The World Food Programme (WFP) is recruiting a Food Safety and Quality Assurance Officer for its office in Aden, Yemen. This is a fixed-term position within the Supply Chain unit, with a contract duration of 12 months that may be renewed.
The role is focused on helping maintain food safety and quality across WFP’s food assistance operations, from sourcing and storage through transport and distribution.
Also Read
This opportunity may suit experienced food safety, food science, food technology, or nutrition professionals who want to apply their technical knowledge in a humanitarian setting. Candidates should be prepared to work across different functions and with a range of external partners.
The position also involves supporting emergency activities, collecting and analysing information, and helping strengthen food safety systems in Yemen.
About the Organization
The World Food Programme is a major humanitarian organization working to address hunger and food insecurity. Its work includes supporting people affected by conflict, disasters, climate shocks, and economic crises. WFP aims to ensure that vulnerable populations have access to adequate, safe, and nutritious food.
WFP states that it values integrity, collaboration, commitment, humanity, and inclusion. The organization was awarded the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize.
Position Overview
The Food Safety and Quality Assurance Officer will work in WFP Yemen’s Supply Chain unit and report to the Head of Supply Chain. The position is based in Aden and is classified as a fixed-term NOA role.
The main purpose of the position is to support food safety and quality assurance throughout WFP’s supply chain. This includes helping apply food safety procedures, monitoring quality risks, supporting incident management, and contributing technical information to food assistance programmes.
The role also requires coordination with Programme, Monitoring, Learning and Evaluation, Field Offices, Communications, headquarters functions, and external stakeholders. This makes it a position that combines technical food safety knowledge with operational and collaborative work.
Key Responsibilities
The successful candidate will support the implementation of WFP’s food safety and quality approach across relevant operations. The work includes providing technical input to policies, procedures, food assistance programme design, and supply chain activities.
A significant part of the position involves identifying and managing food safety risks. The officer will support the collection of information during incidents, contribute to investigations, prepare relevant documentation, and help share lessons that can reduce the likelihood of similar problems occurring again.
The role also covers field-level quality activities. These can include supporting product specifications, supplier assessment and compliance testing, communication with regulatory authorities, and monitoring food safety and quality across the supply chain.
Another important area is research and data work. The officer may collect samples, review data and literature, support packaging research, and organize consultations. Information gathered through these activities will contribute to reports and decision-making.
The position also supports efforts to strengthen local food systems. This can involve working with WFP staff, partners, government bodies, suppliers, and other stakeholders on food production quality, food processing facilities, laboratory testing, inspection, and local food standards.
Capacity building is another part of the job. The officer will contribute to training, technical guidance, and knowledge transfer for WFP staff, cooperating partners, suppliers, service providers, government representatives, and other stakeholders. Emergency response duties may also be assigned when required.
Eligibility & Qualifications
Applicants should carefully check the education and experience requirements before applying.
Education: Candidates need an advanced university degree in Food Technology, Food Sciences, Nutrition, or a related field. A first university degree may also be accepted when combined with two additional years of relevant work experience.
Experience: The vacancy requires five years of relevant experience in total, including at least one year of professional experience in food safety and quality. Experience in procurement, logistics, or supply chain management is desirable.
Technical knowledge: Applicants are required to have knowledge of, and experience with, Yemen’s food safety and quality regulatory environment and protocols. The vacancy also asks for experience or training in food safety and quality protocols, including basic exposure to applying tools or procedures in operational settings.
Experience with data collection and analysis is desirable, particularly where the information is used to monitor trends, support decisions, or assist operations. Experience working in collaborative teams and supporting emergency or time-sensitive activities is also desirable.
Languages: English and Arabic are listed as the required languages.
Skills Needed
This position calls for a combination of technical knowledge and practical coordination skills. A strong understanding of food safety and quality procedures is central to the work, particularly in relation to Yemen’s regulatory environment.
Applicants should also be comfortable working with operational information, collecting and reviewing data, and contributing to reports. The ability to work with colleagues and external stakeholders is important because the position involves coordination across WFP functions as well as with UN agencies, NGOs, government bodies, and private-sector organizations.
Experience supporting emergency or time-sensitive operations can also be useful, as the position includes an assigned emergency response capacity when required.
Salary & Benefits
The employer has not publicly disclosed the salary for this position.
WFP states that it provides an attractive compensation package and offers a diverse working environment, professional development opportunities, training, coaching, mentorship, accreditation programmes, and possibilities for internal mobility.
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted through WFP’s online recruiting system. The organization specifically states that applications sent by email, LinkedIn, or other channels will not be considered.
Applicants should make sure their Workday profile is complete and accurate, including employment history, academic qualifications, language skills, and UN grade where applicable. At the application stage, the required documents are a CV and cover letter. WFP may request additional documents later in the recruitment process.
The stated application deadline is 31 August 2026 at 23:59 GMT+03:00 (Aden time). Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the next stage.
Applicants should also be cautious about recruitment scams. WFP states that the United Nations does not charge application, processing, training, interview, testing, or recruitment fees.
Tips Before Applying
Before submitting an application, review the education and experience requirements carefully. In particular, check that your professional background meets the five-year relevant experience requirement and includes the required food safety and quality experience.
Tailor your CV to clearly show relevant food safety, quality assurance, regulatory, data, and operational experience. Your cover letter should also demonstrate how your background relates to the responsibilities of the position without simply repeating the vacancy information.
Make sure your Workday profile is complete and that your CV and cover letter are ready before starting the application. Submit the application only through WFP’s official online recruitment system.
Conclusion
The WFP Food Safety and Quality Assurance Officer position offers experienced food safety and related professionals the chance to contribute to humanitarian food assistance operations in Yemen. The role combines technical food safety work with supply chain support, data analysis, stakeholder coordination, capacity building, and emergency response.
Candidates who meet the education, experience, technical knowledge, and language requirements should review the official vacancy carefully and submit their application through WFP’s online recruitment system before the stated deadline.