Food Safety Consultant

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Feed the Future Egypt Rural Agribusiness Strengthening Project (“the Project”) is a five-year USAID-funded activity, supported by the U.S. government’s Feed the Future initiative. The project aims to improve the competitiveness of Egypt’s horticulture producers and related down-stream businesses and food processors. The project promotes a more competitive and inclusive Egyptian economy through growth in selected horticultural sectors with special focus on securing employment and increasing agriculture-related incomes of smallholder farmers. The project is working in greater Cairo, Upper Egypt, and the Nile Delta, through three strategic regional offices in Luxor, Minya and Gharbia, in addition to the main office in Giza. 

ASSIGNMENT BACKGROUND:

Poor agricultural, handling, processing and hygiene practices cause serious problems for the quality and safety of agricultural products. These challenges are amongst the most important obstacles that prevent producers from penetrating export or valuable local markets. At same time most of those producers complain about a lack of food safety and quality knowledge within the market. Food safety consultant will work hand in hand with the program staff and under supervision of the Food Safety and Nutrition Lead (FSN) to help improve food safety practices along the target supply chains and capacitate the target graduates in faculties of agriculture and agriculture technical schools in order to involve in the labor market.

ASSIGNMENT DURATION: Maximum of 115 days during 2022.

PRINCIPLE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work closely with food safety and nutrition team lead to develop an action plan and timeline for the assignment.
• Deliver training sessions to all project beneficiaries (University graduates – Agricultural Technical schools graduates – Smallholder farmers – Food Processors technical staff – other value chain actors) in different governorates all over Egypt.
• Conduct the training in collaboration with the project team and other consultants.
• Conduct the trainings for the target groups based on the pre-scheduled plan. 
• Develop training materials (presentations, trainer, trainee manuals and handouts) for topics related to food safety (GAP, GMP, GHP, HACCP, FSMA, Food allergies, food defense and food traceability) and certifications (ISO 22000, FSSC and BRC).
• Conduct, when required, gap assessments for farms and food processing facilities against international food safety standards’ requirements and develop the assessments’ reports.
• Other related tasks required by food safety and nutrition team lead as part of technical assistance development interventions supporting project beneficiaries.
• Develop a report on the overall training, conclusions, and recommendations for follow on work by the project.
• Be available to contribute to meetings, presentations, including a presentation to project’s management, and other activities as requested.

DELIVERABLES

• Delivery of material for the trainings (Training presentations – Trainer and trainee manuals – Handouts) for needed topics upon the target group.
• Delivery of training sessions for selected target group across various governorates 
• Delivery of training reports, trainees’ evaluation and recommendation within one week after conducting the training.
• Monthly deliverables in line with the agreed monthly plan.
• End-of-assignment report for food safety and nutrition team lead describing the work done and results of the assignment
• Reports and presentation will be provided according to templets to be provided by the project and to be approved by food safety and nutrition team lead.

• University degree in agriculture, food technology, food safety sciences or similar field. Masters degree or PhD preferred.
• Must have at least 10 years of experience in Agribusiness including exports processes and food safety
• Proven experience in international food safety standards 
• Proven experience in inspection regulations, rules and risk-based policies
• Prior experience with development projects of agribusiness and food safety with focus on governmental entities as GOEIC, NFSA…etc. is preferable.
• Excellent attention to detail demonstrated through strong analytical skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Experience working in dynamic and developing contexts.
• Experience as a facilitator of professional meetings, forums and events.
• Must be proficient in writing, reading and speaking in English and Arabic.