A. INTRODUCTION

Our Client, Sense Malawi, is a key partner in the transformative Ireland-Malawi Agri-Food Systems Strategy (IMAGRI) Programme. They are dedicated to strengthening Malawi’s food systems by empowering enterprises, farmers, and communities to achieve inclusive growth and sustainable development. To efficiently and strategically lead this critical work, we are seeking three highly motivated and experienced professionals to join our leadership and technical teams at the Malawi Country Office. Therefore, Sense (IMAGRI) invites applications for the following positions: (i) Country Lead, (ii) Food Safety Lead, and (iii) Finance and Administration Officer. These roles are essential for providing the strategic direction and technical expertise needed to drive lasting socio-economic change in the Agri-Food sector. The detailed descriptions for these vacancies are provided below:

Advertisement 2: Food Safety Lead

Employment Type: Fixed-term, full-time

Contract Duration: Aligned to programme duration, renewable subject to annual performance review.

Reporting to: Country Lead

Technical liaison with: SFSI and Sense technical teams; relevant Irish food safety institutions (as appropriate).

1. Role Purpose

The Food Safety Lead is the technical, practical, and inspirational driver of food safety improvement under the IMAGRI programme. The role sits at the intersection of regulation, enterprise practice, and food systems outcomes, translating food safety principles into workable, scalable solutions that improve public health, trust, and competitiveness. The Food Safety Lead is not only a technical expert, but also a systems thinker, executor, and influencer, someone who can mobilise regulators, inspectors, enterprises, and partners around a shared vision of food safety as a public good and a business opportunity.

2. Key Outcomes and Performance Expectations

The Food Safety Lead will be assessed on their ability to turn food safety ambition into visible, system-wide improvements. Over the first 12-24 months, success in this role shall include:

• Practical food safety approaches adopted by enterprises and regulators, moving beyond checklist compliance;
• Demonstrable improvements in enterprise food safety practices and internal systems;
• Increased alignment, coherence, or usability of regulatory tools, inspection approaches, or guidance;
• Strong, trust-based working relationships with regulators, inspectors, enterprises, and partners;
• Evidence that food safety is increasingly understood as a driver of competitiveness, consumer trust, and market access.
• Active contribution to learning, knowledge exchange, and policy dialogue within the programme.

Performance will be reviewed annually against agreed objectives, delivery milestones, and contribution to programme outcomes.

3. Key Duties and Responsibilities

a) Practical Technical Leadership

• Lead the design and delivery of food safety activities across regulatory systems,
• Prioritise solutions that work in practice, balancing international standards with local realities;
• Ensure technical quality while avoiding unnecessary complexity or administrative burden.

b) Systems-Oriented Food Safety Implementation

• Apply systems thinking to identify bottlenecks, incentives, and leverage points affecting food safety performance;
• Support harmonisation and simplification of food safety tools, inspection approaches, and guidance;
• Contribute to policy and standards discussions with a focus on usability, proportionality, and impact;

c) Enterprise Engagement and Execution

• Design and deliver food safety training, coaching, and gap audits for Agri-Food SMEs;
• Translate technical standards (e.g., HACCP, GMP) into practical actions enterprises can realistically implement;
• Support enterprises to embed food safety into daily operations, decision-making, and staff behaviour.

d) Influence, Inspiration, and Coalition-Building

• Build trust and credibility with regulators, inspectors, enterprises, and technical partners;
• Inspire others to see food safety as a shared responsibility and opportunity rather than a compliance burden;
• Actively contribute to coalitions of the willing across public and private actors.

e) Knowledge Exchange and Irish Systems Linkages

• Identify and mobilise relevant Irish food safety, regulatory, research, and enterprise expertise;
• Support peer learning, exchanges, and dialogue that connect Irish experience to Malawian priorities;
• Contribute to programme learning products, events, and knowledge platforms.

4. Core Competencies

The Food Safety Lead must demonstrate:

• Systems thinking, understanding food safety as an interconnected regulatory, economic, and behavioural system;
• A strong bias to action and execution, with comfort operating in dynamic environments;
• Ability to influence behaviour and practice, not just provide technical advice;
• Warm, credible communication and facilitation skills, building trust across diverse actors;
• A connector mindset, linking Malawian needs to relevant Irish capabilities in a respectful, context-aware manner;
• High standards of integrity, professionalism, and safeguarding awareness.

5. Required Qualifications and Experience

• A Bachelor’s Degree in food science, food safety, public health, agriculture, or a related discipline.
• At least seven (7) years of professional experience in food safety systems regulation, enterprise support, or food processing environments.
• Practical experience with food safety management systems, including HACCP, GMP, and related standards.
• Proven private sector experience in Agri-Food processing or food manufacturing enterprises.
• Experience with food safety certification schemes such as MBS, SMETA, HACCP, and export-oriented standards, including ISO.
• Demonstrated experience conducting gap audits, readiness assessments, and compliance evaluations for food safety certification.
• Verified experience delivering structured training, coaching, or technical assistance in SME regulatory or enterprise development contexts
• Practical exposure to supporting enterprises through certification processes, regulatory compliance, and market access requirements

B. APPOINTMENTS AND REMUNERATION

The successful candidates are assured of leading a start-up opportunity with the backing of an established pan-African organisation and international partners; drive meaningful change in one of Africa’s most critical Agri-Food systems; and work with a range of stakeholders to shape Malawi’s food future. The successful candidates shall also be offered negotiable performance-related contracts with attractive salaries, employee benefits, and packages commensurate with the seniority of the position, qualifications, and work experience.

• Lead the design and delivery of food safety activities across regulatory systems,
• Prioritise solutions that work in practice, balancing international standards with local realities;
• Ensure technical quality while avoiding unnecessary complexity or administrative burden.
• Apply systems thinking to identify bottlenecks, incentives, and leverage points affecting food safety performance;
• Support harmonisation and simplification of food safety tools, inspection approaches, and guidance;
• Contribute to policy and standards discussions with a focus on usability, proportionality, and impact;
• Design and deliver food safety training, coaching, and gap audits for Agri-Food SMEs;
• Translate technical standards (e.g., HACCP, GMP) into practical actions enterprises can realistically implement;
• Support enterprises to embed food safety into daily operations, decision-making, and staff behaviour.
• Build trust and credibility with regulators, inspectors, enterprises, and technical partners;
• Inspire others to see food safety as a shared responsibility and opportunity rather than a compliance burden;
• Actively contribute to coalitions of the willing across public and private actors.
• Identify and mobilise relevant Irish food safety, regulatory, research, and enterprise expertise;
• Support peer learning, exchanges, and dialogue that connect Irish experience to Malawian priorities;
• Contribute to programme learning products, events, and knowledge platforms.

• Systems thinking
• Bias to action and execution
• Ability to influence behaviour and practice
• Warm, credible communication and facilitation skills
• Connector mindset
• High standards of integrity, professionalism, and safeguarding awareness

• A Bachelor’s Degree in food science, food safety, public health, agriculture, or a related discipline.
• At least seven (7) years of professional experience in food safety systems regulation, enterprise support, or food processing environments.
• Practical experience with food safety management systems, including HACCP, GMP, and related standards.
• Proven private sector experience in Agri-Food processing or food manufacturing enterprises.
• Experience with food safety certification schemes such as MBS, SMETA, HACCP, and export-oriented standards, including ISO.
• Demonstrated experience conducting gap audits, readiness assessments, and compliance evaluations for food safety certification.
• Verified experience delivering structured training, coaching, or technical assistance in SME regulatory or enterprise development contexts
• Practical exposure to supporting enterprises through certification processes, regulatory compliance, and market access requirements