Development Specialists to develop concept notes, requests for proposals, and bills of quantity to guide co-investment opportunities that specifically address challenges observed during the site visits.
7. Provide input to senior program staff on potential future interventions that align with program objectives in the red meat value chain and other areas where the STTA experience matches program needs.
8. Perform any other reasonable request from the DCOP which falls within the parameters of the Consultant’s expertise.

Deliverables:

1. Map private butcheries, slaughterhouses, and retailers with the potential for development and willingness to co-invest in both Al-Hassakah and Deir-Ez-Zor Governorates.
2. Conduct site assessments for at least 20 enterprises and provide recommendations for resolving non-conformities, considering local conditions and resource availability. (Assessment tools will be aligned with local and/or international regulations and standards).
3. Using the metrics aggregated during the audits, develop and deliver a training curriculum and materials that address the gaps identified and incorporate GMP, GHP, sanitation, and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles.
4. Produce a final trip report that outlines the work done, observations made while in the country, and recommendations for further action required to achieve program objectives across all value chains for the life of project.

Qualifications:

1. Master of Science degree in Food Science, Food Safety, or a related field.
2. Third party lead auditor certification in either ISO 22000:2018, ISO 9001:2015, or GFSI.
3. Must have referenceable experience working in red meat processing, and food safety/quality management in a conflict or post-conflict context in the MENA/Central Asia theatre of operations, preferably in the development sector.
4. Must have at least 7 years of practical experience designing and implementing program interventions related to the terms of reference.
5. Must provide a cover letter of no longer than 1000 words supporting their suitability for the position. The applicant must also provide a work sample related to the assignment from past projects with the application for the position.
6. Must provide USAID BioData form, proposed daily rate, and proof of salary from previous positions.
7. Willing to travel to, and work in, an arduous environment and be comfortable operating in a team with diverse cultural backgrounds.

Language Skills:

• Fluency in written and spoken English essential.
• Arabic language skills not a requirement but an advantage.