Value Chain Specialist & Sustainability Practitioner
Rojina
Thapa
15+ years driving sustainable livelihoods and fair trade development in Nepal — mapping end-to-end value chains, mainstreaming GESI within artisan networks, and connecting local producers to global markets.
About Me
15+ Years Driving Sustainable Livelihoods & Fair Trade Development
Dynamic Value Chain and Market Development professional with 15+ years of experience driving sustainable livelihoods and fair trade development in Nepal. Proven expertise in end-to-end supply chain mapping, expanding international market linkages, and mainstreaming Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) within local artisan networks at Sana Hastakala.
Active researcher and thought leader specialising in private-sector carbon auditing, creative green economy transition, and socio-economic research — combining hands-on field expertise with academic depth (MA Anthropology, EMBA).
What I Value
Clarity First
Complex requirements turned into simple, actionable plans everyone can follow.
Ship on Time
Quality work delivered on schedule, with solid QA to catch every issue first.
Clean Docs
Every decision documented, every process clear — seamless handoffs every time.
Collaborative
Building trust across cultures and time zones through transparent communication.
Education & Skills
- 2023 – 2025
Executive MBA (EMBA)
Kathmandu University School of Management
- 2011 – 2015
MA in Anthropology
Patan Multiple Campus, Tribhuvan University
New Era Fellowship
- 2007 – 2010
BA in Development Studies
National College, Kathmandu University
Core Competencies
Strategic thinking and hands-on expertise built through 15+ years of value chain work, GESI integration, and sustainability leadership in Nepal.
Value Chain Analysis & Supply Chain Mapping
ExpertGESI Integration & Inclusive Development
ExpertClimate Auditing & Green Economy
ExpertMarket Development & B2B Linkages
ExpertField Research & Training Facilitation
AdvancedExperience
Head of Department (Production and Marketing)
Sana Hastakala · Lalitpur, NepalOversee end-to-end production planning and marketing strategy across 200+ traditional product lines (bamboo, clay, natural fibres), resolving supply bottlenecks and driving export readiness. Presenter, 'Craft in a Climate Future' Series (British Council Nepal & Storycycle) across Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, Butwal, Lumbini, and Pokhara — delivering specialised sessions on carbon auditing, emission mapping, and green economy integration for handicraft value chains. Panelist, 'Fostering Cultural and Creative Economy' (British Council & UNESCO, Kathmandu) — sharing 15+ years of fair-trade expertise on sustainable development, financial access, and infrastructure challenges for women artisans. Guest Lecturer & Facilitator at the Business Incubation Center (Butwal Chamber of Commerce and Industry) — conducting masterclasses on export readiness, international marketing, and brand building for emerging handicraft entrepreneurs. Represented the sector at Ambiente Frankfurt (7+ editions) and WFTO World Conferences in Berlin, Vietnam, Thailand, South Korea, and Japan — earning 4 national media features including The Kathmandu Post.
QA & Digital Marketing Consultant
Ential · RemoteDelivered end-to-end automation workflow QA across client projects, validating integration logic and identifying gaps before deployment. Optimised marketing funnels through structured performance reviews, refining conversion pathways and improving campaign efficiency. Executed full-cycle email and SMS campaigns — covering audience segmentation, content strategy, scheduling, and post-campaign reporting. Led website project management, coordinating cross-functional teams to deliver on scope, timeline, and quality benchmarks.
Export / Communication Manager (Level 7)
Sana Hastakala · Lalitpur, NepalCo-led 'Nepal's Finest' — a CBI Netherlands-funded national export promotion and value chain resilience programme — significantly scaling trade channels into the European Crafts Sector. Pioneered the first sustainable producer-to-buyer market linkage for a Cerebral Palsy artisan group (Satdobato), establishing permanent economic security for a previously excluded community. Facilitated multi-stakeholder workshops on sustainable supply chains alongside the SAARC Women Entrepreneurs Council.
