SEZ Incentives Phase Out & Transition Plan – Institutional Analysis Expert     

Background

The Revenue Mobilisation, Investment and Trade (REMIT) Programme, funded by the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and implemented by Adam Smith International (ASI), provides technical assistance to the Government of Pakistan to improve the business environment, attract investment, and support sustainable economic growth.

Pakistan's Special Economic Zones (SEZs) framework has delivered limited results due to a range of institutional, governance, and coordination challenges. Fragmented responsibilities across federal and provincial authorities, weak monitoring mechanisms, overlapping mandates, and inconsistent implementation arrangements have constrained the effectiveness of the SEZ regime. These institutional weaknesses have contributed to delays in zone development, investor grievances, underutilisation of land and infrastructure, and limited progress toward achieving intended investment, industrialisation, and export objectives.

In response to these challenges, and in line with commitments under Pakistan's IMF programme, the Government of Pakistan is undertaking a comprehensive SEZ Phase-Out Implementation Plan to transition away from profit-based incentives toward a rules-based, fiscally sustainable framework anchored in cost- and performance-based facilitation. This transition requires a detailed assessment of the institutional architecture governing SEZs to identify governance gaps, coordination constraints, and implementation bottlenecks, while defining an effective institutional framework for the transition process.

As part of this effort, REMIT seeks to engage an SEZ Institutional Analysis Expert (Workstream-I Lead) to lead the institutional and governance assessment of Pakistan's SEZ regime and support the development of practical and implementable institutional reform recommendations.

Job Summary

The objective of the assignment is to provide technical expertise to support the Government of Pakistan in assessing and strengthening the institutional and governance arrangements required for the implementation of the SEZ Phase-Out and Transition Plan, with a focus on Phase A (Planning and Assessment) of the IMF-mandated reform programme.

The SEZ Institutional Analysis Expert will support the Board of Investment (BoI) and the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) by conducting a comprehensive assessment of the institutional landscape governing SEZs at the federal and provincial levels. The Expert will examine governance structures, mandates, coordination mechanisms, regulatory processes, stakeholder roles, and implementation arrangements to identify institutional strengths, weaknesses, and reform opportunities.

The Expert will work closely with the SEZ Policy & Governance Lead, Fiscal & Incentives Expert, Legal & Contractual Expert, and other members of the technical team to ensure that the proposed transition framework is institutionally feasible, effectively coordinated, and aligned with broader investment and economic reform objectives. Through rigorous institutional analysis and stakeholder engagement, the Expert will help develop practical recommendations for improving governance, accountability, coordination, and implementation capacity within the SEZ ecosystem.

Duties and Responsibilities

The SEZ Institutional Analysis Expert will be responsible for leading the institutional and governance assessment component of the SEZ Phase-Out and Transition Plan. Key duties and responsibilities include:

·       Conduct a comprehensive institutional assessment of the SEZ governance framework at federal and provincial levels, including the roles and responsibilities of BoI, Provincial SEZ Authorities, developers, regulators, and other stakeholders.

·       Review existing governance arrangements, decision-making processes, coordination mechanisms, and accountability structures affecting SEZ planning, development, and management.

·       Undertake stakeholder mapping and institutional diagnostics to identify key actors, interests, incentives, and implementation challenges across the SEZ ecosystem.

·       Assess institutional bottlenecks, governance constraints, capacity gaps, and regulatory coordination issues affecting SEZ performance and investment facilitation.

·       Analyse the effectiveness of current monitoring, reporting, and performance management systems governing SEZs.

·       Evaluate the institutional implications of transitioning from profit-based incentives to cost- and performance-based facilitation mechanisms.

·       Support the preparation of the SEZ Transition Concept Note by providing inputs on governance reforms, institutional arrangements, stakeholder engagement, and implementation mechanisms.

·       Facilitate consultations and engagement sessions with federal and provincial governments, SEZ authorities, developers, enterprises, and other relevant stakeholders.

·       Develop recommendations for strengthening institutional coordination, governance arrangements, accountability frameworks, and implementation oversight.

·       Contribute to the design of governance and institutional arrangements for pilot implementation and future rollout of the transition framework.

·       Prepare institutional assessment reports, governance diagnostics, stakeholder mapping outputs, and policy recommendations.

·       Provide technical quality assurance for institutional and governance-related deliverables and ensure alignment with IMF requirements and international good practice.

·       Work closely with other technical experts and the REMIT team to ensure consistency between institutional, legal, fiscal, and policy reform recommendations.

Qualifications and Experience

·       Advanced university degree in Public Policy, Governance, Economics, Public Administration, Development Studies, or a related discipline.

·       Demonstrated expertise in institutional analysis, governance assessments, public sector reform, investment promotion, and regulatory frameworks.

·       Around 10 years of professional experience in conducting organisational reviews, stakeholder mapping, governance diagnostics, and institutional reform assessments.

·       Strong understanding of government systems, investment facilitation mechanisms, and SEZ governance arrangements.

·       Experience advising governments, development partners, or donor-funded programmes on institutional strengthening and governance reforms.

·       Experience conducting stakeholder consultations and translating analytical findings into practical policy and institutional recommendations.

·       Familiarity with investment climate reforms, economic governance, and public sector institutional development.

·       Knowledge of SEZ governance models and international good practices in investment facilitation and economic zone management will be an advantage.

·       Strong analytical, report-writing, and presentation skills.

·       Excellent analytical and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary technical teams.

Reporting line

·       The SEZ Institutional Analysis Expert will work closely with the REMIT team and will report to the REMIT Team Lead and Investment Climate Lead. The assignment will require close engagement with key government stakeholders, along with presentation and review of deliverables by the REMIT team, FCDO, and other relevant stakeholders.

·       Closing Date: 30th June 2026