Director, Communicable Diseases Prevention, Control and Elimination (CDE)

Pan American Health Organization; Washington; On-site; USD 106,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Pan American Health Organization in Washington, DC seeks a visionary leader to serve as Director, CDE, overseeing PAHO’s work across the Americas. The role requires a master’s in public health or related field, at least 15 years of managerial experience in communicable diseases, fluency in English or Spanish, and proven skills in policy, budgeting, partnerships, and strategic leadership.

Indefinite contract with first-year probation; full-time appointment to advance public health goals across

Qualifications

• A university degree in health or social science and a master’s degree in public health or related field.
• Fifteen years of combined national and international managerial experience in communicable diseases and program policy.
• Fluency in English or Spanish with working knowledge of the other language.
• Demonstrated ability to use current technology, software, spreadsheets and presentations; ERP experience considered essential.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic, technical, policy, and program leadership for PAHO’s work in communicable diseases and related areas.
• Lead the Disease Elimination Initiative and support elimination of >30 diseases by 2030.
• Promote research and knowledge generation to inform evidence-based policies.
• Strengthen food safety systems and One Health approaches for zoonoses and antimicrobial resistance.
• Mobilize resources and establish partnerships with governments, donors, and partners.

Skills

Public health leadership

Epidemiology

Strategic planning

Fundraising

Stakeholder engagement

Policy development

Budget management

Team leadership

Education

Master’s in Public Health

University degree in health or social science

Tools

Microsoft Excel

PowerPoint

SharePoint

ERP systems

Job description

Grade:

D-1

Salary - Annually:

Step I - 117,953.00 USD

Post Adjustment - Annually:

64,402.34 USD

Contractual Agreement:

Staff - Professional Post

Job Posting:

July 22, 2026

Closing Date:

October 2, 2026, 11:59 PM Eastern Time

Primary Location:

Washington, D.C.

Organization:

CDE Communicable Diseases Prevention, Control, and Elimination

Schedule:

Full time

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES:

Director, Communicable Diseases Prevention, Control and Elimination (CDE)

Join us and lead PAHO’s efforts to eliminate communicable diseases across the Americas

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization (WHO), is seeking a visionary, strategic, and results-oriented leader to serve as Director, Communicable Diseases Prevention, Control and Elimination (CDE).

The Communicable Diseases Prevention, Control and Elimination (CDE) Department promotes, coordinates, and implements technical cooperation activities directed toward the surveillance, prevention, control, elimination and/or reduction of communicable diseases and zoonosis throughout the Region of the Americas.

Under the general supervision of the Director and the direct supervision of the Assistant Director, the selected candidate will:

• Provide strategic, technical, policy, and programmatic leadership for PAHO’s work in communicable diseases, zoonoses, antimicrobial resistance, infection prevention and control, communicable disease risk factors, and food safety.
• Lead and coordinate the implementation of PAHO’s Disease Elimination Initiative, supporting Member States in eliminating more than 30 communicable diseases and related conditions in the Americas by 2030.
• Promote research, innovation, and knowledge generation, fostering the adoption of evidence-based policies and best practices among countries and partners.
• Strengthen food safety systems and advance integrated One Health approaches to address zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and foodborne disease threats.
• Mobilize financial and technical resources and establish strategic partnerships with governments, donors, international organizations, academic institutions, civil society, and other stakeholders to advance public health goals.
• Represent the Department at the highest levels and provide authoritative technical and strategic advice to Member States, regional bodies, and partner institutions.
• Provide overall leadership and management of the Department, including strategic planning, budget oversight, performance management, organizational development, and effective use of financial and human resources.

For a complete list of functions, please see the post description.

What is required for this position?

Education

A university degree in health or social science and a master’s degree in public health, epidemiology or any other field related to the functions of the post from a recognized institution.

Experience

Fifteen years of combined national and international experience in progressively challenging managerial positions in communicable diseases, including the development and evaluation of policies and programs for prevention and control of communicable diseases, and the application of epidemiological methods to disease surveillance and public health program planning and evaluation.

Languages

Fluency in English or Spanish with a working knowledge of the other language.

IT Skills

Demonstrated ability to effectively use current technology and software, spreadsheets and presentations, as well as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and management information systems. Other IT skills and knowledge of software programs such as Microsoft Excel, Outlook, OneDrive, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint, and Word are considered essential.

Competencies and Skills

For a complete list of competencies and skills, please refer to the post description.

The skills required are:

• Extensive expertise in public health and communicable diseases, including epidemiology, prevention, surveillance, and disease control.
• Extensive leadership and management experience in complex public health programs and health systems.
• Ability to provide strategic direction, organizational leadership, and policy guidance at the highest levels.
• Strong resource mobilization, fundraising, and partnership development skills.
• Demonstrated capacity to lead through persuasion, consensus-building, and collaboration.
• Strong analytical, strategic planning, and performance monitoring capabilities.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills with diverse national and international partners.
• Ability to manage sensitive issues with sound judgment, diplomacy, tact, and discretion.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with individuals from diverse professional, cultural, and national backgrounds.
• Strong financial management and organizational resource allocation skills.

Duration of Contract

Post of indefinite duration. First year probationary period.

DISCLAIMER

• This vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar positions at the same grade and level.

• Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to PAHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and e-Manual.

PAHO/WHO is committed to:

• PAHO supports an environment of mutual respect and dignity for all applicants. All interested individuals who meet the requirements of this position are encouraged to apply.
• Maintaining high standards of integrity and accountability. People joining PAHO are required to maintain these standards both in their professional work and personal activities.
• Promoting 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 misconduct.
• Providing a smoke-free environment.
• Protecting the people in the communities we serve. Therefore, we have zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse. People who commit serious wrongdoing will be terminated and may also face criminal prosecution.

- World Higher Education Database (WHED), list updated by the International Association of Universities(IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The list can be assessed through the link: http://whed.net/

- Council for Higher Education Accreditation chea.org

- College Navigator, found on the website of the National Centre for Educational Statistics, nces.gov to support the validation process.