Heritage & Fair Trade
Rooted in Craft, Driven by Impact
Sana Hastakala is where purpose meets practice. Since joining in 2011, my work has been shaped by a single conviction: that fair trade, when done right, creates lasting dignity for artisan communities. Every value chain mapped, every market linkage built, and every GESI framework embedded has been in service of that goal.
Sana Hastakala
Sustainable Artisan Ventures · Est. 1988
A pioneering Fair Trade Organisation dedicated to preserving Nepalese traditional crafts while empowering artisan communities across Nepal and beyond. Over 15 years, I have championed GESI integration, climate resilience, and sustainable market development — connecting authentic artisan heritage with global opportunity.
Leadership & Community
NSRDF & Hatti Hatti
Founding Board Member (NSRDF) · Board Treasurer (Hatti Hatti) · 2005–PresentGuided qualitative and field research frameworks as Founding Board Member of the Nepal Sustainable Research and Development Foundation. Oversaw fiscal compliance, budgeting, and resource allocation as Board Treasurer for Hatti Hatti's rural women-empowerment programmes.
Rotaract Club of Kathmandu Metro
Advisor (2010–Present) · Past President (2009–2010)Led a club of 25+ university students, coordinating strategy, service activities, and leadership workshops. Signed MoU with Rotaract Club of Bangalore — the club's first international partnership. Independently participated in award-winning documentary 'Close Call' (1st Prize, National Shoot Your Movie Competition) on HIV/AIDS awareness.
Services
16+ years of project management and marketing communications at Sana Hastakala — coordinating international operations, managing campaigns across 15+ countries, and keeping teams aligned from planning through delivery. I bring that same operational discipline to your projects.
Project Management & Admin
Structured delivery from day one. I manage projects end-to-end — planning, coordination, stakeholder communication, and documentation — so your team stays aligned and nothing falls through the cracks.
- Project planning, scope definition & delivery timelines
- Client coordination, meeting notes & stakeholder alignment
- Resource scheduling across design, dev, copy & ops
- Documentation, SOPs, handoff checklists & reporting
Marketing Communications & Operations
16+ years managing international marketing campaigns at Sana Hastakala — coordinating across teams, markets, and time zones with clear communication and measurable results.
- Campaign coordination: schedules, assets & approvals
- Stakeholder communication, reporting & follow-ups
- Vendor/partner coordination for deliverables
- Publishing workflows & content calendars
QA for Funnels & Automations (GHL)
Systematic testing of every workflow trigger, form submission, payment path, and email sequence — so your clients experience flawless execution on launch day.
- Workflow, trigger, campaign & webhook testing
- Funnel/website QA: responsiveness, links, forms & tracking
- Checkout & payment QA: order bumps, receipts & failure paths
- SMS/email deliverability, personalization & compliance
Page Building Support
WordPress and GHL page creation, edits, and launch preparation with attention to detail and mobile responsiveness.
- Landing page creation, edits & troubleshooting
- Mobile responsiveness & speed optimization
- Form routing & thank-you flow verification
- Designer/copywriter collaboration for final layouts
What You Get
Clear deliverables and documentation at every stage of the project.
Tools I Work With
How I Work
A structured approach that keeps projects on track and clients confident.
Kickoff
Define goals, scope, deliverables, constraints, and success criteria. Align on expectations from day one.
- Goals & objectives
- Scope definition
- Success criteria
Plan
Create timeline, task board, map dependencies, and establish a clear definition of done for each deliverable.
- Timeline & milestones
- Task breakdown
- Dependencies mapped
Execute
Daily/weekly check-ins, unblock work, document decisions, and keep stakeholders informed throughout.
- Regular check-ins
- Blocker resolution
- Decision documentation
QA Gate
Test user journeys end-to-end, log issues clearly with reproduction steps, and verify every fix.
