• Country: Monrovia, Liberia
• No of vacancies: N/A
  
• Salary: N/A 
• Organization: UNIDO
• Gender: Both
• Deadline: 2024-01-30
  

PROJECT CONTEXT

More than ever food security, food supply shortages, related distribution challenges and required transformation of food systems towards enhanced resilience and sustainability are on the spotlight of the global development agenda. Due to the global poly-crisis that the world is facing – the COVID-19 pandemic, the effects of climate change, conflicts and economic downturn – the prospect for food security is gloomy.

With the underlying principle of the interdependence of food security and food safety, and in response to the challenge, the EU has identified ‘enhancing and preserving natural resources for sustainable growth’ and ‘promoting decent jobs and economic growth’ as priority area #1 and #2, respectively, in its multi-annual indicative programme for Liberia for the period 2021 – 2027.

Against the above, this food safety project has been designed within the framework of the progamme ‘From productivity to product, linking peers to peers (P2P)’, which aims at boosting safe and sustainable food systems growth for enhanced food and nutrition security, a programme that was signed between the EU and the GoL in June 2023 within the EU-Liberia Development Partnership for 2021-2027.

In line with the priorities as reflected in relevant national primary legislation, this project aims at boosting trade in and safe consumption of locally produced food by enhancing food safety practices and compliance along selected value chains (i.e. rice, fish, cassava, cocoa & coffee). It comprises a holistic range of food safety related interventions at macro, meso and micro level with a strong demand-driven approach.

Interventions at macro-level address mainly deficiencies in regard to the country’s standard-setting practices and regulatory framework, and in particular the operationalisation of the same when it comes to the existing enforcement mechanisms and related delivery of effective, risk-based inspection services. In this regard the overall performance of the national food control system is planned to be further strengthened by introducing a voluntary national 3rd party food safety assurance (vTPA) scheme that is also recognised by national competent authorities. This means that the information and data generated by an industry-/market-driven national voluntary food safety scheme, comprised of a basic food safety management scheme that private sector has to comply with, complemented by third party certification, will be considered by relevant competent authorities. It shall support them to target their official inspections to the areas of highest risk, eventually allowing for improving the usage and efficiency of already very scarce resources of the national public food control system.

In response to the need to further strengthen the required enabling institutional environment so that it is conducive to eventually boost trade of safe food, the meso-level interventions of the LIFSI are focusing on developing and implementing a voluntary national 3rd party food safety assurance scheme (i.e. practical guidelines and certification scheme) and on upgrading required testing and certification services towards accreditation accordingly. Targeted scopes will be clearly linked to the actual needs of the selected value chains and respond to the requirements of the voluntary national 3rd party food safety assurance scheme, which will be developed based on basic CODEX standards and principles. While the application of this scheme and compliance with the same by private sector actors operating along selected value chains will be supported within the micro-level component of the project, the upgrading of required and non-existing testing and certification services towards accreditation forms a critical element in strengthening the enabling institutional framework in the country. Such upgrading will focus on increasing the capacity of public entities.

The third component of the project is focusing on micro-level interventions and is addressing the need to support primary producers, processors and other relevant value chain actors to actually introduce the developed food safety scheme into their operations, as well as to increase overall awareness of food safety aspects. Having selected value chain actors being in compliance with relevant food safety requirements, and certified against the same, will eventually mean that they will benefit from increased competitiveness and market connectivity, which is at the core of the incentive mechanism of any private sector actor. At the same time, actively and substantially investing in and implementing communication campaigns addressed at consumers, producers & processors, and other relevant market actors, is aiming to enhance the overall food safety culture in the country. In applying a market-driven approach, increased awareness on the importance of food safety and food that is indeed safe for consumption, as well as knowledge on safe food handling practices and associated risks, will be essential to stimulate increased demand for, consumption of and supply of safe, locally-produced food in Liberia.

