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:
February 11, 2026
Closing Date:
February 23, 2026, 11:59 PM Eastern Time
Primary Location:
Off Site
Organization:
NMH Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health
Schedule:
Part time
PURPOSE OF CONSULTANCY
Under the supervision of the Senior Regional Advisor for Cardiovascular Disease Management, and in close coordination with the HEARTS Regional Technical Team, relevant PAHO technical units, and implementing countries, the Consultant will provide highly specialized technical support for the design, updating, dissemination, and institutionalization of the development and facilitating the implementation and scale-up of the HEARTS with emphasis on Quality Improvement in countries implementing the program. This work will build on the accumulated technical experience and progress achieved in adopting the HEARTS continuous quality improvement approach to strengthen primary health care, within the framework of PAHO's Better Care for Non-Communicable Diseases Initiative.
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES:
Description of Deliverables:
Consultant will be responsible for delivering the following products & services with input from the respective project manager: Pedro Ordunez
Scope of Deliverables:
* Support the expansion of the HEARTS Quality Framework and the institutionalization of the continuous quality improvement (CQI) methodology, including accreditation of PHC facilities, across HEARTS implementing countries.
* Design and implement a continuous capacity-building plan to strengthen national and subnational capacities for the implementation of the HEARTS Quality Improvement methodology.
* Provide structured and intensified technical assistance ("proof of concept" of the HEARTS Quality Improvement methodology) to a selected group of countries designated as HEARTS Quality Leaders, documenting implementation processes and lessons learned.
* Provide technical assistance and accompaniment to countries in support of the preparation, submission, and publication of the HEARTS special issue in the Pan American Journal of Public Health (PAJPH).
* Support countries in documenting successful practices and implementation challenges related to health systems and subsystems that have adopted the HEARTS Quality Framework in the Americas.
Description of Deliverables:
Technical cooperation to countries to strengthen Quality Improvement within HEARTS
Provision of targeted technical cooperation to countries to strengthen the implementation of the HEARTS Quality Framework and the Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) approach. This includes technical accompaniment meetings focused on quality improvement, programmatic guidance, and follow-up of implementation progress; support to the preparation, validation, and use of the semi-annual HEARTS report as a quality improvement tool; and analysis and interpretation of results to identify quality gaps, opportunities for improvement, and priority actions to strengthen implementation. The technical cooperation provided is documented through consolidated technical reports.
HEARTS Quality Improvement Workshops
Planning, technical facilitation, and moderation of four regional HEARTS Quality Improvement workshops. This deliverable includes the design and development of technical agendas, presentations, and structured group exercises for regional Continuous Quality Improvement workshops, as well as the documentation of outcomes, technical agreements, and key learnings.
Follow-up, systematization, and dissemination of Quality Improvement experiences in HEARTS (proof-of-concept with top implementers)
Organization, facilitation, and documentation of periodic technical meetings with HEARTS Quality Leader countries to follow up on the Quality Improvement proof of concept. This includes the systematization of progress, challenges, lessons learned, and emerging good practices, with a focus on their programmatic implications. The process culminates in the conceptual design, technical agenda, coordination, and delivery of a high-level regional webinar aimed at disseminating successful experiences and lessons learned in Continuous Quality Improvement within HEARTS.
Development and validation of the HEARTS accreditation framework for primary health care centers
Progressive development, technical validation, and consolidation of the HEARTS accreditation framework for primary health care centers. This deliverable includes the preparation of the initial technical proposal, consultations with experts and implementing countries, definition of accreditation criteria, domains, standards, and processes, and the preparation of the final document ready for regional dissemination.
Design, initiation, and follow-up of the study on the HEARTS Quality Improvement methodology
Methodological design, initial implementation, and analytical follow-up of a study examining the process and results of the HEARTS Quality Improvement methodology. This includes the development of the study protocol, formal documentation of study initiation (scope, timeline, and methodological considerations), and the production of analytical progress reports that systematize preliminary results, methodological adjustments, and emerging findings.
Development and publication-ready documentation of a generic protocol for evaluating the effectiveness of HEARTS implementation
Conceptual and methodological development of a regionally adaptable protocol to evaluate the effectiveness of HEARTS implementation, as well as the technical drafting of the protocol in a publication-ready format, carried out in coordination with a temporary consultant.
Technical support for the production, publication, and dissemination of the HEARTS special issue
Technical and editorial support for the development and publication of the HEARTS special issue in the Pan American Journal of Public Health (RPSP/PAJPH), including ensuring thematic coherence and supporting peer review and publication processes. This deliverable also includes methodological and conceptual assistance to national teams for the development and strengthening of manuscripts, as well as the conceptual design, technical agenda, coordination, and delivery of a regional dissemination webinar to share key findings, results, and lessons learned from the special issue with stakeholders across the Americas.
Distribution of deliveries (March 19, 2026 – December 15, 2026)
Delivery 1: April
• Support package for the first 2026 Quality Improvement workshop (agenda, presentations, and group exercises).
• Advance the draft-proposal for accreditation of primary health care centers implementing HEARTS, including consultations with experts and participating countries.
• Support to the publication of the HEARTS special issue in the Pan American Journal of Public Health (PAJPH).
