Deputy Director (SRD Food Safety - Plant) | NAFSA

This position is being recruited by Pakistan Single Window (PSW) on behalf of the National Agri-Trade and Food Safety Authority (NAFSA). NAFSA is being established as a strategic national initiative to strengthen Pakistan’s agri-trade ecosystem through enhanced regulatory oversight, facilitation, and modernization of food safety and trade processes. The selected candidate will be part of NAFSA’s foundational team, contributing to the development of systems, processes, and institutional capabilities.

Responsibilities:

• Formulate national food safety policy and establish a coherent regulatory framework for plant-origin foods across the food chain.
• Develop, adopt, and recommend food safety standards related to contaminants, residues (including pesticide MRLs where applicable), food additives, processing aids, hygiene, and sanitary practices.
• Formulate science-based regulatory policies for chemical, biological, and physical hazards in plant-origin foods, in consultation with the risk assessment directorate.
• Develop regulatory frameworks for food traceability, recall systems, and emergency response mechanisms for plant-origin foods.
• Design risk-based food control models, including categorisation of food business operators and commodities based on risk.
• Represent Pakistan’s scientific and regulatory positions in Codex Alimentarius and other relevant international food safety forums (plant-related matters).
• Support Federal Government/NAFSA in responding to food safety incidents, border rejections, and compliance matters through technical inputs.
• Coordinate with OW, provincial food authorities, laboratories, and industry stakeholders to ensure implementable and harmonised standards.
• Develop training modules and guidance materials for food safety standards and regulatory compliance (plant-origin).
• Perform any other responsibilities assigned by the reporting officer in support of NAFSA’s mandate.
  

Requirements

Education:

• Master’s (Hons.) / MPhil (minimum eighteen years of education) in Food Science & Technology, Microbiology, or related field.

Experience:

• Minimum 8 years of relevant experience in food safety regulation/standards, laboratory/analytical work, or SPS-related policy roles.
• Strong knowledge of Codex Alimentarius standards, food safety regulatory frameworks, and risk-based control concepts.
• Proven drafting and analytical skills with ability to produce standards, guidelines and regulatory instruments.
• Strong stakeholder management and ability to represent technical positions in national/international forums.
• Research publications in HEC-recognised journals (preferred).
  
  For contact, kindly reach out to [email protected].