Job Responsibilities

• Work closely with DCOP-Technical and Technical Leads to develop and execute project work plans and maintain technical oversight of all the food processing activities under both crop and livestock value chains.
• Coordinate activities with food processors, maximize processing capacity, build capacity, promote awareness, and develop reform actions to optimize implementation of improved food safety and quality practices (e.g, HAACP, ISO, GAP, GMP, traceability systems), that can be extended through various implementation platforms.
• Support activities that improve direct supply chain linkages with producers through mechanisms such as out grower contracts, quality-based payments, commodity-based production, cold chain logistics, traceability, aggregation, product development
• Support food system enterprises and staff to document, record, and implement quality control and quality assurance systems and achieve appropriate certifications.
• Manage relationships with assigned clients (e.g., food processors, associations, cooperative unions, grantees, and other stakeholders) through regular communication and technical assistance.
• Contribute to the design, and implementation, and closeout of catalytic grants, subcontracts, and consultants designed to spur private sector investment. Act as a portfolio and/or engagement manager, incentivize the broad participation of market systems actors, and facilitate entry of new actors or connection among existing actors, and facilitate new investment into the processing sector.
• Work with the Ethiopian Food and Drug Authority (EFDA), Ethiopian Conformity Assessment (ECA), and Ethiopian Standards Authority (ESA) in achieving goals for national compliance with food fortification and food safety assurance programs for animal- and plant-based food processors.
• Work with industry leaders and key officials within the Government of Ethiopia to increase efficacy in rollout of labelling requirements, identification efforts and other traceability initiatives contributing to food fortification, food safety and quality assurance.
• Work with the Government of Ethiopia and food processing sector operators and industry associations to increase farmer, agribusiness, wholesalers, retailers and consumers awareness on food safety and quality standard.
• Supervise food processing specialists and mentor regional food processing officers using market systems lens and implementation.
• Monitor and report on activities related to food processing, safety and quality.
• Support the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) team on food safety activities, real-time data collection and other duties as needed.
• Perform additional duties and responsibilities as required (assigned by supervisor).