Food Safety and Quality Assurance Officer

Organizational Context

The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian organization, dedicated to saving lives and building a pathway to peace and prosperity by addressing hunger and food insecurity. WFP works globally to support vulnerable populations affected by conflict, disasters, climate shocks, and economic crises, ensuring access to safe and nutritious food.

Job Purpose

The Food Safety and Quality Assurance Officer in Yemen plays a critical role in ensuring the integrity and safety of food assistance provided by WFP. This position supports the implementation of corporate food safety and quality assurance policies and procedures throughout the supply chain, from sourcing to distribution. The officer will contribute to risk management, incident response, and compliance with regulations, working collaboratively with internal teams and external stakeholders. The role involves providing technical inputs to programmes, supporting supplier assessments, and strengthening local food systems and control capacities to safeguard beneficiary health and uphold WFP's mission.

Responsibilities

The Food Safety and Quality Assurance Officer plays a crucial role in the World Food Programme's (WFP) supply chain, ensuring that food assistance provided to beneficiaries is safe and of high quality. This involves embedding food safety standards and procedures throughout the entire process, from program design and sourcing to storage, transport, and final distribution. The officer collaborates with various internal teams, including Supply Chain, Programme, and Monitoring, as well as external stakeholders like UN agencies, NGOs, and government bodies. Key responsibilities include providing technical input for policy implementation, drafting program designs with a focus on food safety, and managing food safety incidents and emergency responses. This involves gathering information, assisting with investigations, and sharing lessons learned. The role also entails adhering to WFP's food safety regulations, participating in risk prevention and mitigation efforts, and contributing to supplier assessments and compliance testing. Furthermore, the officer supports research in food safety and packaging, helps strengthen the capacity of local food producers and control systems, and contributes to various FSQA-related initiatives such as improving food diversity and reducing post-harvest losses. Capacity building for WFP staff, partners, and stakeholders on food safety requirements is also a significant aspect of the role, alongside data collection and reporting to inform decision-making and improve overall supply chain integrity.

Work Experience

Requires a total of 5 years of relevant experience, with at least 1 year specifically in food safety and quality assurance. Experience in procurement, logistics, or supply chain management is also desirable.

Skills

Food Safety, Quality Assurance, Supply Chain Management, Data Analysis, Risk Management, Emergency Response, Capacity Building, Regulatory Compliance, Logistics, Procurement

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