Chair of the Pig Health and Welfare Council Pig Meat Food Safety Subgroup

We are currently recruiting for a Chair of Pig Health & Welfare Committee, Pig Meat Food Safety Subgroup, which is a role funded through levies provided by AHDB. This is to drive forward the delivery of the PHWC vision for 2020/2030. This subgroup aims to be the authoritative group for zoonotic hazards in pig meat production, which encompasses policy, surveillance, research, management and control, and therefore, collaboration with government, pig keepers, producers, vets, processors, retailers and allied industries is critical.

The role of this subgroup is to assist the industry in reducing the risk to the consumer from pork meat and products. The subgroup aims to develop a roadmap to improve pig meat safety. This involves investigation and evaluation of current knowledge on reducing zoonotic-related food risks and commitment from the whole industry to ensure ‘whole chain’ ownership of the roadmap and shared commitment to its outcomes.

The three main objectives being:

• Seek out advancements in control and reduction strategies which can be applied on farm and at abattoirs to reduce the risk to the industry of a foodborne disease outbreak related to micro-organisms from pigs, pork meat and pork products
• Support and encourage the monitoring of Salmonella, Hepatitis E and LA-MRSA to enable the industry to have the knowledge of the prevalence of these organisms and assess the risks associated with those levels and the impact of any reduction strategies applied
• Maintain an agreed shared source of information to enable the pork chain to respond accurately and quickly to queries and challenges related to Salmonella, Hepatitis E and LA-MRSA

As Chair, we are looking for excelled leadership skills to bring together differing views and present a common solution, along with relevant technical skills to digest information on diseases and surveillance, and convert these into coherent strategies.

Time Requirements, 2 days per month, to include:

• Currently 4 Pig Meat Food Safety Subgroup meetings per year in March, June, October and December
• Additional 3 meetings per year of the Pig Health and Welfare Council providing a brief report on the work of the subgroup ahead of the meeting
• Represent the PHWC at occasional meetings.
• Contribute a report on the work of the subgroup for the PHWC biennial report every two years

Strategic direction:

• Provide leadership and strategic direction to the PHWC Pig Meat Food Safety Subgroup ensuring that there is maximum impact for its members and that the organisation can fulfil its purpose
• Deliver the PHWC Pig Meat Food Safety Subgroup agenda, ensuring that issues are brought forward and discussed in a timely manner
• Ensure that the PHWC is able to regularly review major risks to the pig industry and associated opportunities and satisfy itself that systems are in place to take advantage of opportunities, and manage and mitigate the risks

Effectiveness:

• Chair meetings of the PHWC Pig Meat Food Safety Subgroup effectively and efficiently, bringing impartiality and objectivity to the decision-making process
• Chair PHWC Pig Meat Food Safety Subgroup meetings ensuring a balance is struck between time-keeping and space for discussions
• Business is dealt with and decisions made
• Decisions, actions and deliberations are adequately minuted
• The implementation of decisions is clearly assigned and monitored
• Ensure that Pig Meat Food Safety Subgroup members are fully engaged and that decisions are taken in the best, long-term interests of the pig industry and that the Subgroup takes collective ownership
• Foster, maintain and ensure that constructive relationships exist with and between the Members
• Monitor that decisions taken at meetings are implemented

• Possess tact, diplomacy and powers of persuasion with the ability to listen and engage effectively
• Ability to build consensus and communicate with and influence a range of stakeholders
• Commitment to exercising impartial and independent judgement, drawing sound conclusions that differentiate and weigh up competing arguments that are capable of justification under close scrutiny
• Ability to analyse complex issues, quickly and to reach balanced and independent judgements on them
• Possess relevant knowledge and experience in food safety, surveillance and delivering change is desirable
• Relevant skills to run a meeting well
• Strong networking capabilities that can be utilised for the Pig industry
• Excellent communication skills, including a demonstrable ability to operate effectively and comfortably as an ambassador for the PHWC
• Ability to commit time to conduct the role well

The successful candidate must abide by the Nolan Principles of Public Life (attached in Annex B).

Job contact :

• Name : Mandy Nevel
• Email : [email protected]
• Telephone : 07875 306905

Recruitment team

• Email : [email protected]