2302741

National Specialist on Biosafety and Biosecurity guidelines

Job Posting: 11/Sep/2023

Closure Date: 29/Sep/2023, 9:59:00 PM

Organizational Unit : FRLIR – FAO Representation in Liberia

Job Type: Non-staff opportunities

Type of Requisition : PSA (Personal Services Agreement)

Grade Level : N/A

Primary Location: Liberia-Monrovia

Duration : 30 working days

Post Number : N/A

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device

FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions.

•  FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture
•  Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply
•  Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO’s values
•  FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination
•  All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
•  All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality
•  FAO staff are subject to the authority of the Director-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the Organization.

Organizational Setting

The main aim of the FAO country offices, which are headed by an FAO Representative, is to assist governments to develop policies, programmes and projects to achieve food security and to reduce hunger and malnutrition, to develop the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors, and to use their environmental and natural resources in a sustainable manner.

The main purpose of the consultancy is to facilitate the development and completion of National Biosafety and Biosecurity Guideline for Field Animal Health Workers.

Reporting Lines

The incumbent will work under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative in Liberia and the technical guidance of the ECTAD Country Team Lead, supported by FAO regional experts. The incumbent will also closely collaborate with the Directorate of Veterinary Services of the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) and other relevant stakeholders.

Technical Focus

Ensure the development of field manuals for Biosafety/Biosecurity for animal health workers in the Ministry of Agriculture.

Tasks and Responsibilities

The incumbent will undertake the following:

•  Develop a roadmap with a clear work plan and background report on biosafety and biosecurity activities in Liberia within the first week of the consultancy and submit to the FAO ECTAD Team
•  Conduct desk review of documents relevant to the biosecurity and biosafety measures/standards for animal health sector.
•  Submit desk review report of biosafety and biosecurity standards for animal health sector.
•  Engage with the MOA, the national technical stakeholders and other experts on biosafety and biosecurity for the development of the guideline.
•  Produce a draft document namely: “The National Biosafety and Biosecurity guideline for animal health field workers in Liberia”, based on international standards and guidelines.
•  Conduct a two-day technical pre-validation meeting of the draft Biosafety and Biosecurity guideline.
•  Co-prepare and co-facilitate a 3-day national consultative workshop to validate the biosafety and biosecurity guidelines.
•  Submit the validated guideline, workshop report and end of assignment reports to FAO ECTAD Team
•  Co-facilitate the training of field staff on the use of the manual at a later period and whenever required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•  At least a degree in Animal health, Public Health, Epidemiology or related field
•  Advanced University Degree in Veterinary Medicine or Animal Health Sciences and post-graduate study in epidemiology, public health or related fields (would be an advantage)
•  At least Five years of relevant experience in animal health activities and knowledge of infections prevention/control, and biosecurity and biosafety activities in Liberia
•  Working knowledge of English.
•  Liberian Citizen or resident or naturalized with permanent residence for at least 5 years with a valid work permit

FAO Core Competencies

•  Results Focus.
•  Teamwork
•  Communication
•  Building Effective Relationships
•  Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

•  A Ph.D. degree in the same fields listed above will be an added advantage
•  Extensive knowledge on veterinary epidemiology, disease trends, vaccination protocols, survey tools, investigations and disease control of tropical livestock diseases
•  Extensive knowledge of the main aspects of prevention and control of high impact emerging and re- emerging zoonotic and non-zoonotic diseases including TADs.
•  Extensive experience in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of disease prevention and control networks of animal diseases
•  Working knowledge of English and technical report writing and presentation skills
•  Systematic document review and analysis
•  Structuring and drafting skills to make information accessible and meaningful to expected users
•  Independent worker and excellent skills working as part of a team.
•  Excellent reading, writing and communication skills in English.
•  Experience with UN, and other International Organizations would be an asset

Selection Criteria

•  Candidates should be nationals of Liberia; (Citizen/resident/naturalized with permanent residence for at least 5 years with a valid work permit)
•  Understanding of animal health networks and various production value chains in Liberia
•  Knowledge on the principles and design of Biosafety and Biosecurity guidelines
•  Very high skills/knowledge of background related to the ToR’s Requirements

Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

•  FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing).
•  Incomplete applications will not be considered. If you need help or have queries, please contact: Careers@fao.org
•  Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted.
•  Only language proficiency certificates from UN accredited external providers and/or FAO language official examinations (LPE, ILE, LRT) will be accepted as proof of the level of knowledge of languages indicated in the online applications.
•  For other issues, visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/
•  Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.

HOW TO APPLY

•  To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, and language skills
•  Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile
•  Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application
•  Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/
•  Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications
•  Incomplete applications will not be considered
•  Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAO’s behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application
•  Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered
•  Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile
•  We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.

If you need help, or have queries, please contact: Careers@fao.org

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