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 support removing redundant practices in pharmaceutical licensing, inspections, pricing and exports and assist Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) in aligning its regulatory system with the World Health Organization (WHO) and PIC/S standards. This would require analysis and reviewing various legal documents – from laws to internal DRAP instructions, with subsequent preparation of necessary amendments or drafting new documents, with the goal to improve the regulatory environment in the pharmaceutical manufacturing in Pakistan and meet the WHO and PIC/S requirements.

Scope of Work & Deliverables

The consultant will be responsible for the development of policy and legal proposals relevant to the project’s objective and may include:

1. Preparation of policy and legal proposals to

a. remove redundant practices in licensing, inspections, pricing and exports,

b. improve procedures, required for starting a manufacturing of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) and ready medications,

c. improve procedures, required for entering new medication, produced in Pakistan, to the domestic market; This should include procedures, related to retail price regulations,

d. improve procedures, required for import of APIs to Pakistan.

2. Based on the WHO regulatory assessment and requirement of the WHO Global Benchmarking Tool, define legal documents, which require revision to meet the WHO requirements.

3. Prepare amendments to the identified documents, or propose and draft new documents if needed.

4. Prepare, jointly with the DRAP team and other experts, responses to the WHO assessment of DRAP, with explanation of actions, undertaken to ensure compliance with the WHO requirements.

5. Ensure that proposed legal recommendations are aligned with the national legislation.

Selection Criteria

The consultant contracted for this assignment shall have strong experience of legal and regulatory assessments, 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.

Previous experience of WBG consulting assignments will be an advantage.

The consultant should have the following qualifications:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in law, economics, business or public administration, or other related area;

• Minimum 10 years of relevant professional experience;

• Knowledge of the national legislation and regulatory framework;

• Experience in legal analysis and regulatory reforms;

• Familiarity with the pharmaceutical industry regulations;

• Knowledge of 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.

World Bank Group Core Competencies

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