PAHO Consultant - Respiratory Viruses Surveillance and Pandemic Preparedness

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:

January 30, 2026

Closing Date:

February 6, 2026, 11:59 PM Eastern Time

Primary Location:

Off Site

Organization:

IHM Infectious Hazard Management

Schedule:

Full time

PURPOSE OF CONSULTANCY

Position Title: Respiratory Viruses Surveillance and Pandemic Preparedness consultant
Purpose of contract:
The purpose of this consultancy is to deliver technical support to countries in the Americas to strengthen, integrate, and use surveillance systems for influenza, COVID‑19, RSV, and other respiratory viruses in order to inform timely public health action. It also aims to enhance pandemic preparedness and response by supporting capacity building, data analysis and reporting, preparedness planning, and regional coordination and evaluation activities.
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 incumbent is a member of PHE’s Infectious Hazards Management Unit (IHM). This area of work supports countries in the surveillance, prevention, preparedness and control of pandemic and epidemic-prone diseases. A primary focus is strengthening integrated routine surveillance systems in Member States across the Americas to enable timely monitoring of the epidemiological context of seasonal influenza, COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and other respiratory viruses (ORVs). This approach supports informed decision-making and enhances countries’ preparedness to track trends in future respiratory pandemics.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES:

General responsibilities:

Under the direct supervision of the Advisor, Epidemic-prone Diseases Epidemiology (PHE/IHM) and the general supervision of the Unit Chief, Infectious Hazards Management (PHE/IHM), the consultant will perform the following functions:

1.      Provide technical cooperation to countries in the Americas to strengthen, monitor, and evaluate surveillance systems for influenza, COVID-19, RSV, and ORV at national and local levels, including through country missions.

2.      Assist in developing and revising data collection protocols for respiratory disease surveillance at the country level.

3.      Assess needs and deliver targeted training on surveillance of seasonal and pandemic influenza, COVID-19, RSV, and ORV.

4.      Support the regional consolidation of epidemiologic and virologic surveillance data on influenza, COVID-19, RSV and ORV.

5.      Update and promote regional guidance on integrated surveillance of respiratory viruses, including operational guidelines and monitoring tools.

6.      Support the training and use of Pandemic Influenza Severity Assessment (PISA) tools by countries.

7.      Support the implementation of forecasting/nowcasting methods to monitor respiratory virus incidence in dedicated countries.

8.      Support countries in the implementation of functionality studies to compare universal and sentinel surveillance of SARS-CoV-2.

9.      Coordinate and monitor the weekly submission of regional reports to the global level.

10. Support Member States in updating their pandemic preparedness plans.

11. Participate in and facilitate pandemic preparedness and response evaluations, including lessons-learned workshops, simulation exercises, and intra-action reviews.

12. Contribute to the preparation of regional reports, newsletters, and meetings on integrated surveillance of respiratory viruses.

13. Support the implementa