Expert in HACCP and ISO 22000 (Food Safety Management Systems)

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR PERSONNEL UNDER INDIVIDUAL SERVICE AGREEMENT (ISA)

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is the specialized agency of the United Nations that promotes industrial development for poverty reduction, inclusive globalization and environmental sustainability.  The mission of UNIDO, as described in the Lima Declaration adopted at the fifteenth session of the UNIDO General Conference in 2013, is to promote and accelerate inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID) in Member States. The relevance of ISID as an integrated approach to all three pillars of sustainable development is recognized by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which will frame United Nations and country efforts towards sustainable development in the next fifteen years. UNIDO’s mandate is fully recognized in SDG-9, which calls to “Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation”. The relevance of ISID, however, applies in greater or lesser extent to all SDGs. Accordingly, the Organization’s programmatic focus is structured in four strategic priorities: Creating shared prosperity; Advancing economic competitiveness; Safeguarding the environment; and Strengthening knowledge and institutions.

Each of these programmatic fields of activity contains a number of individual programmes, which are implemented in a holistic manner to achieve effective outcomes and impacts through UNIDO’s four enabling functions: (i) technical cooperation; (ii) analytical and research functions and policy advisory services; (iii) normative functions and standards and quality-related activities; and (iv) convening and partnerships for knowledge transfer, networking and industrial cooperation. Such core functions are carried out in Departments/Offices in its Headquarters, Regional Offices and Hubs and Country Offices.

The Directorate of Digitalization, Technology and Agri-Business (DTA) coordinates and mainstreams the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) in its technical cooperation, strategic, normative activities aiming at fostering the inclusive and sustainable development in the era of 4IR. The Directorate creates new and innovative technical cooperation deliverables in the areas of trade, investment, technology innovation and agro-industry and agri-business. The Directorate comprises the Department of Digitalization, Technology and Innovation (DTI) and the Department of Agri-Business (AGR).

Responding to the growing demand for supporting inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID) in the era of the new industrial revolution, the Department of Digitalization, Technology and Innovation (DTA/DTI) leads the way in addressing opportunities, challenges and risks stemming from the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) and its contribution to sustainable socio-economic progress. The Department is responsible for the strategic coordination of 4IR-related matters with designated focal points in other technical Departments and organizational entities of UNIDO, as appropriate. In consultation with public and private partners, DTI designs and implements holistic interventions that are tailored to specific country needs. The Department’s interventions actively identify and combine complementary services from across three Divisions, namely:

• Innovation and Digitalization Division (DTA/DTI/IDD)

• Investment and Technology Promotion Division (DTA/DTI/ITP)

• Quality Infrastructure and Smart Production Division (DTA/DTI/QIS)

The Quality Infrastructure and Smart Production Division (DTA/DTI/QIS) seeks to build national and regional quality infrastructure systems needed to provide internationally recognized services, including strengthening institutional capacities (i.e. metrology, standardization and accreditation); building conformity assessment capacities (testing, inspection, certification, calibration, etc.); supporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to take advantage of new technologies and standards for smart production and thus participate in global value chains; trade facilitation and promoting quality awareness with the public sector, economic operators and consumers. 

PROJECT CONTEXT

Global Quality and Standards Program (GQSP) in Kyrgyzstan

As part of the Global Quality and Standards Program (GQSP), objective of the country project for Kyrgyzstan is to contribute to fostering Kyrgyzstan’s competitiveness by enhancing the quality and standards compliance capacity along the fruits value chain (VC), to facilitate market access for small and medium-sized enterprises (SME). 

The project will pursue three outcomes, thus responding to the main compliance challenges identified in the country in alignment with the outcomes of the GQSP:

Outcome 1: Enhanced technical competence and sustainability of the National Quality Infrastructure System for services supporting the fruits VC.

Outcome 1 aims at the institutional strengthening of key institutions of the NQIS and relevant public-private support institutions through capacity building, use of best practices, skills development and implementation of management systems/best practices to ensure their capacity to provide quality services targeted to the selected VC, to be sustainable and to be internationally recognized.

Outcome 2: Enhanced SME capacity to comply with international standards and technical regulations relevant to the fruits VC.

Outcome 2 aims at improving the capacity of the private sector (farmers/producers, processors and exporters) to comply with market requirements and improve the quality and productivity of their exports-oriented products.

Outcome 3: Enhanced quality awareness along the fruits VC

Outcome 3 aims at advocating and scaling up of knowledge dissemination and providing advisory support for informed policy decisions on standards compliance in the fruits VC. The project aims to promote a culture of quality and policy decisions in this regard at all levels, as part of the Information Support function from the NQIS.

FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Under direct supervision and guidance of the project manager and in close collaboration with national experts, the Expert will assume the following tasks as per the table below:

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.

Key Competencies

• WE FOCUS ON PEOPLE: cooperate to fully reach our potential –and this is true for our colleagues as well as our clients. Emotional intelligence and receptiveness are vital parts of our UNIDO identity.
• WE FOCUS ON RESULTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES: focus on planning, organizing and managing our work effectively and efficiently. We are responsible and accountable for achieving our results and meeting our performance standards. This accountability does not end with our colleagues and supervisors, but we also owe it to those we serve and who have trusted us to contribute to a better, safer and healthier world.
• WE COMMUNICATE AND EARN TRUST: communicate effectively with one another and build an environment of trust where we can all excel in our work.
• WE THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AND INNOVATE: To stay relevant, we continuously improve, support innovation, share our knowledge and skills, and learn from one another.

MINIMUM ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Education: Advanced university degree in Social or Natural Sciences or other relevant discipline with a specialization in Food Certification.

Technical and Functional Experience:

• A minimum of 10 years practical experience in the field of agriculture value chains quality standardization at national, regional and international level, including experience at the international level involving technical cooperation in developing countries. Exposure to the needs, conditions and problems in developing countries.  
• Qualified auditor for HACCP, ISO 9000 and ISO 22000 with experience in training. 

Languages: Fluency in written and spoken Russian/Kyrgyz is required. English is an asset. 

The interested candidates are required to submit CV and Cover Letter in English at: gqsp-kyrgyzstan@unido.org . The deadline for applications is 18:00 (Bishkek time), December 22, 2020.