National Consultant - Risk Management Lead

National Consultant - Risk Management Lead ITC - International Trade Centre Remote | Bhutan National CON level Speaks Dzongkha, English Application deadline: March 24, 2026 Closed Apply Summary by Impactpool The International Trade Centre is seeking a National Consultant - Risk Management Lead to support a technical assistance project in Bhutan aimed at modernizing border management for safe trade of agri-food products. The consultant will coordinate among national stakeholders, facilitate stakeholder consultations, and assist in implementing risk management reforms. Responsibilities include providing technical support, capacity-building, and documentation of project activities. The role requires strong communication skills and familiarity with Bhutan's border control systems. Candidate Requirements: Postgraduate degree in relevant field At least 5 years of experience in project management or trade facilitation Experience in coordinating multi-stakeholder projects Familiarity with Bhutan's border control system Completed ITC Online Curriculum on Risk Management Strong communication and organizational skills Proficiency in MS Office Native Dzongkha speaker Fluency in English Result of Service Output 1 Report and Roadmap Validation Supported Participation in and technical support to stakeholder consultations to facilitate the validation of the Report and associated Roadmap(s), including consolidation of feedback from relevant agencies (by 30 April 2026). Output 2 Technical Inputs and Materials for Pilot Design and Stakeholder Engagement Developed: Preparation of technical inputs, consultation summaries, draft agendas, and supporting materials to inform the implementation workplan and stakeholder discussions on the proposed IRM pilot (including concept note review and preparatory engagement with BFDA and relevant agencies) (by 15 May 2026). Output 3 Technical Workshop Reporting and Documentation Prepared: Preparation of relevant reporting materials and documentation for the Technical Workshop, including summaries of discussions, key outcomes, and agreed follow-up actions (by 30 May 2026). Output 4 Awareness-Raising and Capacity-Building Materials Adapted: Relevant awareness-raising and capacity-building materials adapted to the Bhutanese context to support understanding of the IRM approach and pilot implementation (by 30 June 2026). Output 5 Agencies and Officers Registered on the IRM Online Training Curriculum: Agreed set of agencies and designated officers registered and enrolled in the online IRM training curriculum to support the launch of the course (by 31 August 2026). Work Location home-based in Bhutan Expected duration 01.04.26 - 31.08.26 Duties and Responsibilities The International Trade Centre (ITC) in partnership with the Bhutan Food and Drug Authority (BFDA), is implementing a three-year technical assistance project in Bhutan, funded by the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF): “Modernizing Bhutan’s Border Management Ecosystem to Facilitate the Safe Trade of Agri-Food Products”. The project started in 2025-2027 is designed to address systemic challenges in Bhutan’s border management by introducing targeted reforms at the intersection of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) compliance, risk-based border controls, and trade facilitation practices. Under Output 1, the project aims to institutionalize national border and risk management frameworks for selected border regulatory agencies (BRAs) to implement risk-based controls that improve SPS compliance while facilitating the safe trade of agricultural and food products. The goal is to support BFDA, the Department of Revenue and Customs (DRC), and other key agencies in transitioning from manual inspection practices toward a more systematic, data-driven risk management system aligned with World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) provisions and international best practices. Despite the importance of risk management, implementation remains limited in Bhutan. Agencies often lack formal risk criteria, inspection profiles, and integration with pre-arrival data. These limitations result in inefficient inspections, poor targeting of high-risk consignments, and avoidable trade delays. Addressing these challenges is both urgent and strategic, especially as Bhutan resumes its WTO accession process and commits to regulatory modernization. In Year 1 (2025), the project has assessed the current risk management and pre-arrival processing (PAP) systems in BFDA and DRC, RBP through desk research and semi-structured interviews, followed by a dedicated validation process. Based on the findings, the project developed actionable recommendations tailored to Bhutan’s institutional context. In Year 2 (2026), the project will support the rollout and institutionalization of selected and validated recommendations and targeted capacity-building activities. To this end, ITC will recruit a National Risk Management Coordinator to support Output 1 endeavours. The Consultant will ensure technical and operational coordination among national stakeholders, provide ongoing support to international experts and national counterparts, and help oversee the rollout and institutionalization of risk-based practices across relevant agencies. Description of Duties/Responsibilities Under the supervision of the responsible Project Officer from ITC’s Business-driven Trade and Investment Facilitation (BTIF) section at ITC, and in collaboration with the National Project Coordinator and international experts, the national consultant will be responsible for the following duties: 1. Technical Support, Facilitation and Stakeholder Engagement • Act as the national technical focal point for Output 1 activities. • Facilitate regular liaison among BFDA, DRC, Royal Bhutan Police (RBP) other border regulatory agencies (if applicable), and other key stakeholders. • Design, schedule and support stakeholder consultations, workshops, and