Below an overview of the project outcomes and outputs which were reconfirmed in intensive national stakeholder consultations that included representatives of relevant line Ministries, Consumer and Producer Associations, staff from the Liberian Standards Authority and its National Standards Lab, relevant UN Agencies, other complementary ongoing UNIDO projects and the EU.

Outcome 1 (MACRO level) – Enhanced efficiency of the national food control system based on an upgrade of the country’s regulatory framework and its food standard-setting functions, including through reinforcement with a voluntary national third-party food safety assurance programme.

Output 1.1 – Recommendations towards enhanced food safety regulatory oversight submitted for the selected value chains in the form of an actionable upgrading roadmap to all concerned Ministries, Authorities and Committees for endorsement and implementation.

Output 1.2 – Strengthened regulatory framework and operations, in particular in regard to food risk-based inspection services being rendered in the country, and enhanced food standard-setting functions as relevant for the selected value chains.

Outcome 2 (MESO level) – In line with the requirements of a voluntary national third-party food safety assurance scheme, the enabling institutional environment of Liberia`s food system is conducive to boost the competitiveness of primary producers and processors and to enhance overall consumer protection along the selected value and supply chains.

Output 2.1. – Based on relevant CODEX standards (e.g. Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) Principles), a basic, modular and voluntary national third-party food safety assurance scheme is developed, along with customised add-ons for the selected value chains and local ownership secured.

Output 2.2 – National food safety-related testing and certification services strengthened along the selected value chains towards an efficient implementation of the developed voluntary national 3rd party food safety assurance scheme (see output 2.1), and in line with international standard requirements.

Output 2.3 – The educational system in the country has been strengthened and upgraded as to facilitate in the long-term national capacity-building in the area of food safety in general, and in particular addressing the need for qualified food safety practitioners, capacitated to efficiently implement the developed scheme.

Outcome 3 (MICRO level) – Primary producers, processors and other relevant value chain actors actively pursue compliance with the developed voluntary national 3rd party food safety scheme (see outcome 2), or even advanced market requirements, and hence benefit from increased competitiveness and market connectivity, and overall advanced national food safety culture leading to enhanced demand for and supply of safe food in Liberia.

Output 3.1. – Primary producers, processors and relevant value chain actors upgraded towards compliance with the voluntary national 3rd party food safety assurance scheme, or advanced market requirements, as per clearly identified market needs and potentials.

Output 3.2 – Enhanced food safety culture and increased awareness on safe food handling practices by consumers, primary producers, food and agri-businesses and national marketplace actors (i.e. restaurants, retailers, markets, street food sellers, hotels, etc.).

FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager in HQ, close cooperation with project team in the field location and HQ, the CTA will be responsible for providing technical advice to the PM and guidance to the project team to implement the programme/project as per the project document. Specifically, the CTA will perform the following duties:

Main Duties 

Programme/project coordination  

Define institutional development objectives, work targets that can be reasonably achieved within the project funding and period. Identify any pre‐conditions that need to be fulfilled by the Government to achieve these objectives;

Provide technical advice and direction to the project implementing partners and relevant stakeholders on the overall project objective.

Concrete/measurable outputs to be achieved
Counterparts aware of programme/project concept, approach and planned activities.

Effective technical advice support and advisory services provided.

Programme/project work and budget plan prepared and approved.

Project implementation

Manage and supervise the Project Management Unit (PMU) personnel in the field;

Oversee the day-to-day management of the LIFSI project, ensuring that all activities align with the project’s objective;

Develop and implement project plans, including timelines, milestones, and resource allocation.

Liaise with senior members of the steering committee, including government officials, to ensure alignment and support for the project.

Conduct regular meetings with all project stakeholders to review progress, address challenges, and plan next steps.

