FOOD PROCESSING SPECIALIST - CALL FOR CONSULTANTS

Under the supervision of the JPIIF Value Chain expert and in team with JPIIF technical staff, within a participatory process, involving cooperative members and informal groups, the FPS will identify traditional and innovative medium scale agro-food productions relevant for the local market, also considering innovative products that can substitute products previously mostly imported. A first not exhaustive list of potential products to work with is related to the following:

1) sun-dry fruit and vegetable production (also medium to large scale production), also including powder;

2) tomato sauce (different kind of tomato sauce, including ketchup sauce);

3 production of jams;

4) preparation of various pickled products, including artichokes;

5) production of pomegranate molasses;

6) production of vinegars;

7) production of Kishik.

In coordination with JPII staff and the business development specialist, in order to develop a pre-feasibility, the FPS will develop a cost analysis for the different processing lines.

In consultation with the JPII technical staff, the consultant will identify for each food-production line the needed equipment, tools and materials, will draft a manual of food processing procedures for professional-healthy standardized production, that will include the phases from preparation-processing-conservation to packaging.

Supported in the logistic by JPII staff, the consultant will conduct field visits to ensure the proper installation of the processing lines and will conduct technical training (including ToT training) and follow-up during the production phase, to monitor the quality and health standards are applied.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

• Ensure a participatory approach by meeting and sharing with the cooperative’s members or informal group of food producers the different phases of the program for introducing food-processing lines.
• Conduct rapid market analysis to support the identification food processing lines profitability that might be introduced in the cooperative’s business, assess major industry trends affecting the business, and describe what impact these trends may have on the business.
• Ensure innovative and professional food processing practices, also linking when necessary with other professional expertise.
• Support JPII procurement & logistic department in the identification of suppliers for the purchasing of specific machineries and tools needed

The expected outputs include:

It is expected that the FPS will support the activation of diversified food processing lines in 3-5 cooperatives/informal groups of food processors.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Degrees/qualifications in Food Processing, Food Safety, Food Hygiene, Food Business Advice
• Minimum of five years’ experience as expert in relevant medium-large scale food processing
• Experience in the design and setting up of medium scale food-processing lines
• High interactive and communication skills, enabling the candidate to mobilize and guide groups towards the objectives of the analysis
• Good English communication (oral and writing) skills
• Strong analytical and critical thinking
• Dedicated and organized

SELECTION CRITERIA

CVs will be pre-selected according to their coherence with the required below criteria:

1. Administrative compliance

• Complete documentation (CV, cover letter, methodology and work plan, etc.)
• Language of application as required
• Respect of deadlines

1. Technical criteria

• Degrees, and qualifications
• Previous experiences in the setting up of diversified medium scale food processing lines
• Years of experience related to management of food processing lines
• Previous experience related to food processing cooperatives

Selected candidates will be called for interviews. Interviews will take place in JPII Foundation HQ, Rue Gouraud, 191 Gemmayzeh, Beirut office.

We thank all those who will send their application, but we inform that only candidates pre-selected for an interview will be contacted

Note: for more information about the organization, please consult our webpage.