Culinary QA Specialist (Gaza Field Operations), Contract

About World Central Kitchen

Founded in 2010 by Chef José Andrés, World Central Kitchen (WCK) is an international nonprofit organization that is first to the frontlines, providing fresh meals in response to disasters and crises. WCK has served more than 450 million meals by leveraging local resources and adapting in real time when disasters strike.

Role Overview

A World Central Kitchen (WCK) Culinary QA Specialist based in Egypt will serve as the dedicated culinary presence on the ground to safeguard the quality of food procurements destined for Gaza field kitchens. This contract role bridges the WCK Supply Chain & Procurement team in Egypt with the Culinary Unit Manager in Gaza, ensuring that every product inspected, approved, and dispatched meets the standards required to serve dignified, culturally appropriate meals under crisis conditions.

This position is a three (3) month fixed-term contract and reports directly to the Regional Culinary Manager, MENA.

What You Will Do

Quality Inspection & Vendor Oversight

• Conduct regular quality inspections at vendor facilities, cold stores, warehouses, and packaging sites across Egypt.

• Evaluate incoming and outgoing food products — frozen goods, canned proteins,grains, dried goods, and commodities — against WCK quality specifications.
• Perform sensory evaluations (taste, smell, texture, appearance) for all applicable product categories.
• Identify and document quality deficiencies including brand inconsistencies, incorrect specifications, packaging defects, and non-conforming products.

Pre-Dispatch Cargo Inspection

• Inspect all cargo loads prior to dispatch to Gaza, verifying product quality, correct quantities, accurate labelling, and cold-chain integrity.
• Flag and formally escalate any non-conformities to the Supply Chain Manager and Culinary Unit Manager before dispatch is authorised.
• Ensure that rejected or flagged products are not dispatched until issues are
• resolved or replaced.

Vendor Engagement & Feedback

• Communicate WCK culinary standards, taste preferences, and quality expectations directly to vendor teams.
• Provide structured, documented feedback to vendors on product performance —taste, texture, consistency, and adherence to agreed specifications.
• Support the qualification of new vendors and products through organised tasting and evaluation sessions.
• Build professional relationships with vendor representatives to foster a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.

Coordination & Reporting

• Maintain close communication with the Culinary Unit Manager, Gaza, to stay aligned with kitchen needs, menu requirements, and Palestinian/Gazan culinary standards.
• Liaise regularly with the Supply Chain Manager on procurement schedules, vendor visits, and quality action items.
• Submit weekly quality inspection reports to the Regional Culinary Manager covering all inspections, issues identified, and actions taken.
• Maintain an ongoing product quality log tracking approvals, rejections, and vendor performance by category.

Requirements

• Professional culinary background with a minimum of 3–5 years of experience in a professional kitchen, food production, or food quality environment.
• Familiarity with Palestinian and Gazan cuisine is strongly preferred and considered a significant advantage for this role.
• Arabic fluency required; working-level English for written reporting.
• Based in Cairo or able to relocate to Cairo for the duration of the contract.
• Willingness to conduct regular vendor site visits across the greater Cairo area.
• Detail-oriented, assertive in quality standards, and a clear and professional communicator.
• Prior experience with a humanitarian organisation or NGO food operations is an asset but not required.

Working Conditions

This role requires the ability to work in high-stress, ambiguous environments with a focus on quality under operational pressure. Regular travel to vendor sites across Cairo is required. Flexibility and adaptability to changing conditions are essential.

Contract Duration: This is a three (3) month fixed-term contract with the possibility of extension based on operational need and performance.

Contract Pay Rate: $105 per day in local currency

Benefits

Why Join Us?

• High-impact role directly supporting humanitarian food operations in Gaza.
• A collaborative working environment with WCK's experienced field and culinary teams.
• Opportunity to shape food quality standards in one of the world's most significant humanitarian responses.

Equal Opportunity

WCK is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Join us in being a part of WCK's global talent journey!