- End-to-end testing
- Bug documentation
- Re-test & verify
Launch & Handoff
Final checks, deployment support, SOPs for ongoing operations, and a clean handoff package.
- Final verification
- Deployment support
- SOPs & documentation
My Operating Principles
One Source of Truth
Task board + timeline that everyone can access and trust.
Weekly Priorities
Clear weekly goals with daily follow-through on execution.
Decisions Documented
Nothing gets lost in chat. Every decision is recorded.
Risks Flagged Early
Issues raised proactively, not discovered at the deadline.
My QA Approach
I test like a real user would experience it — not just checking if buttons work, but validating the entire customer journey.
Start from the Customer Journey
Not the tool settings — the actual user experience.
Test Happy Path First
Then edge cases: missing fields, failed payments, double submits.
Verify Tracking & Handoffs
Forms → CRM → Pipeline → Follow-up sequences.
Re-test After Fixes
Until the flow is stable and launch-ready.
What I Test
Entry Points
Opt-in forms, landing pages, lead magnets
Automations
Triggers, workflows, tags, pipelines
Checkouts
Payments, order bumps, receipts, failure paths
Messaging
Email/SMS delivery, timing, personalization
Bookings
Calendar sync, reminders, rescheduling
Follow-ups
Nurture sequences, re-engagement flows
Recent Activities
Speaking engagements, panel discussions, and workshop facilitation — putting 15+ years of artisan and marketing expertise to work beyond the office.
Business Incubation Center — Presenter
Invited as presenter to share practical export and brand-building insights with new artisans in Nepal's handicraft sector. Delivered four sessions covering the full journey from product creation to international market entry.
- Your Product & Your Market
- Building Your Brand
- Craft to Customer
- Export Basics & Networking
Fostering Cultural & Creative Economy — Panelist
Panelist at the British Council and UNESCO event on the theme 'Creative Economy for Sustainable Development.' Shared 15+ years of hands-on experience working with women artisans across Nepal, discussing systemic barriers and opportunities for an inclusive, globally competitive creative economy.
- Access to finance, markets & raw materials
- Women artisan empowerment
- Sustainable creative economy
- Infrastructure & advocacy
Craft in Climate Future — Multi-City Tour
Part of StoryCycle's 'Craft in Climate Future' series helping artisans and business leaders map their carbon emissions and unlock the Creative Green Economy. Included a carbon auditing event at Gautam Buddha Guest House organised by Lumbini Hotel Association Nepal.
- Butwal — BCCI Seminar Hall
- Lumbini — Gautam Buddha Guest House
- Pokhara — Women's Skills Development Org (WSDO)
- Carbon emission mapping for artisans
Authentic Nepalese Handicraft Catalogue
Access our curated collection of authenticated handicrafts direct from verified Nepalese artisans. Certified fair trade, sustainably produced, bulk-friendly pricing available.
Get In Touch
Looking for a reliable project manager or QA specialist for your agency? Let's discuss how I can help streamline your delivery process.
Let's Work Together
If you need a PM who can also QA funnels and automation-heavy builds, I'd love to hear about your next project.
- Manbhavan, Lalitpur, Nepal
- NPT (UTC +5:45)
Best Fit Projects
- Project coordination/PM for IT & marketing agencies
- QA for funnel/automation-heavy builds
- Operations support for launch cycles
Send a Message
Tell me about your project and I'll get back to you within 24 hours.
Common Questions
What roles are the best fit?
Project coordination / Project management for marketing and IT delivery teams, plus QA ownership for funnel + automation implementations.
Do you work hourly or fixed-price?
Either—depending on scope clarity and delivery timeline. We can discuss what works best during our kickoff call.
Can you work with different tools?
Yes. If your team has an established system, I adapt quickly and keep documentation clean across platforms.
Do you take small tasks?
Yes—especially QA passes, launch checklists, and page updates—but I'm best used when there's an actual delivery cycle to manage.