Short-Term Consultant: Associate Operations Officer

IFC - a member of the World Bank Group - is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. We work in more than 100 countries, using our capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities in developing countries. In fiscal year 2025, IFC committed a record $71 billion to private companies and financial institutions in developing countries, leveraging private sector solutions and mobilizing private capital to create a world free of poverty on a livable planet. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.

IFC is looking for a Short-Term Consultant-Associate Operations Officer to assist the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) in aligning its regulatory systems in accordance with the requirements of the World Health Organization (WHO), the PIC/S, achieving regulatory maturity level 3 according to the WHO Global Benchmarking Tool (GBT), and preparing DRAP to PIC/S membership.

Role and Responsibilities

The Consultant, jointly with other project team members, which include international consultants, is expected to work on the following:

• Conduct a comprehensive gap analysis of DRAP’s current regulatory systems against WHO GBT requirements.

• Develop a roadmap and action plan for achieving WHO Regulatory Maturity Level 3. Provide recommendations on necessary reforms and improvements to meet the WHO requirements and achieve regulatory maturity level 3 by DRAP according to the WHO GBT.

• Review and advise on necessary modifications to relevant DRAP documents (regulations, guidelines, SOPs, etc.), to align them with the WHO requirements.

• Prepare, jointly with the DRAP team, responses to all WHO GBT indicators/sub-indicators in addition to the WHO comments and observations.

• Provide technical assistance and capacity building to address identified gaps and implement necessary improvements.

• Define, jointly with the DRAP team, areas for necessary training of DRAP staff on topics related to the WHO GBT and deliver such training in the areas of the consultant’s competence.

• Support improvement of the DRAP capacity and its inspection practice. The consultant shall review existing assessments and reports and assess the gaps between the current DRAP practice and requirements for accession to the Pharmaceutical Inspection Co-operation Scheme (PIC/S) and gaps between the current DRAP practice and requirements for the PIC/S membership.

• Based on the assessment, the reforms action plan shall be developed and assistance provided with the ultimate goal to prepare DRAP for accession to the PIC/S. The plan shall include legal, institutional, and capacity building actions and recommendations.

• Assessment of the needs of the private sector to be able to meet national and international standards and compete in international markets.

Selection Criteria

The consultant contracted for this assignment shall have strong knowledge of the regulatory regime of the pharmaceutical manufacturing in Pakistan, experience of working with the Government of Pakistan in the areas of pharmaceuticals or broader regulatory or business environment reforms and knowledge of the political and economic dynamics at the provincial and federal government levels in Pakistan.

The consultant should have the following qualifications:

• Advanced degree (Master’s or Ph.D.) in Regulatory Affairs, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Public Health, or a related field.

• Expertise in areas such as pharmacovigilance, GMP inspections, clinical trial regulation, and other related areas.

• Minimum 10 years of relevant professional experience.

• Knowledge of the national legislation and regulatory framework for the pharmaceutical manufacturing.

• Knowledge of and practical experience with the WHO Global Benchmarking Tool (GBT) and PIC/S requirements is an advantage.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and Urdu.

Application & Contract

Please send your CV and a Cover Letter to Serhiy Osavolyuk (sosavolyuk@ifc.org) by September 26, 2025. The subject line of your email must be “(Associate) Operations Officer - Full Name.” The selected candidate will be awarded a contract (start date as soon as possible) for the number of days depending on business needs and is expected to support the project until its completion in December 2027.

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