Senior Associate

Job Summary

The Senior Associate (Trade Workstream) will work closely with the Trade Workstream Lead to strengthen the institutional and strategic dimensions of REMIT's Trade Pillar. The role will focus on enhancing the operational capacity and coordination of key trade institutions, including the Ministry of Commerce (MoC), Export Development Fund (EDF), Pakistan Single Window (PSW), and Directorate General of Trade Organisations (DGTO), to improve trade competitiveness, productivity, and diversification.

The position will ensure that REMIT's technical and analytical outputs are effectively translated into institutional reforms and policy action, while supporting the implementation of key frameworks such as the Strategic Trade Policy Framework (STPF) and National Tariff Policy (NTP).

In addition to supporting ongoing reforms, the Senior Associate will support the Trade Workstream Lead in exploration of new, high-impact trade reform ideas, in close collaboration with the PM Office's Roadmap Team, to align REMIT's support with the Government's broader trade reform agenda. Acting as a strategic integrator, the role will help position the Ministry of Commerce as the central custodian of trade policy and coordination in Pakistan, ensuring coherence, ownership, and sustainability across REMIT's trade interventions.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Institutional Strengthening and Reform Implementation

• Facilitate coordination with the Ministry of Commerce (MoC), Export Development Fund (EDF), Pakistan Single Window (PSW), and other stakeholders to support trade policy and institutional reform activities.

• Support Directorate General of Trade Organisations (DGTO) digitalisation by facilitating coordination between MoC, technical partners, and PSW.
• Support the Trade Workstream Lead in expanding institutional strengthening efforts and trade facilitation initiatives as part of REMIT's shift from analytical support to implementation of core trade reforms.
• Design or update institutional SOPs, reporting systems, and coordination protocols to enhance performance and accountability.
• Work with the Trade Workstream Lead to explore and conceptualise new reform initiatives and innovation opportunities within the trade workstream.

• Policy Analysis and Integration Support

• Review trade policy documents, reports, and deliverables, ensuring alignment with REMIT's objectives and the Government's trade agenda.

• Assist the Trade workstream Lead in formulating and implementing targeted trade policy interventions.
• Support MoC and sectoral stakeholders in integrating study findings (e.g., from STPF, EATIP, and competitiveness studies) into actionable policy and institutional workplans.
• Liaise with other REMIT components to ensure integration of cross-cutting aspects such as investment facilitation, export competitiveness, and regional trade.

• Strategic Alignment and Advisory Support

• Work jointly with the Trade Workstream Lead to facilitate engagement with the PM Office Roadmap Team, ensuring technical and strategic alignment between REMIT trade outputs and the PM Roadmap for the Ministry of Commerce.

• Support in developing concept notes, reform pilots, and institutional engagement plans that operationalise the roadmap's high-impact trade targets particularly on tariff rationalisation and strengthening MoC's role as the custodian of trade policy and coordination.

• Track progress of roadmap-linked reforms and provide adaptive management recommendations for their implementation.

• Knowledge Management and Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL)

• Maintain up-to-date information on all institutional and trade reform activities under the Trade Workstream.

• Contribute to REMIT's monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) system by documenting and tracking deliverables, preparing progress reports, and documenting reform processes.
• Capture lessons learned and best practices in institutional strengthening, policy coordination, and reform delivery.

Qualifications and Experience

• Master's degree in Public Policy, Public Administration, Economics, or Development Studies.
• Minimum 7–10 years of professional experience in institutional development, reform coordination, or governance strengthening.
• Demonstrated experience in cross-government coordination, policy process improvement, and project management.
• Proven capacity to translate policy analysis into actionable institutional reforms.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and policy drafting skills.
• Familiarity with donor-funded governance or economic reform programmes preferred.

Reporting

The consultant will report to the REMIT Trade Workstream Lead

Level of Effort

18 days/month

If interested, please submit your CV (no more than two pages) and a one-page cover letter setting out your motivations and suitability. The deadline for applications is 27/OCT/2025.