Food safety consultant

BACKGROUND

 

The Regional Framework for Action on Food Safety in the Western Pacific was endorsed by the Western Pacific Regional Committee in 2017. The framework provides strategic guidance and a stepwise approach to strengthen national food safety systems.

Food safety systems in the Western Pacific Region are at various stages of development, and countries have different means to address food safety issues.  Hence, efforts to strengthen food safety must be tailored to specific country needs and priorities, and the correct timing for interventions must consider political momentum, resource availability, country commitments, and public support.

Recognizing the diversity of food safety systems across the Western Pacific Region, the Regional Framework for Action on Food Safety in the Western Pacific promotes a stepwise approach to guide the strategic actions of Member States to strengthen food safety systems.  The stepwise approach aims to guide national food safety authorities to establish and strengthen food safety systems as comprehensive and unified entities consisting of interacting and interdependent components.

The stepwise approach promotes the process of development from systems focusing on strengthening the minimum legal and operational requirements for food safety risk management and response, to systems adopting risk-based approaches, and further on to systems that strive to become fully documented and well-coordinated across sectors and stakeholders.  The stepwise approach can help countries to prioritize interventions as well as to improve the effectiveness of investments in food safety systems.

The stepwise approach provides Member States with flexibility in their efforts to strengthen national food safety systems.  As there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution to food safety, the approach allows for countries to consider different options to advance their food safety system. In the consideration of different options to strengthen national food safety systems, various issues may be taken into account such as current and emerging food safety issues, availability of human and financial resources, opportunities for resource mobilization and international obligations and recommendations. However, as opportunities to invest in food safety may arise with short notice, it is important that countries are prepared for and aware of different options for interventions to improve food safety.

The Western Pacific Region is vulnerable to disasters and emergencies. Food safety incidents and emergencies are diverse and may be defined and responded to differently according to the capacity of a country’s food safety system. National food safety systems are critical to manage food safety incidents and emergencies and it is important that food safety authorities identify their specific role and responsibility in the investigation and response to food safety incidents and emergencies and collaboration with partners accordingly.

 

PURPOSE/SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE OF THE ACTIVITY

To provide technical support to the implementation of the Regional Framework for Action on Food Safety in the Western Pacific with particular focus on country support, regional guidance and progress review.

 

DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES TO BE CARRIED OUT

Under the overall supervision of the Regional Emergency Director and Director of the Division for Health Security and Emergencies and technical guidance by the Technical Lead for Food Safety in the Western Pacific Regional Office:

 

Output 1: Review national legal frameworks and policies, country profiles, technical reports, evaluations, reviews and strategic plans and frameworks for food safety for countries in the Western Pacific Region and in consultation with concerned food safety authorities outline options and provide technical support to strengthen national food safety system in line with the approach of the Regional Framework for Action on Food Safety in the Western Pacific.

Deliverable 1.1: Technical support provided to at least four priority countries to implement interventions to strengthen national food safety systems.

Deliverable 1.2: Draft a regional background paper on options for strengthening national food safety systems which can be used to stimulate policy dialogue and guide decision making on food safety in Member States of the Western Pacific Region.

Deliverable 1.3: Draft report from the Expert consultation on options for strengthening national food safety systems in the Western Pacific region

 

Output 2: Review progress on implementation of the Regional Framework for Action on Food Safety in the Western Pacific including identification of best practices, lessons learned and issues affecting implementation of the Framework.  

Deliverable 2.1: Background document for Member States consultations on implementation of the Regional Framework for Action on Food Safety in the Western

 

Output 3: Support the preparedness and response to food safety incidents and emergencies in the Western Pacific Region. This will include providing technical support to strengthen food safety as a core competency under the IHR (2005), strengthening INFOSAN in the Western Pacific region, contributing to online training and ongoing surveillance, risk assessment and response activities and testing of the Pacific guidance to access food analysis capacity.

Deliverable 3.1: At least two priority countries supported to improve communication and rapid exchange of information during food safety incidents and emergencies.

Deliverable 3.2: The draft Pacific guidance to access appropriate food analysis capacity tested and verified.

 

METHODS TO CARRY OUT THE ACTIVITY

Desk work in terms of collecting, compiling and analysing regional and national food safety data and information. Communicate with food safety counterparts on initiatives to strengthen food safety at country level and assist in preparing meeting reports and background papers to support regional food safety events. 

Field work in terms of providing country support, participating and providing technical input to regional food safety meetings and consultations and assisting in preparing background documents and facilitation during the events.

 

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

EDUCATION

Essential:  

Post-graduate university degree in food safety, agriculture or public health

Desirable:

Post-graduate qualifications in trade or commerce with particular focus on the food and agriculture sector

 

EXPERIENCE

Essential:

• At least 10 years of experience in the field of food safety
• Expertise and experience in food safety system strengthening and strategic planning
• Experience in preparedness and response to food safety incidents and emergencies
• Familiarity with food safety issues and challenges in low resource settings

   

Desirable:

• Experience from working in the Western Pacific region
• Familiarity with WHO processes for conducting expert and Member States consultations

 

TECHNICAL SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE

• Experience in assessing capacity building needs in national food safety systems
• Familiarity with the Regional Framework for Action on Food Safety in the Western Pacific and the Asia Pacific Strategy for Emerging Diseases and Public Health Emergencies (APSED III) and their approach for implementation
• Understand international food safety requirements and recommendations including Codex Alimentarius, SPS and TBT Agreements and the food safety core capacities of the International Health Regulations (IHR)

 

LANGUAGES

Proficient in English

 

COMPETENCIES

Ability to communicate in a credible and effective way, collect, compile and analyse food safety data and information and produce results

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

STARTING DATE:  27 January 2019

DURATION OF CONTRACT:  11 months

 

 

APPLICATIONS

Qualified and interested specialists should submit their CV {for individual contractors} or Company Profile {for institutional applications} and Expression of Interest
{cover letter} to the Supply Officer through WP RO UNGM at < wproungm@who.int > by 19 December 2018. 

The cover letter should outline how their experience and qualifications make them a suitable candidate for this position and should include their proposed daily consultancy fee and availability.

Please use Tender Notice No. WPRO/2018-12/DSE_FOS/TN81369/mnc 
as subject to all submission. 

Only successful candidates will be contacted.