USAID/Rwanda Modernizing Agriculture Activity

Policy Advisor (Food Safety) 

CNFA

CNFA is a not-for-profit organization based in Washington, D.C., dedicated to stimulating economic growth in the agricultural sector by nurturing entrepreneurship, private enterprise, and market linkages. CNFA specializes in fostering private sector investments in training, new technologies and marketing as a means to increase the overall competitiveness of agricultural value chains and rural development, to increase people’s incomes, to develop skills in the rural workforce, and to facilitate exports.

Program Description USAID/Rwanda Modernizing Agriculture Activity

The purpose of the Modernizing Agriculture Activity is to support increased agriculture productivity and income, access to finance and markets, and access and consumption of nutritious food products in Rwanda, while increasing the resilience of the agriculture and food systems to the changing climate. To achieve this goal, the Activity will sustainably increase agricultural productivity, increase access to finance for farmers and agribusinesses, improve producers’ nutrition and market outcomes, and strengthen the enabling environment to foster market-driven outcomes in agriculture.

Position Description

The Policy Advisor (Food Safety) will provide support to the ModAG team, private sector companies and various GoR institutions responsible for food safety in coordinating activities implemented under ModAg’s Components 1-4 and in supporting activities conducted under the ModAg MEL Plan and Work Plan.

In support of this, the Policy Advisor will:

• Evaluate firms and/or producers on their adherence to Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) food safety requirements;
• Build firm and producer capacity to consistently meet quality standards and regulations by leading the effort to establish systems and processes for quality;
• Lead the program’s efforts to adopt/ improve traceability systems;
• Support firms and/or producers to adhere with appropriate standards and achieve relevant certifications;
• Conducts analysis and assessments to find out what the company needs regarding the safety of the product for the consumers and promote hygienic storage and processing facilities;
• Advise project leadership on food safety policy improvements assisting the GoR to collaborate more effectively with the private sector, USAID and other stakeholders;
• Lead establishment and improvement of risk management practices including collaboration with stakeholders to formalize practices, policies, and roles and responsibilities related to food safety.
• Collaborate with USAID representatives, government officials, and other stakeholders to identify opportunities to improve Food Safety management systems.
• Coordinate the implementation of project activities on Food Safety Management in collaboration with the relevant regulatory bodies in Rwanda (especially Rwanda FDA, RICA and RSB, among others).
• Serve as a technical expert to on SPS regulatory issues that affect agricultural development and trade domestically and internationally.
• Provide leadership for the design, implementation, and evaluation of technical assistance programs, training and workshops in the realm of food safety. 

Qualifications and Experience:

• A Master’s degree in agriculture, food science, food safety, public health, or a related field of study or equivalent work experience required.  Certifications in food safety standards such as HACCP and ISO a plus.
• At least eight years of experience working in food safety and related issues in Rwanda;
• Demonstrated expertise in food safety management systems is required, including international food safety standards and regulations, regulatory enforcement, inspection and certification systems, science-based risk assessments, foodborne illnesses, and policy harmonization;
• At least two years of experience leading teams conducting or advising on food safety measures desired
• Experience building local stakeholder capacity in various food safety requirements required.
• Experience providing technical oversight and leadership to facilitate expanded trade and competitiveness of agricultural value chains preferred;
• Strong verbal and written skills in English preferred; proficiency in Kinyarwanda necessary.

Reporting

The Policy Advisor (Food Safety) will report to the ModAg Director of Enabling Environment.  He/she will be hosted at the CNFA offices in Kigali.