Consultant - Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene

Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)

Home-based/Remote

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: August 19, 2025

Closing Date: August 28, 2025, 11:59 PM Eastern Time

Primary Location: Off Site

Organization: DHE Social and Environmental Determinants for Health Equity

Schedule: Full time

PURPOSE OF CONSULTANCY Supervisor: PAHO Unit Chief, Climate Change and Environmental Determinants of Health

Summary of Responsibilities:

Under the direct supervision of the Unit Chief, Climate Change and Environmental Determinants (DHE/CE), the consultant will be responsible for, but not necessarily limited to, the following assigned duties:

1. Collect and analyze data on water quality, service coverage, and health risks from national systems and field reports. Apply a standardized risk assessment methodology (e.g., Water Safety Plans) in coordination with national counterparts. Prepare a consolidated technical report including key findings, risk maps, and country-specific recommendations.
2. Review existing frameworks and national strategies related to WASH and neglected infectious diseases (EIDs) of the countries prioritized in the EID elimination strategy. Coordinate with the DHE/CE team so that country focal points can provide information on the actions being carried out in the countries related to the issue and then, conduct consultations with technical partners and country representatives to define roadmap priorities. Draft and finalize a regional report outlining country-specific roadmaps, timelines, and monitoring mechanisms.
3. Adapt technical course materials into Spanish of Water Sanitation Plans Climate Resilience, ensuring pedagogical consistency. Design interactive modules and assessments using PAHO e-learning platform. Pilot-test content with target users and incorporate expert feedback for finalization.
4. Develop materials to support DHE in planning meetings with partners to define joint priorities for eliminating open defecation. Support DHE in developing a comprehensive work plan with common objectives, timelines, roles for partners, indicators and a coordination mechanism for implementation in priority countries.
5. Gather information on WASH services and disease trends locally. Analyze and visualize data using epidemiological methods to identify hotspots and service gaps. Produce a monitoring report with trends, challenges, and actionable recommendations.
6. Conduct a stakeholder mapping to identify relevant actors in health, WASH, education, and local governance of priority countries of the Trachoma elimination strategy. Facilitate consultation workshops to define common goals and coordination mechanisms. Draft a proposal for integrated WASH and trachoma interventions, including objectives and operational plans.
7. Compile and draft fact sheets on appropriate WASH technologies used or proposed in the 4 countries. Organize technical validation workshops with national experts and local implementers. Finalize and disseminate validated fact sheets in accessible formats (digital and printable).
8. Support the implementation, monitoring, and reporting of WASH-related programs and strategic initiatives coordinated by DHE/CE, including GLAAS, TrackFin, the environmental laboratory strategy, and country-level agreements such as the collaboration with the Government of Peru under the Regional Technical Team on Water and Sanitation (ETRAS); additionally, provide technical assistance on WASH components during emergency response efforts across the Region.
9. Perform other related duties, as assigned.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES:

Products:

Product 1 – Risk assessment report on drinking water systems in 10 LAC countries.

Product 2 – WASH and EID Strategy Roadmaps Report-2025

Product 3 – Development of the online educational tool for the Sanitation Safety Plans course in Spanish.

Product 4 – Joint work plan with partners (WHO, UNICEF, JMP -UN, NGOs) for open defecation elimination strategy.

Product 5 – Monitoring report on WASH services and disease prevalence at local level.

Product 6 – Elaboration of proposal for intersectoral WASH and Trachoma work at local level, resulting from stakeholder mapping.

Product 7 – Validation of appropriate WASH technology fact sheets with experts and local actors from 4 priority countries (GTM, COL, BRA, PER).

Payment Schedule:

15 October 2025 – delivery of product 1 (USD 7,500)

20 November 2025 – delivery of product 2 (USD 7,800)

15 January 2026 – delivery of product 3 (USD 6,800)

15 February 2026 – delivery of product 4 (USD 7,800)

28 April 2026 – delivery of product 5 (USD 7,000)

30 June 2026 – delivery of product 6 (USD 7,000)

15 September 2026 – delivery of product 7 (USD 7,760)

Technical Expertise:

  • Proven expertise in environmental health, public health, or a related field.
  • Experience in research and development of health communication materials.
  • Excellent writing and editing skills, with the ability to communicate complex information in a clear and accessible manner.
  • Familiarity with the health systems and environmental health challenges in the Americas.
  • Experience in writing/developing technical documents.
  • Fluency in Spanish and basic knowledge of English or vice versa.

Qualifications:

Essential:

  • Five years of combined national and international experience in technical cooperation in institutions concerned with public health management with a particular focus on water and basic sanitation, surveillance and monitoring methods, or evaluation of environmental health programs and sustainable development programs.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, as they will be required to prepare reports, deliver presentations, and conduct training sessions.
  • Experience in project management, including developing work plans, monitoring progress, and ensuring timely delivery of outputs.
  • Ability to work effectively with stakeholders, including project staff, implementing agencies, and communities affected by the project.
  • Excellent language skills in Spanish to facilitate communication with stakeholders and prepare reports.

Duration of contract: 12 months after the contract is signed.

Compensation: Band A (USD 51,660)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

  • This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.
  • Successful candidates will be placed on the roster and subsequently may be selected for consultancy assignments falling in this area of work or for similar requirements/tasks/deliverables.  Inclusion in the Roster does not guarantee selection for a consultant contract.  There is no commitment on either side.
  • Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
  • All applicants are required to complete an on-line profile to be considered for this consultancy. For assessment of your application, please ensure that your profile in the PAHO Career page is updated; all experience records are entered with elaboration on tasks performed at the time.  Kindly note that CV/PHFs inserted via LinkedIn are no accessible.
  • A written test may be used as a form of screening.
  • If your candidature is retained for interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. PAHO/WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. PAHO will also use the databases of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation http://www.chea.org/search/default.asp and College Navigator, found on the website of the National Centre for Educational Statistics, https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator to support the validation process. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.
  • Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to PAHO/WHO Regulations, and e-Manual.
  • For information on PAHO please visit: http://www.paho.org
  • PAHO/WHO is committed to providing a respectful and supportive workplace for all personnel .
  • PAHO is an ethical organization that maintains high standards of integrity and accountability. People joining PAHO are required to maintain these standards both in their professional work and personal activities.
  • PAHO also promotes a work environment that is free from harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and other types of abusive behavior. PAHO conducts background checks and will not hire anyone who has a substantiated history of abusive conduct.
  • PAHO personnel interact frequently with people in the communities we serve. To protect these people, PAHO has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse. People who commit serious wrongdoings will be terminated and may also face criminal prosecution.
  • PAHO/WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
  • Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.
  • Consultants shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority.  The execution of the work under a consultant contract does not create an employer/employee relationship between PAHO and the Consultant.
  • PAHO/WHO shall have no responsibility whatsoever for any taxes, duties, social security contributions or other contributions payable by the Consultant.  The Consultant shall be solely responsible for withholding and paying any taxes, duties, social security contributions and any other contributions which are applicable to the Consultant in each location/jurisdiction in which the work hereunder is performed, and the Consultant shall not be entitled to any reimbursement thereof by PAHO/WHO.

4 days remaining

Apply by 28 August, 2025

POSITION TYPE

ORGANIZATION TYPE

EXPERIENCE-LEVEL

LANGUAGE REQUIRED

IHE Delft - MSc in Water and Sustainable Development