Textile Policy & Trade Expert - REMIT Programme

Job Title: Textile Policy & Trade Expert – Consultant

Location: Islamabad (with field visits to major textile clusters)

Job Type: Short-Term Technical Assistance (STTA) – 45 Days

Assignment Duration: 20 Weeks (June – October 2026)

About REMIT:
Revenue Mobilisation, Investment and Trade (REMIT) is a technical assistance programme funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) to support Pakistan in implementing strategic reforms in the realm of economic development, trade, investment and revenue mobilisation. The key outcomes under the programme will be contributing towards strengthening the macroeconomic stability and improving conditions for high and sustained growth, mutual prosperity, job creation and poverty reduction in Pakistan.

About the Role:
REMIT is seeking an experienced Textile Policy & Trade Expert – Consultant to lead a comprehensive benchmarking study on circular and sustainable textile policies in Pakistan vis-à-vis China, Bangladesh, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, Türkiye and Sri Lanka. The expert will assess the competitiveness implications of emerging compliance regimes in major export markets and develop an evidence-based transition roadmap to support the Government of Pakistan’s Ministry of Commerce (MoC). This assignment will provide MoC with a structured comparative analysis of Pakistan’s textile sector policy and regulatory framework, identifying strategic gaps, compliance risks, and actionable policy recommendations to enhance export competitiveness and value chain resilience.

Key Responsibilities:

• Conduct a comprehensive review of existing research, policy papers, and analytical studies related to Pakistan’s textile sector competitiveness, sustainability compliance, and export performance, identifying key findings, policy gaps, methodological frameworks and areas requiring further analysis.

• Prepare an inception report outlining the literature review, methodology, analytical tools, benchmarking framework, and stakeholder engagement plan; develop a comparative benchmarking matrix covering regulatory frameworks, fiscal incentives, enforcement mechanisms, industrial infrastructure, recycling capacity, traceability systems, certification penetration, and sustainability-linked financing instruments. identify potential markets, key export products and valuechain segments for focused competitiveness analysis.

• Review existing national policies including textile and apparel policy, environmental regulations, industrial incentives, export promotion measures, and compliance frameworks; map institutional responsibilities across public (federal and provincial levels-Ministry of Commerce, Provincial EPAs, provincial industry departments) and private stakeholders, and identify state & industry level functions and associate responsibilities.

• Assess enforcement capacity, regulatory coordination gaps, and cluster-level infrastructure (such as Common Effluent Treatment Plants and waste management facilities); evaluate sustainability certification, chemical management, wastewater compliance, and traceability adoption across firm sizes.

• Conduct structured comparative analysis of China, Bangladesh, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, Türkiye and Sri Lanka, on circular textile policies, incentive structures, green industrial zones, recycling capacity, digital traceability systems, sustainability-linked financing, and institutional coordination models; develop a benchmarking scorecard highlighting Pakistan’s relative strengths, weaknesses, and strategic gaps.

• Map all binding and non-binding  compliance requirements in major export markets (EU, UK, North America) covering  sustainability, chemical, traceability, and circularity ; conduct value-chain risk mapping to identify high-vulnerability nodes and assess compliance-related trade risks including shipment rejections and loss of premium market access.

• Estimate capital and operational costs associated with existing and emerging sustainability, traceability and circularity compliance-related transition measures (wastewater upgrades, chemical substitution, renewable energy integration, recycling investment, traceability systems); model potential impacts on export margins, pricing, and competitiveness relative to regional competitors across firm sizes and sub-sectors.

• Estimate sector-wide investment requirements for compliance and circular transition; assess availability of domestic and international green finance instruments; propose potential financing mechanisms including concessional credit lines, risk-sharing facilities, blended finance models, or targeted incentives for SMEs.

• Conduct structured consultations with large, medium and small enterprises, , relevant trade and industry associations, regulators (environmental, labor and human rights),  financial institutions; technology/certification service providers; undertake field visits to at least two major textile clusters to validate infrastructure and compliance readiness.

• Develop a phased short-, medium-, and long-term transition roadmap integrating policy reforms, institutional strengthening, infrastructure investment priorities, financing instruments, and monitoring indicators; define institutional responsibilities and propose at least one pilot initiative (e.g., circular textile cluster model or digital traceability platform) with indicative costing and implementation steps.

Key Deliverables:

• Inception Report outlining the literature review, analytical framework, benchmarking methodology, stakeholder engagement plan, and workplan – due 30 June 2026.

• Diagnostic & Comparative Benchmarking Report presenting Pakistan’s policy, institutional, and infrastructure readiness alongside comparative benchmarking against Bangladesh, India, and Vietnam – due 31 July 2026.

• Sustainability, Compliance, & Cost Assessment outlining global sustainability, traceability and circularity regulations, compliance requirements, estimation of capital and operational costs, and their impact on export competitiveness, including key findings from stakeholder consultations – due 15 September 2026.

• Final Report & Policy Roadmap presenting a phased policy and investment roadmap with prioritised and actionable recommendations aligned to institutional responsibilities – due 31 October 2026.

Qualifications:

• A Master’s degree in Economics, International Trade, Public Policy, Textile Engineering, or a related field.

• At least 10 years of professional experience in trade policy, industrial policy, or textile sector analysis.

• Demonstrated experience in export competitiveness analysis, policy benchmarking, and value chain assessments.

• Strong understanding of global textile trade dynamics and sustainability compliance requirements (e.g., environmental standards, chemical regulations, traceability, corporate due diligence).

• Experience working with government institutions, development partners, or trade-related projects.

• Proven ability to lead analytical studies, engage stakeholders, and produce high-quality policy-oriented reports.

• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to convey complex findings to government and development partner audiences.

• Proficiency in data analysis tools and trade databases (e.g., UN Comtrade, ITC Trade Map, World Bank) is an advantage.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience working with international development organisations, government ministries, or export promotion bodies in the textile or related sectors.

• Familiarity with EU sustainability regulations including the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), and Digital Product Passport frameworks.

• Knowledge of green finance instruments, sustainability-linked lending, and blended finance models relevant to industrial transition.

• Experience conducting field research in industrial clusters and engaging SME manufacturers and industry associations.

• Prior work in Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, or Vietnam on textile or trade-related assignments is highly desirable.

The deadline to submit applications: 14th May 2026