Large Scale Food Fortification Technical Director, USAID West Africa Regional Food Fortification (RFF) Activity

Job Description

Everyone deserves the opportunity to build a better future. This simple idea has been at the heart of TechnoServe’s work around the world for over 50 years. TechnoServe is a pioneer in leveraging the power of business and markets to create sustainable pathways out of poverty.

The low-income communities in which we work are full of enterprising people. Their small-scale farms and businesses are the keys to economic development. But they face many challenges: low literacy, lack of access to jobs and markets, unpredictable political dynamics and, increasingly, the effects of climate change. For many women and young people, the challenges are even more daunting. Working with TechnoServe staff, people around the world are lifting themselves out of poverty. The results are amazing…when incomes increase and living conditions for families get better, they are able to access health care and education previously out of reach. Communities and even whole countries are better off.

Program Overview

RFF is a proposed five-year associate award, under the global USAID Advancing Food Fortification Opportunities to Reinforce Diets (USAID AFFORD), Leader with Associates program. RFF will facilitate advocacy for a policy environment that stimulates the uptake of improved large scale food fortification (LSFF) technologies and best practices, and will work with key regional players to build private sector commitment for LSFF.

The activity will implement solutions including:

• Increasing private sector engagement, trade and investment in regional food fortification
• Improving existing and new policy frameworks to improve access to fortification
• Strengthen the knowledge sharing, coordination and adoption of best practices among key actors in the ECOWAS region

Job summary:

TechnoServe is looking for a food fortificationTechnical Director for the anticipated five year RFF activity. As Technical Director, you will provide technical leadership and advisory services in support of the interpretation and adoption of LSFF standards by industry, as well as contribute to the technical dialogue and review of LSFF policies and procedures.

The Technical Director will report to the Chief of Party.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Technical Director will collaborate with the project team to achieve the objectives of the project. The Technical Director will lead the LSFF industry technical component.

Specific activities include:

• Convene and facilitate coordination between industry leaders, associations, and representatives.
• Identify processors of mandated food vehicles with large market share for targeted
  technical assistance (TA).
• Conduct assessments on the understanding and adoption of food fortification standards by identified processors of staple foods and condiments.
• Support TA to key stakeholders in industry
• Conduct assessment of opportunities to improve availability and access to quality
• Lead technical discussions on regional policy and trade issues
• Identify gaps and requirements needed for industry to introduce new fortified products.
• Work with ECOWAS and other regional stakeholders to identify and roll out opportunities to strengthen regulatory monitoring and enforcement for LSFF
• Support the program’s financial advisor with assessing industry finance requirements.
• Work with ECOWAS and other regional partners to strengthen cross-country monitoring, reporting, and accountability for key indicators.
• Help facilitate a regionally driven, industry- owned ranking index or initiative among companies and generate data to share companies’ performance on fortifying their products with essential vitamins and minerals.
• Ensure documentation of key lessons for disseminating locally and inputting into global
  lessons learned.
• Lead establishing an accountability mechanism for the Private Sector regarding fortification

Basic Qualifications:
● Bachelor’s degree in food science, food technology, or other relevant subject with
minimum fifteen years of experience OR Master’s degree with ten years of experience
● Deep understanding of the food processing industry and the ecosystem within which it
operates
● Implementation experience addressing industry challenges, either as a consultant,
processor, or development partner
● Good understanding of quality control and quality assurance (QA, QC) requirements by industry and regulators towards LSFF
● Proven track record of providing advisory services
● Fluent in English and French (written and spoken).

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
● Self-starter, proactive, able to work independently in support of others
● Ability to work in diverse teams, respectful of other cultures
● Ability to work effectively in remote-based teams with strong organizational and
collaborative skills
● Strong writing skills to write concise, analytical reports to different audiences
● Strong communication skills

This position is contingent upon the activity award and approval by the donor. Applications must be submitted in English language.

About the Organization

About TechnoServe

Everyone deserves the opportunity to build a better future. This simple idea has been at the heart of TechnoServe’s work around the world for over 50 years. As a non-profit organization working in over 30 countries worldwide, TechnoServe is a pioneer in leveraging the power of business and markets to create sustainable pathways out of poverty. We work with a range of partners across diverse market systems to make small farms and businesses more profitable and environmentally, socially, and commercially sustainable. We are recognized as an impact-driven organization, and in 2022 alone our programs benefitted 1.3 million people and businesses (39% women and women-owned businesses), increasing their revenues by over $366 million and achieving a return on investment of $5 for every $1 invested.