OBJECTIVE OF THE OFFICE/DEPARTMENT
This is a requisition for employment at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/Regional Office of the World Health Organization (WHO)
Contractual Agreement:
Non-Staff - International PAHO Consultant
Job Posting:
November 4, 2026
Closing Date:
November 13, 2026, 11:59 PM Eastern Time
Primary Location:
Off Site
Organization:
HIM Health Emergencies Information and Risk Assessment
Schedule:
Full time
PURPOSE OF CONSULTANCY
Position Title: International PAHO Consultant on Strengthening foodborne-related events information and data harmonization.
Purpose of contract:
The purpose of this consultancy is to support the development, implementation, and promotion of mechanisms that strengthen data sharing with a special focus on foodborne-related events.
Background and description of deliverables:
The objective of the Health Emergencies Department (PHE) of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) is to increase health sector resilience to emergencies and disasters. PHE assists Member States to strengthen the health sector’s capacities in prevention, risk reduction, preparedness, surveillance, response, and early recovery for emergencies and disasters related to any hazards (natural, man-made, biological, chemical, radiological and others) and, when national capacities are overwhelmed, to lead and coordinate the international health response to contain disasters, including outbreaks, and to provide effective relief and recovery to affected populations. PHE is responsible for ensuring the implementation and updating of the PAHO/WHO Institutional Emergency and Disaster Response Policy.
The increasing frequency of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases highlights the need to strengthen collaboration between different stakeholders. Timely exchange of surveillance information and data between countries and networks is critical to support early warning, risk assessment, and coordinated response to public health threats.
The Strategy on Epidemic Intelligence for Strengthening Early Warning of Health Emergencies 2024–2029 and the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) emphasize the importance of multisectoral collaboration, information sharing, and integrated surveillance systems. In this context, PAHO seeks to strengthen regional mechanisms and capacities for the exchange of epidemiological information and surveillance data among countries and networks operating at national, regional, and international levels.
The consultant will support the Health Emergency Information & Risk Assessment Unit (HIM) within PHE, in the implementation of activities directly aligned with the Strategy and Regional Action Plan on Epidemic Intelligence (CD61.R10: Indicators 3.6, 3.8, 3.9, 4.3, 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3), while leveraging the Regional Genomic Surveillance Strategy (CSP30/12) and the proposed Regional Food Safety Strategy to ensure laboratory, genomic and food safety system outputs inform detection, verification, risk assessment, information sharing and response.
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES:
General responsibilities :
Under the direct supervision of the HIM Unit Chief, the consultant will undertake the following responsibilities:
1. Data harmonization framework for triangulation of enteric foodborne-related event information.
Deliverable: Develop a framework for organizing epidemiological, laboratory, genomic, and event-based information prior to joint analysis, including core data elements, common temporal and geographic references, source attribution, and approaches for managing incomplete or non-comparable information.
Due date: 31 January 2027
Amount: U$ 2,365.00
2. Technical reference compendium for country operationalization of the PAHOGen-IHR protocol .
Deliverable: Develop a technical compendium bringing together the PAHOGen-IHR information exchange protocol, the existing country operationalization instrument, relevant IHR provisions, and supporting epidemic intelligence resources for use in…