Power Sector Governance & Market Reforms Expert – Senior Level (REMIT Programme)

Power Sector Governance & Market Reforms Expert – Senior Level

Background

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) is establishing a dedicated Strategic Implementation Unit (SIU) to enhance integrated strategy, policy, and delivery support to the Prime Minister and senior leadership. The SIU is modelled on international best practices, where such units have proven effective in providing evidence-based insights, rapid analytics, and focused implementation tracking at the highest levels of government.

The SIU will function as a rapid-response analytic task force for the Prime Minister and the PMO, providing decision-ready inputs on priority economic sectors and policy questions. It will carry out rigorous analysis to stress-test proposals submitted by line ministries, SOEs, regulators, and development partners, and will support sectoral oversight across Pakistan's key economic priorities, including energy and power, petroleum, agriculture, commerce, finance, and other areas identified by the Prime Minister.

Technical experts and Analytics Specialists embedded within the SIU will work under the direction of the Head-SIU to analyse critical issues across economic sectors, develop evidence-based assessments, collect inputs from relevant government agencies, and prepare comparative analyses in situations involving conflicting stakeholder positions. They will assist in the examination of policy and implementation options, including the assessment of respective advantages and disadvantages, with clear articulation of economic implications, implementation risks, and other relevant considerations.

Activity Context

Pakistan's power sector faces deep-rooted governance and structural challenges that have undermined sector viability and imposed significant fiscal costs on the government. Circular debt has reached unsustainable levels, tariff frameworks have been unable to adequately reflect costs, and the governance of major sector entities, including DISCOs and GENCOs,remains weak. The PMO, through the SIU, requires senior technical advisory expertise to analyse reform proposals, stress-test options, and provide authoritative inputs to inform the Prime Minister's decisions on power sector governance and market reform.

Key reform priorities where the SIU requires expert advisory support include:

• Resolving circular debt through a combination of structural, financial, and governance-based interventions

• Reforming tariff frameworks to ensure cost-reflectivity, transparency, and fiscal sustainability

• Strengthening governance, accountability, and operational efficiency of power sector entities

• Improving the regulatory framework, including NEPRA's independence, mandate, and enforcement capacity

• Advancing market reform to introduce greater competition, private participation, and efficiency incentives

• Supporting Pakistan's transition to a sustainable energy mix, including integration of renewable energy

The Power Sector Governance & Market Reforms Expert will provide the SIU with the senior advisory expertise needed to assess, stress-test, and inform power sector governance and reform decisions at the PMO level.

Job Summary

The Power Sector Governance & Market Reforms Expert will provide high-level technical advisory support on power sector governance reform, tariff restructuring, circular debt resolution, and market reform within the SIU. The role will focus on analysing reform proposals, assessing implementation options, and providing strategic advisory inputs to support decision-making by the Head-SIU.

Duties and Responsibilities

The roles and responsibilities will be performed to meet the emerging analytic requirements of sector reform as and when required by Head SIU and may include, but are not limited to:

Governance and Institutional Reform

• Provide expert technical analysis of governance reform proposals for power sector entities, including DISCOs, GENCOs, NTDC, and CPPA-G.

• Assess institutional restructuring options, performance frameworks, and accountability mechanisms for sector entities, with clear articulation of trade-offs and implementation risks.

• Advise on options for strengthening NEPRA's regulatory independence, tariff-setting methodology, and enforcement capacity.

• Analyse coordination mechanisms across the Ministry of Energy (Power Division), NEPRA, and sector entities, and advise on improvements.

Tariff and Circular Debt Reform

• Stress-test tariff reform proposals, including transition pathways to cost-reflective tariffs, cross-subsidy rationalisation, and consumer protection frameworks.

• Advise on circular debt resolution strategies, including financial restructuring, governance improvements, and operational efficiency measures.

• Assess capacity payment frameworks and provide recommendations for reform to reduce fiscal exposure.

• Evaluate proposed subsidy frameworks and targeted support mechanisms for fiscal sustainability and social equity.

Market Reform and Private Sector Development

• Analyse power market reform proposals, including competitive market mechanisms, private participation frameworks, and dispatch efficiency improvements.

• Provide technical inputs on regulatory frameworks for renewable energy integration and energy transition financing.

• Assess investment climate conditions and advise on reforms to strengthen private sector confidence in the power sector.

Sector Level Engagement

• Prepare technical briefs, reform options papers, and decision notes for the Head-SIU

• Contribute to SIU policy sessions and inter-ministerial engagements through expert participation and advisory inputs.

• Engage with key stakeholders including Ministry of Energy (Power Division), NEPRA, NTDC, DISCOs, GENCOs, IPPs, and development finance institutions to gather information and assess reform implementation.

• Support development of outcome-oriented KPIs and monitoring frameworks for power sector governance and market reforms.

Qualifications and Experience

• Advanced degree in electrical engineering, energy economics, public policy, finance, or a related field.

• Minimum 13 years of relevant experience in power sector governance, market reform, regulatory advisory, or institutional reform.

• Demonstrated expertise in at least two of: power sector governance reform, tariff restructuring, circular debt management, regulatory framework design, or power market development.

• Strong understanding of Pakistan's power sector institutional landscape, including the roles of NEPRA, DISCOs, GENCOs, and sector financing structures.

• Familiarity with international power sector governance frameworks and comparative reform experiences from comparable economies.

• Experience in senior technical advisory roles supporting central government decision-making, including engagement with development partners.

• Strong analytical, advisory, and written communication skills; ability to produce clear decision-ready outputs under tight timelines.

Reporting

The consultant will report to:

• Head, Strategic Implementation Unit (SIU), Prime Minister’s Office

Duration and Expected Level of Effort

• Days/Month: 5

• Months: 5

• Total Expected LOE: 25

Application Deadline: Thursday 28th May