KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

FOOD QUALITY ASSURANCE:
1. Oversee the implementation of suppliers* food safety and quality management in the country, including supplier assessment, audits, and review of corrective actions implementation.
*Supplier includes food manufacturers, inspection companies, laboratories, transportation companies, implementing partners and warehouses
2. Develop food specifications, review Certificate of Analyses (CoAs), inspection reports, develop SOPs and guidelines as per project needs.
3. Support the country programs with the development of risk matrix and mitigation actions related to the specific food operation, including food production, ABM, hot meals provision, and any fresh food delivery to beneficiaries. Conduct periodic compliance review on risk level priority basis to guarantee adequate food safety and quality standards are met throughout operations.
4. Across the country, support the dissemination and implementation of corporate policies and procedures on the WFP approach to food safety and quality matters.
5. Collaborate with other relevant services and divisions for the establishment of protocols for risk and incident management to enable rapid response to situations with food safety and/or quality and/or integrity concerns, to ensure food safety and quality is embedded in any food related operation.

FOOD PROCUREMENT:
6. Conduct market research to identify new suppliers, evaluate product quality, pricing, and delivery terms.
7. Manage vendor relationships and conduct regular performance evaluations to ensure adherence to quality, delivery, and service standards.
8. Monitor market trends, pricing, and availability of food commodities (fresh and processed) to make informed purchasing decisions and mitigate supply chain risks.
9. Establish and maintain procurement policies, procedures, and systems to streamline processes and ensure compliance with regulatory compliances.
10. Support procurement programs and operational activities, (e.g. issue tenders, evaluate offers and negotiate/award contracts), following standard processes and contributing to successful procurement of food commodities.
11. Identify opportunities for cost savings improvements, implement initiatives, track and report on key procurement performance metrics.
12. Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including supply chain, ABM, operations, to ensure business goals are aligned.
13. Others as required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Education:

• Advanced university degree in Food Quality, or First University degree in Food Technology or related technical area.
• Completion of relevant training, academic and/or professional certification in Food procurement is an asset.
• Lead auditor of food quality management systems is an asset.

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of relevant progressively responsible experience in Food Quality related areas
• Demonstrated knowledge of local/international markets (sources, certifications, and controls) is an asset.
• Ability to work independently while strongly adhering to a governing structure.

Language:

• Fluency (level C) in Spanish and English (Level B)

Knowledge & Skills:

• Experience performing audits (HACCP, GAP, GMP, FSSC22000, etc)
• Embedded skills and mindset focused on risk assessment and risk management, action-oriented and comfortable to stand-alone.
• Ability to analyze complex situations and recommend decisions among conflicting priorities, prioritizing the safety and quality of the food and final consumer.
• Technical knowledge in food safety and quality systems and standards, food technologies, food processing.

4Ps CORE ORGANISATIONAL CAPABILITIES

Purpose

• Understand and communicate the Strategic Objectives: Coaches team in the most effective ways to communicate WFP’s Strategic Objectives to WFP team and partners in the field.
•  Be a force for positive change: Implements new methods or tools to improve team’s work processes and productivity.
•  Make the mission inspiring to our team: Maps team’s activities and tasks to specific successes in beneficiary communities to showcase positive impact.
•  Make our mission visible in everyday actions: Explains to teammates how each unit contributes to the overall WFP mission.

People

• Look for ways to strengthen people’s skills: Identifies skill development opportunities such as training modules or on-the-job experiences for self, colleagues and direct reports.
•  Create an inclusive culture: Facilitates team building activities to build rapport in own unit.
•  Be a coach & provide constructive feedback: Facilitates the pairing of junior colleagues with coaches within own team.
•  Create an “I will”/”We will” spirit: Proactively anticipates potential challenges and develops mitigation plans to ensure that team meets goals and targets.

Performance

• Encourage innovation & creative solutions: Identifies opportunities to be creative in own work and to help team be more innovative and accurate in their respective tasks and areas of work.
•  Focus on getting results: Monitors team’s deliverables and provides feedback to ensure outcomes are delivered consistently and accurately.
•  Make commitments and make good on commitments: Provides accurate guidance to team on expected responsibilities and tasks, whilst also upholding own commitment to the team.
•  Be Decisive: Sets an example and provides guidance to junior team members on when to escalate issues when faced with challenging issues in the workplace or in the field.

Partnership

• Connect and share across WFP units: Facilitates partnerships with other WFP units to accomplish missions in the field.
•  Build strong external partnerships: Sets an example and provides guidance to team on how to build relationships with external partners.
•  Be politically agile & adaptable: Articulates to colleagues or direct reports the value of contributing to other WFP teams and agency partnerships in fulfilling WFP’s goals and objectives.
•  Be clear about the value WFP brings to partnerships: Organizes, monitors, and prioritizes own and team’s efforts to ensure that they will fulfill the needs of internal and external partners.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

TITLE: Procurement Associate (Food Quality Assurance)
TYPE OF COTNRACT: Service Contract – SC6
UNIT / DIVISION: Supply Chain
DUTY STATION (city, country): Caracas, Venezuela
DURATION: 6 months

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

The position will be published until January 17, 2024.

Women, as well as people from minority social groups: indigenous, afro-descendants, people with disabilities and qualified transgender people are especially encouraged to apply for the position. WFP has zero tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status, and is committed to achieving diversity in the workplace in terms of gender, nationality and culture.

To improve the accessibility and inclusiveness of selection processes at the World Food Programme (WFP), we encourage individuals requiring disability-related accommodations or other accessibility assistance to contact us. Please send your requests by email to global.inclusion@wfp.org. Upon receipt of your email, the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) team will contact you to confidentially discuss your needs and provide support.  WFP is committed to providing a recruiting experience that respects and responds to the unique needs of each candidate.

WFP has a zero-tolerance approach to conduct such as fraud, sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to WFP’s standards of conduct and will therefore undergo rigorous background verification internally or through third parties. Selected candidates will also be required to provide additional information as part of the verification exercise. Misrepresentation of information provided during the recruitment process may lead to disqualification or termination of employment