Food technologist

The Food Technologist will support the implementation of projects focusing on nutritious foods and food fortification in West and Central Africa. The role involves providing technical support to food processing initiatives, contributing to analytical work, and supporting nutrition value chain portfolios under the supervision of the Regional Nutrition Advisor.

Responsibilities

• Conduct a comprehensive analysis of national requirements and rice value chain dynamics, followed by strengthening of miller cooperatives as shared service platforms for fortification.
• Facilitate procurement and installation of shared blending equipment (dosifiers) and support initial access to premix (FRK), complemented by hands-on training on fortification operations and business management.
• Provide technical assistance to cooperatives to forecast premix needs, manage supply chains, and progressively transition toward bulk market-based procurement systems.
• Establish group-based quality assurance systems, including spot-testing and compliance with national standards, while supporting regulatory institutions in strengthening fortification frameworks.
• Promote market development and demand creation, including linkages with institutional procurement (e.g., school feeding) and private markets.
• Ensure a phased transition toward full cooperative ownership, where millers progressively assume operational, financial, and commercial responsibility for fortified rice production.
• Mapping of Rice and FRK Trade Routes in West Africa.
• Assess major aggregation hubs and other strategic points within the rice value chain in West Africa to identify cost-effective and logistically feasible locations for integrating blending operations.
• Evaluate policies and regulations in both exporting and importing countries that could facilitate or hinder integration of fortified rice into regional trade routes for West Africa.
• Review local production and trade facilitation.
• Analyze institutional demand programs such as Social Assistance Schemes, School Feeding Programs, Humanitarian Assistance, and Strategic Grain Reserves to understand demand-side dynamics, transfer amounts and modalities, stock rotation and utilization, and align blending points with these initiatives.
• Support selected Country offices on advocacy for regional policy pillar under the project.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree in Food Technology, Food Engineering, Agrobusiness, Health Sciences, Nutrition or equivalent related field.
• At least 5 years of progressively responsible professional experience in a similar field in country or abroad.
• Previous and/or current working experience in WACARO region and procedures knowledge.
• Fluency in English and French.
• Knowledge of fortification, food technology and processed food.
• Understanding of WACA Trade route and policy advocacy.
• Ability to demonstrate a client-oriented approach, high sense of responsibility, and courtesy.
• Mature judgment with good communication and interpersonal skills.

Skills

• Food Technology
• Food Engineering
• Agrobusiness
• Nutrition
• Food Fortification
• Processed Food
• Technical Support
• Nutrition Value Chain
• Project Implementation
• Policy Advocacy
• WACARO Procedures
• Client-oriented Approach
• Analytical Work
• Regional Nutrition Support

Languages

English, French