Secretary, Codex Alimentarius Commission

2302593

Secretary, Codex Alimentarius Commission

Job Posting: 28/Aug/2023

Closure Date: 12/Oct/2023, 4:59:00 PM

Organizational Unit: FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission (CODEX)

**Job Type**: Staff position

Type of Requisition: Senior-level

Grade Level: D-1

Primary Location: Italy-Rome

Duration: Fixed term: two years with possibility of extension

Post Number: 0333735

CCOG Code: 1I02b
- **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 persons 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**:
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for _better production_, _better nutrition_, _a_ _better environment,_ and _a better life_, leaving no one behind.

**Organizational Setting**

The Secretariat of the Codex Alimentarius Commission provides coordination and liaison across the entire spectrum of Codex activities. Under the overall guidance of the Codex Secretary, the Secretariat comprises a small team of professional and technical officers and support staff.

Codex Food Standards Officers are responsible for the preparation, management and distribution of information from Codex committees to Members and observers on matters such as proposed draft standards, revisions to texts and the publication of committee reports. Food Standards Officers are international specialists, normally with a background in food safety control, public health, standard setting, food technology, chemistry, microbiology or veterinary medicine.

The Codex Secretariat is also responsible for managing the coordination of work between committees, continuously monitors work planning for active and adjourned committees alike and ensures that Codex texts remain relevant and consistent with current scientific knowledge. Meetings of the Codex Alimentarius Commission and Executive Committee are administered and serviced entirely by the Rome-based staff.

The position is located in the FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission (CODEX) at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.

**Reporting Lines**

As head of the Secretariat of the Joint FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission, which is the executive organ of the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, the Secretary reports programmatically to the relevant members of the Core Leadership/ Assistant Director-General of FAO and Assistant Director-General of WHO, while administratively under the supervision of the relevant FAO members of the Core Leadership. The Secretariat is administered in accordance with the rules and regulations of FAO.

**Summary of Duties and Functions**

The Secretariat services the sessions of the Commission and its subsidiary bodies, and acts as liaison between the Commission and interested sectors of FAO and WHO as well as the World Trade Organization (WTO), UN and other international governmental and non-governmental organizations concerned with the health, quality and trade aspects of food standards.

More specifically, the Secretary:

- is responsible for the management of the Codex Secretariat ensuring quality and efficient delivery of support and services to the Commission and its subsidiary bodies, and for the strategic planning, implementation and monitoring of the programme of work and budget of the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme;
- supports the Executive Committee of the Commission in leading the development of the vision and strategic directions of the Commission and in identifying emerging issues and developments in food and feed sectors that could be of interest to the Commission;
- implements the Commission’s decisions, identifies and promotes constructive interactions among state parties during meetings of the Commission;
- monitors the work of the subsidiary bodies of the Commission, identifies and analyses difficult issues and facilitates their constructive resolution;
- maintains a motivated and effective work force by, recruiting highly qualified staff, mentoring, coaching and supporting career development of staff, and implementing effective approaches for performance management;
- participates in, and contributes to senior level meetings between FAO and WHO on Codex-related issues including food safety, quality and nutrition, and works closely with relevant technical units of FAO and WHO