Food Safety and Quality Assurance Officer

Lead the Food Safety and Quality Assurance function for WFP's ambitious school meals initiative in Karachi. Supporting Pakistan's education emergency response, you will ensure safe and quality food provision to 100,000 primary school children across 614 government schools in Melir and Keamari districts. Reporting to the Head of Supply Chain, this 12-month position drives technical implementation of WFP's food safety standards using a central kitchen model—where commercial kitchens prepare meals that are dispatched in lunchboxes daily. Your expertise will embed FSQA protocols throughout supply chain operations, build local food control systems, and establish risk-based frameworks that ensure consistent meal quality while advancing provincial government capacity for long-term program sustainability.

Key Responsibilities

• • Conduct technical analysis to align WFP's FSQA approach with corporate policies, country operational requirements, and regulatory compliance standards
• • Draft technical guidance for food assistance program design, embedding safety and quality assurance across all food-related WFP operations
• • Lead investigation of food safety concerns, manage incident documentation, and disseminate lessons learned to prevent recurrence
• • Establish field systems for prevention and mitigation of FSQA issues through product specifications, supplier assessments, and compliance testing protocols
• • Provide analytical input to supply chain teams to support integrated food assistance approaches that maintain verified food safety throughout distribution
• • Collaborate with UN agencies, NGOs, government entities, and private sector partners to gather and exchange data enabling operational coordination
• • Support research initiatives on food packaging, assurance principles, and stability studies to strengthen WFP's capacity for safe, quality food provision
• • Build technical capacity of local food producers, support food processing facility establishment, and strengthen provincial food standards and control systems
• • Compile and analyze data for comprehensive reports that inform risk management decisions and planning at all organizational levels
• • Mentor junior staff on complex FSQA analysis and serve as escalation point for technical queries
• • Respond to emergency situations as assigned to support rapid humanitarian food assistance operations
• • Execute additional responsibilities consistent with position level and expertise as directed

Requirements

• ✓ Advanced university degree in Food Technology, Health Sciences, Food Control, Nutrition, or closely related discipline
• ✓ OR Bachelor's degree combined with minimum 2 years of documented relevant work experience
• ✓ Minimum 3 years demonstrated experience in Food Safety and Quality Assurance functions
• ✓ Alternatively, 3+ years in procurement, logistics, or supply chain management with supplementary food safety and quality training
• ✓ Proven experience implementing food science tools and protocols in operational settings
• ✓ Demonstrated ability to work with data-related concepts and leverage analytics for evidence-based decision-making
• ✓ Track record collaborating effectively across multiple functional teams
• ✓ Experience in emergency contexts or time-sensitive operations (preferred)
• ✓ Fluency in English language (speaking, reading, and writing)
• ✓ Fluency in Urdu language (speaking, reading, and writing)
• ✓ Knowledge of additional local languages (advantageous)
• ✓ HEC-verified educational credentials (mandatory for appointment)
• ✓ Pakistan national (position restricted to national applicants)

Skills & Expertise

What We Offer

• ✓ Competitive salary package
• ✓ Pension scheme contributions
• ✓ Annual leave benefits
• ✓ Parental leave provisions
• ✓ Medical insurance coverage
• ✓ Professional development and training
• ✓ Career advancement within WFP global network
• ✓ Diverse and inclusive work culture
• ✓ Mentorship and coaching opportunities
• ✓ Exposure to large-scale school nutrition program
• ✓ Possibility of contract extension based on performance
• ✓ United Nations-affiliated employment