Note: All applicants are required to mandatorily fill the complete online Application form including the employment, educational details, behavioural and technical/ professional skills questions. We will be thoroughly reviewing the application forms only with all the required details and the shortlisting is not basis CV/ cover letter. Forms that are incomplete in any respect will not be considered while shortlisting for the next stage.

Main purpose of job:

The purpose of the Economic Adviser (G7) role is to provide expert economic analysis, advice, and leadership in support of the British High Commission’s objectives in Pakistan. The jobholder will lead on engagement and technical assistance to advance economic, trade and investment objectives under the Revenue Mobilisation, Investment and Trade (REMIT) programme. Through high-quality technical input, the role supports Pakistan in implementing reforms that promote macroeconomic stability, sustainable growth, and mutual prosperity. The Economic Adviser will work closely with implementing partners, government officials, and other stakeholders to identify barriers to growth, recommend solutions, and ensure effective delivery of programme outcomes. This position is central to achieving the UK’s strategic goals in Pakistan by fostering economic governance, driving competitiveness, and supporting poverty reduction.

We reserve the right to review, revise or amend the roles and responsibilities from time to time reflecting the changing needs of business.

Roles and responsibilities that a jobholder will be expected to achieve:

1) Strategic Oversight and Leadership

• Provide overall strategic direction and leadership for the REMIT programme, and planned Federal Reforms for Growth successor programme, ensuring alignment with FCDO objectives and the broader UK government strategy.
• Own the vision for the programme, ensuring clarity of policy objectives and expected outcomes within the team and across stakeholders. Ensure senior management is appropriately sighted and impact is communicated proactively and regularly.
• Ensure the programme is sufficiently resourced, evaluated and that complexity is managed in line with available expertise and experience. 

2) Programme Delivery and Quality Assurance

• As SRO, oversee the delivery of technical assistance on economic, trade and investment reforms, ensuring activities are evidence-based, impactful, and contribute to macroeconomic stability and sustainable growth.
• Review and approve programme business cases, annual reviews, and completion reports, ensuring robust design, effective risk management and scrutiny, and value for money.
• Provide expert quality assurance on outputs delivered by implementing partners, ensuring analysis and policy advice meet the highest standards. 

3) Accountability and Empowered Decision-Making

• Be ultimately accountable for the programme meeting its objectives, delivering required outcomes, and making the expected contribution to portfolio-level outcomes.
• Exercise empowered accountability, making informed decisions within delegated authority and escalating significant risks or concerns as appropriate.
• Set and monitor the programme’s risk appetite, ensuring effective management and escalation of risks that exceed agreed thresholds.

3) Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration

• Build and maintain effective relationships with Pakistani officials, UK government departments, implementing partners, and other stakeholders to facilitate influence, collaboration, and the achievement of programme objectives.
• Chair regular meetings with implementing partners, monitor progress, identify barriers to delivery, and develop solutions to overcome challenges.
• Coordinate with other development partners and internal teams to maximise synergies, avoid duplication, and resolve conflicts. 

4) Compliance, Transparency, and Reporting

• Ensure all programme activities comply with FCDO rules, UK law, and international obligations, including ODA eligibility, transparency, and safeguarding requirements.
• Ensure programme documents and decisions are saved correctly for publication and that sensitive information is handled appropriately.
• Uphold the highest standards of transparency, accountability, and ethical conduct in all aspects of programme delivery. 

5) Continuous Improvement and Learning

• Promote a culture of learning, innovation, and adaptation, ensuring the programme remains responsive to changing contexts and emerging evidence.
• Lead on lesson learning and sharing across the FCDO, ensuring that insights inform future programme design and delivery.
• Ensure the programme is closed effectively and responsibly, with all lessons captured and disseminated as appropriate. 

6) Economic analysis

• Provide wider economic expertise and advice on topical issues working closely with other technical advisors in the UK Pakistan network

7) Leadership and line management

• Provide excellent leadership of colleagues currently consisting of one HEO Assistant Economist and one G7 Private Sector Development Advisor, and line manage them in line with BHC values supporting their career and development.
• You will be expected to contribute to the wider management of the Group through its Mission Growth Board, people agenda, and governance structures.

