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ROSTER Consultant - Food Safety (FOS)

Multiple locations

  • Organization: WHO - World Health Organization
  • Location: Multiple locations
  • Grade: Consultancy - International Consultant - Internationally recruited Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Security and Safety
    • Nutrition
    • Food Security, Livestock and Livelihoods
    • Pan American Foot-and-Mouth Disease Center
  • Closing Date: Closed

OBJECTIVE OF THE OFFICE/DEPARTMENT

This requisition is for employment at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/Regional Office of the World Health Organization (WHO)

The Communicable Diseases and Health Analysis Department (CDE) promotes, coordinates, and implements technical cooperation activities directed toward the surveillance, prevention, control and elimination of communicable diseases and zoonoses that are technically sound and appropriate for the political and sociocultural context in which they are implemented. It strives to achieve a sustainable impact on health by providing normative guidance, furthering the implementation of evidence-based interventions, and fostering alliances that strengthen country capacity, improve the effectiveness of inter-country collaboration, and facilitate policy and decision-making processes through improved health information coverage, analysis and quality at all levels.

PURPOSE OF THE CONSULTANCY

This is a generic description of duties developed for a roster of consultants and experts to support and collaborate with Member States and partners to strengthen capacity of country offices and of national authorities in the development, implementation and evaluation of technical areas in food safety and related areas, including in the countries’ effort to achieve SDG and other relevant global and regional targets. The final terms of reference for the assignment will be based on the specific requirements of the required work/assignment.

The consultant is expected to conduct his/her duties under the general supervision and guidance of the Director of the Pan American Center for Food-and-Mouth Disease and Veterinary Public Health (PANAFTOSA) and the direct supervision of the Regional Adviser for Food Safety.

Deliverables:

A. Support development and implementation of national food safety policies, plans and guidelines

  • Assist and facilitate the development of policy documents to support implementation of ‘Framework for Action on Food Safety in the Americas”.
  • Technical assistance in assessing National Food Control System in Member States.
  • Technical assistance in reviewing, drafting regulatory framework in line with international standards.
  • Technical assistance in developing risk-based inspection across the food chain including training.
  • Technical assistance in developing guidance documents and tools for Food Business Operators (FBO) in line with food safety management system.
  • Technical assistance in establishing a monitoring programme for specific contaminants and residues including laboratory analysis.
  • Technical assistance in establishing food laboratory system including internal and external quality control/assurance systems for food testing.
  • Technical assistance in developing education and capacity-building programmes on food safety including food safety awareness and training for food handlers, small-medium enterprises.
  • Technical assistance in establishing healthy food markets including capacity building.
  • Technical assistance in developing appropriate mechanisms to monitor public concerns and social media information on food safety and response including media and FBO sensitization programmes on food safety.

B. Support development of a functional Codex infrastructure and activities using multisectoral approach.

  • Technical assistance in advocacy and establishment of national Codex committee including development of standard operating procedures.
  • Technical assistance in capacity building on Codex standard setting and development of national food standards in line with Codex standards.
  • Technical assistance to support implementation of Codex activities under Codex Trust Fund.

C. Support establishment of surveillance of foodborne diseases and preparedness and response to food safety under One Health approach.

  • Technical assistance to assess Foodborne Disease (FBD) surveillance and response system including development of action plans.
  • Technical assistance in establishing the FBD surveillance to be integrated with existing event and indicator- based surveillance system.
  • Technical assistance for developing, updating and testing cross-sectoral preparedness and response plans for food safety emergencies in line with the One Health approach.
  • Technical assistance in building or strengthening capacity to conduct investigation on FBD outbreaks and food safety events using the One Health approach.
  • Technical assistance for capacity building on food safety risk analysis using One Health approach.
  • Technical assistance for the development of platforms for collaboration with academicians and researchers in conducting scientific studies to support risk assessment on food safety.
  • Technical assistance in providing expertise in Joint External Evaluation and development of National Action Plans Food Safety.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Essential: A university degree in Food Science, Veterinary Science or One Health.

Desirable: Master’s degree on public health, epidemiology or microbiology would be an asset.

In the event that your candidature is retained for an interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO, only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. PAHO will also use the databases of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation http://www.chea.org/search/default.asp and College Navigator, found on the website of the National Centre for Educational Statistics, https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator to support the validation process.

Experience:

Essential: Minimum of five years of national and/or international experience in food safety programme management, programme monitoring and evaluation in food safety or a related public health field, as appropriate to the assignment.

Desirable:

  1. In-depth knowledge in food safety and related public health areas.
  2. Proven organizational and analytical skills, together with excellent interpersonal skills.
  3. Capacity to promote and implement collaboration and exchange with partners, toward the implementation of best practices.
  4. Proven ability to write technical documents in a clear and concise manner.
  5. Technical expertise to support food safety programmes at international, national or subnational levels.
  6. Ability to conceptualize and plan food safety interventions, skills in data analysis to support foodborne disease surveillance, risk assessment, food safety policies and programmes.
  7. Experience in advising and managing food safety programmes, conducting relevant operational research.

Use of language skills:

Essential: Very good knowledge of Spanish, with a working knowledge of English.

Desirable: Knowledge of Portuguese and/or French would be an asset.

REMUNERATION

Will be based on PAHO scales for International consultants. Current daily rates range from USD 172 – USD 314 (A-Band to B-Band).

Work Schedule:

Depending on the specific assignment.

Contract Duration:

To be determined in function of the specific assignments.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

  • This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.
  • Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
  • A written test may be used as a form of screening.
  • Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to PAHO/WHO Regulations, and e-Manual.
  • For information on PAHO please visit: http://www.paho.org
  • If your candidature is retained for interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. PAHO/WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.
  • PAHO/WHO is committed to workforce diversity.
  • PAHO/WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
  • Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.
This vacancy is now closed.
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