Director (Standards & Regulatory Division)

This position is being recruited by Pakistan Single Window (PSW) on behalf of the National Agri-Trade and Food Safety Authority (NAFSA). NAFSA is being established as a strategic national initiative to strengthen Pakistan’s agri-trade ecosystem through enhanced regulatory oversight, facilitation, and modernization of food safety and trade processes. The selected candidate will be part of NAFSA’s foundational team, contributing to the development of systems, processes, and institutional capabilities.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Deputy Director General (Scientific Advisory & Policy Wing), the Director provides senior managerial and coordination support to the Wing. The role is responsible to develop the standards and regulations for NAFSA related mandate based on science and inputs from other formations of the Authority while ensuring that standards and regulatory outputs are implementable, documented, and aligned with the NAFSA Act and international SPS frameworks.

Main Responsibilities

• Lead the development and periodic review of national SPS policies, rules, regulations, standards, and guidelines for plant health, animal health, food safety, pesticides and all related entities, services providers including laboratories falling within NAFSA’s mandate.

• Develop science-based standards and regulatory frameworks consistent with Pakistan’s international obligations and standards (e.g., WTO-SPS, IPPC/ISPMs, WOAH standards, Codex).

• Advise NAFSA management on SPS-related regulations and standards affecting trade facilitation, market access, compliance, and dispute resolution.

• Issue binding technical instructions, regulatory standards, and policy directives for implementation by Operations Wing (OW) and other competent authorities, as notified.

• Coordinate harmonisation of national SPS measures with international standards and manage processes for adoption/adaptation of standards where justified.

• Liaise with provincial departments and regulators to support harmonization of standards and regulations as well as capacity building for a coherent national SPS governance.

• Develop training modules and guidance materials in SPS measures, quarantine regulations, and compliance requirements for internal and external stakeholders.

• Oversee regulatory drafting, consultation processes, and documentation control (including registers of standards, pest lists, MRLs where applicable).

• Manage SRD work plans, allocate resources, mentor staff, and ensure quality and timeliness of outputs.

• Work closely with other formations of NAFSA to ensure that that standards and regulatory outputs are implementable, documented, and aligned with the NAFSA Act and international SPS frameworks.

• Technical support for change management and capacity building of stake holders to achieve compliance with standards, guidelines and regulations.

• Ensure that all sub-ordinates perform as per their respective job description.

• Perform any other responsibilities assigned by the reporting officer in support of NAFSA’s mandate.

Education:

- Master’s degree (Hons.)/M.Phil (eighteen years of education) in Agriculture (Plant Protection/Entomology/Plant Pathology, Weed Science), Veterinary/Public Health, Food Science/Microbiology, Chemistry/Toxicology, or a relevant discipline (PhD preferred).

Experience

• Minimum 12 years of relevant experience in regulatory management, SPS policy, standards development, quarantine/food safety regulation, including demonstrated drafting and compliance procedure experience.

• Strong knowledge of international SPS frameworks and experience applying them to national regulatory contexts.

• Excellent drafting, analytical, and stakeholder consultation skills.

• Proven leadership and ability to manage multidisciplinary teams.

• Research publications in HEC-recognised journals (preferred).

For contact, kindly reach out to hr.support@psw.gov.pk.