• 1st Report on technical cooperation activities with implementing countries.
Amount: USD 2,400
Delivery 2: May
• Coordination and facilitation of the first HEARTS 2026 Quality Improvement workshop.
• Advance the draft-proposal for accreditation of primary health care centers implementing HEARTS, including consultations with experts and participating countries.
• Technical progress meetings for the proof of concept with Quality Leader countries.
• Support to country publication processes integrated into the HEARTS special issue in PAJPH.
• 2nd Report on technical cooperation activities with implementing countries.
Amount: USD 7,200
Delivery 3: May
• Support package for the second 2026 Quality Improvement workshop.
• Publication of the HEARTS accreditation framework for primary health care centers, developed through consultations with experts and implementing countries.
•Technical progress meetings for the proof of concept with Quality Leader countries
• Support to country publication processes integrated into the HEARTS special issue in PAJPH
• 3rd report on technical cooperation activities with implementing countries.
Amount: USD 6,000
Delivery 4: June 2026
• Coordination and facilitation of the second HEARTS 2026 Quality Improvement workshop.
• Technical progress meetings for the proof of concept with Quality Leader countries.
• Initiation of the study on the process and results of the application of the HEARTS Quality Improvement methodology.
Support the publication of the HEARTS special issue in PAJPH
• Support to country reporting processes for semiannual evaluation 2026-I.
• 4th report on technical cooperation activities with implementing countries.
Amount: USD 7,000
Delivery 5: :July
• Support materials package for the third 2026 Quality Improvement workshop.
• Technical progress meetings for the proof of concept with Quality Leader countries.
• Progress report on the study of the process and results of the application of the HEARTS Quality Improvement methodology
• Support to country data analysis and reporting processes for semiannual evaluation 2026-I
Support the publication of the HEARTS special issue in PAJPH
• Contribution to the development of a generic protocol for evaluating the effectiveness of HEARTS implementation.
• 5th report on technical cooperation activities with implementing countries.
Amount: USD 6,000
Delivery 6: August
• Coordination and facilitation of the third HEARTS 2026 Quality Improvement workshop.
• Technical progress meetings for the proof of concept with Quality Leader countries
• Drafted the manuscript on the study of the process and results of the application of the HEARTS Quality Improvement methodology
• Contribution to the development of a generic protocol for evaluating the effectiveness of HEARTS implementation.
• 6th report on technical cooperation activities with implementing countries.
Amount: USD 7,200
Delivery 7: September
• Support materials package for the fourth 2026 Quality Improvement workshop.
• Support the publication of the HEARTS special issue in PAJPH.
•Webinar: publication of the HEARTS special issue in PAJPH
•Technical progress meetings for the proof of concept with Quality Leader countries
• Contribution to the development of a generic protocol for evaluating the effectiveness of HEARTS implementation.
•7th report on technical cooperation activities with implementing countries.
Amount: USD 7,000
Delivery 8: October
• Coordination and facilitation of the fourth HEARTS 2026 Quality Improvement workshop.
• Technical progress meetings for the proof of concept with Quality Leader countries
•Manuscript of the generic protocol for evaluating the effectiveness of HEARTS implementation (in collaboration in collaboration with a temporary consultant)
• 8th report on technical cooperation activities with implementing countries.
Amount:USD 7,200
Delivery 9: December 15
• Technical progress meetings for the proof of concept with Quality Leader countries.
• Support to country data analysis and reporting processes.
• End-of-year report on the proof of concept with Quality Leader countries.
• Report on technical cooperation activities with implementing countries.
• Webinar: Successful Experiences in Quality Improvement.
• End-of-year report on the proof of concept with Quality Leader countries.
• 9th report on technical cooperation activities with implementing countries.
Amount: USD 9,000
Total contract amount: US$ 59,000
Qualifications, experience, skills and languages
Education:
PHD or master's degree in health sciences, public health research, epidemiology, quality improvement, health systems, or a related field, with formal training in research methods
Experience:
At least 13 years of experience supporting health systems strengthening with a focus on quality improvement in primary health care.
Demonstrated experience designing, implementing, and scaling QI methodologies and frameworks in collaboration with national health authorities.
Experience producing and validating certification or accreditation frameworks for health facilities or service delivery models.
Strong record of supporting scientific publications, preparing technical reports, and contributing to multi-country initiatives.
Technical knowledge/skills:
Strong command of quality improvement methodologies (e.g., PDSA, process mapping, performance assessment) and their application in PHC settings.
Advanced understanding of implementation research methods, including feasibility, fidelity, and evaluation of clinical and organizational interventions.
Ability to lead multi-country technical assistance processes, including facilitation, validation workshops, and development of concept-testing workplans.
Experience in scientific writing, development and review of technical documents, and support to peer-reviewed publications.
Excellent communication skills to synthesize technical content into webinars, guidance documents, certification tools, and reports for diverse audiences.
Language and level required:
Language:
Level Required:
English: Advanced
Spanish: Advanced
Portuguese: Desirable
French: Desirable
Band Range; Band C Part-time Expected Duration: March 19, 2026 – December 15, 2026
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: PAHO will also use the databases of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and College Navigator, found on the website of the National Centre for Educational Statistics, 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:
* 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.