Call for Expressions of Interest: Sign Language Interpreters – Sightsavers, Tanzania, October 2026

Sign Language Interpreters – Preferred Supplier List

Organisation: Sightsavers
Opportunity Type: Call for Expressions of Interest (EOI)
Location: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Contract Type: Consultant / Consultancy
Programme: Mastercard Foundation Digital Futures Programme and other Sightsavers programme activities
Application: Online Expression of Interest

About Sightsavers

Sightsavers is an international development organisation working to prevent avoidable blindness, promote equality for people with disabilities, and support inclusive development.

Through the Mastercard Foundation Digital Futures Programme, Sightsavers supports young women and men with disabilities to access digital skills, entrepreneurship opportunities, and pathways into dignified and fulfilling work.

Sightsavers is inviting qualified sign language interpreters in Tanzania to join its Preferred Supplier List (PSL). Successful applicants will be pre-qualified as consultants or consultancies and may be contacted for short-term and intermittent assignments when work becomes available.

Important: Inclusion on the Preferred Supplier List does not guarantee work, a minimum number of assignments, or any minimum level of fees.

Scope of Work

Consultants or consultancies on the Preferred Supplier List may be invited to provide professional sign language interpretation for:

• Meetings
• Workshops
• Training sessions
• Consultations
• Recruitment activities
• Webinars
• Field visits
• Partner meetings
• Community engagement activities
• Recorded content

Assignments may be delivered in person, remotely, or through hybrid arrangements, depending on programme requirements.

The interpreter will support effective two-way communication between sign language users and spoken-language users, ensuring that participants can engage equitably, safely, and with dignity.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide accurate, impartial, and professional interpretation between the relevant signed and spoken languages.
• Prepare for assignments by reviewing agendas, presentations, technical terminology, participant information, and safeguarding or accessibility notes provided in advance.
• Maintain professional neutrality and avoid speaking on behalf of participants, except where clarification is necessary to support accurate interpretation.
• Work respectfully with Deaf participants, programme participants, colleagues, partners, facilitators, captioners, note-takers, co-interpreters, and other accessibility support providers.
• Advise Sightsavers when additional interpretation or accessibility support may be required, including co-interpreters, Deaf interpreters, relay interpreters, captioning, breaks, or interpreter rotation arrangements.
• Maintain strict confidentiality before, during, and after assignments.
• Promptly raise concerns relating to accessibility, interpretation quality, safeguarding, wellbeing, conduct, data protection, or logistics through the agreed Sightsavers reporting route.
• Comply with Sightsavers’ safeguarding, confidentiality, data protection, code of conduct, and professional behaviour requirements.

Skills, Knowledge & Experience

Applicants should demonstrate:

• Professional experience providing sign language interpretation in the relevant national sign language and spoken language.
• Strong understanding of Deaf culture, communication preferences, and disability inclusion.
• Experience interpreting in professional, development, education, employment, health, community, safeguarding, research, or programme settings.
• Ability to interpret accurately, impartially, and confidentially in sensitive or technical contexts.
• Ability to prepare for assignments by reviewing background materials and clarifying terminology in advance.
• Understanding of professional boundaries, safeguarding responsibilities, and appropriate conduct when working with children, adults at risk, programme participants, or community members.
• Ability to work respectfully with diverse participants, including young people with disabilities, women with disabilities, partners, community representatives, and Sightsavers staff.
• Willingness to complete required due diligence checks, safeguarding briefings, references, right-to-work or eligibility checks, and assignment-specific onboarding requirements before commencing work.

Safeguarding & Professional Conduct

Sightsavers is committed to safeguarding, equality, diversity, and inclusion.

Consultant engagement is conditional upon satisfactory completion of relevant checks and agreement to comply with Sightsavers’ safeguarding standards, Code of Conduct for representatives, confidentiality requirements, and data protection requirements.

Where assignments involve children, adults at risk, programme participants, community members, personal stories, sensitive data, images, or field activities, additional safeguarding controls may apply.

Applicants are required to review the full Terms of Reference (ToR), which provides further information on the scope of work, safeguarding requirements, payment terms, skills, confidentiality, and intellectual property provisions.

Selection for the Preferred Supplier List does not guarantee future work.

How to Express Your Interest

Applicants should submit their Expression of Interest (EOI) online through the application link.

Applicants will need to:

• Upload their CV, or CVs if representing a team.
• Complete the online Expression of Interest form.
• Provide details of their sign language interpretation experience.
• State the languages they cover.
• Indicate the country or countries where they are legally able to provide consultancy services.
• Provide their availability.
• Provide their daily or hourly rate.
• Provide examples of relevant previous assignments.

Shortlisted candidates may be invited to:

• Provide additional information.
• Participate in an interview.
• Complete required due diligence checks before being added to the roster.

Any consultancy agreement will only be issued if a specific assignment is confirmed.

Interview & References

Interviews: Mid-October 2026

Business and safeguarding references will be required for each participating consultant or consultancy before an agreement is signed.

Equal Opportunity

Sightsavers is an equal opportunity organisation and encourages Expressions of Interest from all sections of the community.

Qualified people with disabilities are particularly encouraged to express their interest.

Sightsavers has zero tolerance for harassment, sexual exploitation, and abuse. Potential consultants will be subject to rigorous background checks and controls.

How to Apply

Submit your Expression of Interest through the official Sightsavers careers portal:

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

Note: The provided vacancy does not state a specific application deadline.