Food Safety and Nutrition Specialist

The Food Safety and Nutrition Specialist will strengthen food safety systems, food control frameworks, surveillance mechanisms, and emergency preparedness in Pacific Island countries through a One Health approach. The role supports sub-regional and national food system assessments, capacity building, technical advisory services, and the development of food safety and nutrition initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Assess and strengthen sub-regional and national food control systems, surveillance, and regulatory frameworks, and prepare technical reports.
• Deliver training, capacity-building workshops, study tours, and provide laboratory strengthening guidance.
• Support MACG establishment and develop the National Food Safety Emergency Response Plan (NFSER).
• Provide technical guidance on emergency preparedness, risk classification, and One Health initiatives.
• Support the development and review of food safety legislation, standards, guidelines, and standard operating procedures in line with Codex Alimentarius and international good practices.
• Facilitate multi-sectoral coordination among public health, agriculture, livestock, environment, quarantine, and border control authorities to strengthen food safety governance.
• Support hazard identification, risk assessment, and risk communication related to biological, chemical, and physical food safety hazards across priority food value chains.
• Provide technical support for the design and implementation of foodborne disease surveillance, data collection, analysis, and reporting systems.
• Contribute to the development of inspection, audit, and compliance monitoring tools for food businesses, markets, import controls, and processing facilities.
• Support the preparation of technical briefs, policy notes, and recommendations to inform national and subregional food safety strategies and investment priorities.
• Plan project activities, procurement and staffing over a project timeframe.
• Facilitate and support all aspects of the project implementation.
• Ensure the preparation, monitoring and updating of workplans.
• Ensure that relevant data is collected for effective monitoring against a performance measurement framework.
• Develop Terms of Reference and Letters of Agreement for project affiliate personnel and service providers.
• Participate in interview panels for the recruitment of affiliate personnel (but not staff members).
• Liaise, and maintain positive working relations with stakeholders.
• Develop a Project Task Force (PTF) and liaise with, provide reports to and receive guidance from the PTF.
• Identify, mitigate and manage potential risks, report and escalate issues when necessary.
• Monitor the progress and quality of deliverables from contracted experts.
• Draft concept notes, project proposals, and funding applications.
• Complete the food safety relevant tasks assigned

Requirements

• Advanced University degree from an institution recognized by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO in Food Safety, Food Science, Nutrition, Public Health, Agriculture, or related field.
• Consultants with bachelor's degree need two additional years of relevant professional experience.
• At least 5 years of relevant experience in food safety, nutrition, food systems, food science, or public health.
• Working knowledge (C level) of English.
• Efficiency, competence and integrity as well as negotiating skills, tact and diplomacy are essential.
• Able to work with multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural project partners at regional and international level.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities, with experience liaising between diverse project stakeholders.
• Demonstrated effective writing and critical analysis skills.
• Familiarity with the Asian and Pacific context.
• Established relationships with relevant institutions in one or more of the project countries / region.
• Proven experience of managing a global team of researchers and / or consultants.

Skills

• Food Safety and Quality
• Nutrition
• Food Systems
• Food Science
• Public Health
• Agriculture
• Food Control Systems
• Food Control Frameworks
• Surveillance Mechanisms
• Emergency Preparedness
• One Health
• Capacity Building
• Technical Advisory
• Food System Assessments
• Project Management
• Global Team Management
• Stakeholder Liaison
• Critical Analysis
• Report Writing

Languages

English