8) Technical skills

• This role is a G7 Economic Adviser with capability at Expert level. The successful candidate will have to demonstrate proven capability in the Economic technical competencies. For more information on each competency please refer to the GES Technical Competency Framework and the FCDO Technical Competency Framework :
• International economics: Being able to understand and explain the interaction with the global economy including: balance of payments; international and regional trade; international aid, remittances, financial flows and debt; migration; international and regional financial institutions and regulation.
• Macro Economics: Being able to understand and explain the economy as a whole including: growth measurement, trends, drivers, and diagnostics; inflation and exchange rates; fiscal and monetary policy; financial sector and debt sustainability; exchange rates and government regulation (e.g. labour, climate). 
• Micro Economics: Being able to understand and explain the behaviour of firms or households including: the importance of choices and incentives; demand and supply analysis; competition; market or sector analysis; behavioural economics; the rationale for government intervention and core project appraisal skills (see The Green Book)

Role Expectation: 

• The SRO role is underpinned by the principles of empowered accountability and subsidiarity, ensuring that decisions are taken at the appropriate level and that the SRO is empowered to exercise professional judgement within agreed parameters.
• The SRO is expected to uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and ethical conduct, in line with the Civil Service Code and FCDO values.
• The role requires a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, ensuring that programme design and delivery are sensitive to gender, disability, and other equality considerations.
• The SRO is responsible for ensuring that all programme activities comply with relevant UK laws, international obligations, and FCDO rules, including those relating to ODA eligibility, risk management, safeguarding, and financial management.
• The SRO is expected to foster a culture of openness, honesty, and learning, encouraging constructive challenge, lesson learning, and adaptation in response to evidence and changing contexts.
• The SRO may be required to represent the FCDO in high-level meetings, both internally and externally, and to act as a senior ambassador for the UK’s economic and development objectives in Pakistan.
• The role may involve occasional out-of-hours work and travel within Pakistan and internationally, as required by programme needs. 

We are looking for someone with:

• Excellent economic skills and a track record of delivering high-quality, impactful and timely economic analysis that shapes and influences policy. Experience of working on Pakistan’s macroeconomic governance and revenue mobilisation policies would be advantageous but not essential.
• Strong analytical skills, feeling confident in using data, drawing policy-relevant conclusions, and in supporting others to do so.  Strong communication skills, with the ability to clearly explain economic concepts to non-specialist audiences and identify the implications for policy.
• Ability to lead complex ODA programmes, including risk management, value for money, compliance, and delivery in challenging environments. 
• Ability to work effectively within a team – making space for more junior colleagues to exercise technical and strategic leadership where appropriate, while making space for senior colleagues to contribute towards oversight, leadership and technical quality assurance.

Learning and development opportunities:

• Formal in-house and external training
• Attendance at the annual FCDO Economic Cadre learning event in the UK, and other international conferences and national events.
• Coaching, mentoring and job shadowing led by the BHC Islamabad Senior Economist
• Structured learning on the job, including stretching objectives and work.
  

Any other information (or specific local Post requirements):

• This role is based in Islamabad, Pakistan.
• The review of your suitability for this role shall be based on your completed application.
• Candidates may also be asked to complete a Written Exercise, and/or make a short Presentation before the interview.
• For applicants already working for the British High Commission, you must have your line manager’s support before applying. Teams will not be provided with additional resource to cover any gap arising following this move.
  
• BHC Islamabad would like to fill this role as soon as possible.

Essential on arrival:

• Master’s degree with at least 50% of economics.
  
• Previous work experience of 8-10 years in Pakistan on either economic research or economic policy development.
  
• Demonstrated capability on the “Communicating and Influencing”, “Working Together” and ‘Leadership’ defined in the UK Civil Service Behaviours Framework for G7 Grade.
  
• Demonstrated expertise on International Economics, Application of Microeconomics, and Application of Macroeconomics as defined in the FCDO economics technical competency framework.
  
• Proven ability to engage effectively, at a senior level, with a range of host country Government Officials, civil society as well as bilateral and multilateral partners.
  
• Demonstrated expertise in international economics, macroeconomics, and microeconomics, with a strong track record of economic analysis and policy advice. 
  
• Proven ability to lead complex programmes, manage risks, and deliver results in challenging environments. 
  
• Excellent communication, influencing, and stakeholder engagement skills, with experience of working with government officials, development partners, and implementing agencies. 
  
• Strong understanding of FCDO’s operational framework, value for money principles, and programme management best practice. 
  
• Commitment to upholding the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability in public service. 

Language Requirements:

• Language: English & Urdu
• Level of language required: Proficient in written and spoken language skills