PAHO Consultant - Alliance for Primary Health Care in the Americas

PAHO Consultant - "Alliance for Primary Health Care in the Americas"

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 : October 24, 2025. Closing Date : November 1, 2025, 11 : 59 PM Eastern Time. Primary Location : Off Site. Organization : HSS Health Systems and Services. Schedule : Full time.

Purpose of Consultancy : The primary objective of the Department of Health Systems and Services is to strengthen health systems based on Primary Health Care, support the transformation of national health systems to improve equity and resilience, strengthen Primary Health Care (PHC), and address the relevant issues related to human resources as health systems move towards the achievement of Universal Health. Its work encompasses the following areas : integrated services delivery, strengthening of health systems governance and stewardship; developing efficient and equitable financial mechanisms to ensure adequate public funding of the health system; human resources for health, healthy life course; the Virtual Campus of Public Health, and Women's, Maternal, Neonatal and Reproductive Health.

Description of Duties

Under the direct supervision of Dr. James Fitzgerald, Director, HSS, in coordination with Dr. Ernesto Bascolo, Unit Chief HSS / PH, the consultant is expected to provide overall technical, strategic and managerial support to the Secretariat of the Alliance for Primary Health Care in the Americas with the following responsibilities which include :

a. Support regional and country-level strategizing, planning, and management of the Alliance Secretariat's program of work. This includes conceptualization and organization of the Alliance's strategy for the incorporation of countries, initiatives and planning of partner meetings; establishment of a network of collaborators among partner institutions; and development of processes aligned with country needs and priorities to ensure effective strategic and managerial engagement the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank (at regional and country levels) with countries through formal coordination mechanisms, with PAHO Country Offices (PWRs, HSS focal points, technical counterparts), Ministries of Health, PAHO Technical Departments, PAHO Executive Offices, and other partner organizations, also managing the alignment of initiatives with similar objectives.

b. Guide and manage the processes to expand the Alliance of PHC to additional countries. This includes :

Facilitating policy and technical dialogue and sharing of experiences with PAHO Country Offices, Ministries of Health, and regional / country representatives of the World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank towards Alliance participation.

Reviewing of current and prospective lending portfolios and technical assistance work of the IDB and World Bank.

Analysis of political context and country capacities to assess readiness to join the Alliance.

Drafting the Acta de la Mesa Consultiva formalizing country-level collaboration, coordinating required legal reviews, and organizing high-level signing ceremonies with Ministries of Health and the banks.

Consolidating an Alliance working technical agenda with finance (national budgets offices) representatives within the Mesas Consultivas, towards establishing a strategic collaboration between health and finance at the country level.

Organizing strategy sessions with PAHO country PWRs and HSS focal points in countries with Mesas Consultivas.

c. Support in strengthening PAHO Country Office engagement with Alliance members, and in enhancing the Ministry of Health's leadership role in guiding the Alliance's Mesas Consultivas.

d. Support engagement with potential new member countries, including :

Providing introductory briefings to prospective countries via PAHO Country Offices on Alliance modalities, processes, and opportunities for participation.

Identifying entry points during election cycles and government transitions, maintaining an active Alliance engagement with countries.

Identifying the Alliance's role in addressing challenges in the implementation of WB and IDB's investment plans.

e. Ensure the effective functioning of the Alliance's Mesas Consultivas by :

Guiding the strategic functioning of the Mesas Consultivas and the development and implementation of a standardized Gua de Funcionamiento of the Mesas Consultivas, supporting the preparation of agendas of meetings, and ensuring they are held on a regular basis and have records and follow-up.

Guiding the development and implementation of the Alliance's priority areas around national priorities, supporting the drafting of a work plan and complementarity matrixes, and the establishment of technical thematic groups reporting to the Mesa.

Positioning the technical / strategic work of HSS in the Mesas Consultivas technical and strategy dialogue.

Providing guidance to Country Office and Ministry focal points, sharing best practices, organizing technical orientation sessions and workshops as needed.

Developing and instituting a standardized reporting mechanism for monitoring progress.

f. Prepare and coordinate Alliance regional meetings, including quarterly partner planning meetings, ad hoc meetings, high-level strategy meetings, and Regional Alliance meetings. Responsibilities will also include facilitating discussions with PAHO and bank staff on lending portfolios and pipelines; drafting remarks, concept notes and talking points for PAHO's executive and senior leadership, positioning the Alliance in PAHO's corporate programs and initiatives and elsewhere; and supporting joint regional engagement strategies.

g. Track progress across the Alliance's three principal areas of action :

Country action : Support prioritized country proposals, under the Ministry's leadership, linked to investment planning. Collaborate with PAHO Country Offices and World Bank / IDB Task Team Leaders in planning and monitoring, reviewing national health plans and bank strategies, and providing intelligence on country engagement.

Regional technical public goods : Contribute to the identification and systematization of policy briefs, technical consensus on key areas relevant to the Alliance's objectives, and context-specific consensus on strategic areas that strengthen investment planning in PHC-based health systems, leverage innovations, and accelerate PHC transformation.

Strategic dialogue : Develop the 2026-2027 agenda for strategic engagement of the Alliance (bilateral meetings, side events, Governing Body meetings, WB / IMF Spring and Fall meetings, etc.). Support a working health-finance (national budget offices) sector engagement in selected countries and facilitate the Alliance's positioning during PAHO leadership country visits and participation in global and regional events.

h. Lead Alliance communications, including drafting and reviewing joint statements, communiqus, and press releases for major regional and global announcements, as well as materials for intergovernmental and partner organization meetings.

i. Support HSS Department positioning by :

Analyzing and proposing strategic approaches for PAHO's engagement in regional and global health platforms.

Positioning the work of HSS within the Alliance and other policy and strategy platforms.

Collaborating in the HSS Department effective participation in Governing Body meetings, Advisory Groups, Regional Strategic Networks, Task Forces and strategic initiatives related to PHC, maternal mortality reduction and human resources for health.

Drafting concept notes, agendas, and resource mobilization plans for strategic initiatives related to PHC, human resources for health and maternal mortality reduction, and contribute to drafting the Alliance participation in the Department corporate planning and with partner organizations' partnerships.

Qualifications :

• Extensive experience in strategic institutional positioning in health, and in liaising with country authorities across Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as with senior-level staff within international organizations and / or international financing institutions.
• Demonstrated experience in guiding and managing strategic initiatives on Primary Health Care and other health related topics at technical and strategic level.
• Proven ability to coordinate effectively across institutional levels, and with senior management and technical staff.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills, with demonstrated ability to conceptualize and draft high-level strategic materials.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with fluency in English and Spanish required.

Professional experience :

Education :

Languages :