Prepare and present progress reports to senior government officials, development partners, and other stakeholders;

Facilitate knowledge sharing and capacity-building initiatives among project team members and stakeholders;

Formulation of job descriptions for consultants to be filled for various activities in cooperation with the project manager and assisting in the identification of suitable candidates;

Supervise, guide and monitor the work of any national, regional, or international short-term expert on the ground;

Resolve any conflicts or issues that arise among project stakeholders or team members;

Manage and supervise the Project Management Unit (PMU) personnel in the field;

Concrete/measurable outputs to be achieved

Implementation maintained and goals achieved as per project document and agreed work plan.

Full understanding and commitment for successful implementation of the programme/project ensured.

Job descriptions and experts’ profiles prepared.

Consultants well integrated with other programme activities and clear about their assignments.

Ensured smooth run of the project activities.ed.

Monitoring, reporting, evaluation

Monitor project budget and financial expenditures to ensure activities are within allocated funds;

Evaluate the effectiveness of project activities and make necessary adjustments to improve outcomes.

Prepare regular progress reports, ad hoc reports and assist in the development of visibility and information dissemination material upon request of the Donor and the counterparts;

Assume responsibility for the annual technical reports of the project in line with the standardized template and in accordance with the requirements of the donors;

Assist the PM in facilitating a smooth implementation of any mid-term and/or final evaluation and assure timely responses and provision of inputs by the project personnel as needed.

Concrete/measurable outputs to be achieved

Continuous monitoring according to UNIDO/ donor procedures.

All financial/substantive reporting accomplished in satisfactory and timely manner.

Smooth conduct of mid-term review and final evaluation on the ground.

Resource mobilisation

Provide support to the Government to coordinate all resource mobilization activities for the project as applicable;

Actively seek new opportunities for funding and/or collaboration among development partners to leverage further support to the country’s food system transformation.

Concrete/measurable outputs to be achieved

Contribution towards fund mobilization made and funding opportunities identified.

External relations

Establish and maintain relationships with development partners, the EU and other stakeholders in the food safety field;

Engage in senior-level strategy discussions with central Ministry officials and targeted value chain actors;

Represent the project at national and international forums, conferences, and meetings to share insights and best practices;

Ensures compliance of implementation of the Donor Visibility Requirements and proper implementation of the project’s Communications and Visibility Plan;

Participates in key sector coordination meetings convened by the Government or development partners relevant to the action.

Concrete/measurable outputs to be achieved

Coordination of different interventions and good working relations maintained.

Project visibility enhanced.

Compliance with concerned visibility manuals assured

Final phase

Prepare a consolidated final report of the programme/project in close consultation with all the stakeholders and submit to UNIDO by the end of the programme/project.

Concrete/measurable outputs to be achieved

Final report produced.

MINIMUM ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Education

Advanced university degree (master’s or equivalent) in economics, sciences, agri-business, engineering, business administration or other relevant discipline is required.

Technical and Functional Experience

• At least ten (10) years of progressive professional experience in coordinating and implementing large scale and complex programmes and/or projects within either private sector or public sector organizations at international level, including a minimum of five (5) years at a senior level is required.
• Experience in the field of livelihood support through implementation of technical cooperation or development programmes/projects is desirable.
• Experience in food safety, quality infrastructure upgrade, agri-business development, or any other relevant technical field is required.
• Experience/knowledge of the international development agenda, and strategic issues of economic transformation, is desirable.
• Experience in working with the UN system, international organizations or non-governmental organizations and with the donor community, is desirable.
• Experience in evaluating the needs, conditions and problems of developing countries is desirable.
• Experience in working on technical cooperation or development programmes/projects for Liberia and/or West Africa is desirable.

Languages

Fluency in written and spoken English is required.

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES

Core values
WE LIVE AND ACT WITH INTEGRITY: work honestly, openly and impartially.

WE SHOW PROFESSIONALISM: work hard and competently in a committed and responsible manner.

WE RESPECT DIVERSITY: work together effectively, respectfully and inclusively, regardless of our differences in culture and perspective.

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