Natural Capital Accounting Specialist / Team Leader – Samoa

Aninver Development Partners SL (www.aninver.com) is looking for a Natural Capital Accounting Specialist / Team Leader for a urban consultancy assignment financed by UNDP in Samoa.

Aninver Development Partners SL is seeking an expert Natural Capital Accounting Specialist / Team Leader for an upcoming UNDP-supported initiative in Samoa. This GEF-funded programme aims to strengthen climate and coastal resilience through integrated approaches that address systemic environmental challenges, focusing specifically on mainstreaming environmental considerations into key economic sectors such as tourism and agriculture over an 18-month period.

The Natural Capital Accounting Specialist / Team Leader will spearhead the institutionalization of nature-positive decision-making across the country. The role involves updating and expanding priority Natural Capital Accounting modules into national accounts and the Tourism Satellite Account, deploying open-source decision support tools for Nature-based Solutions, and delivering a comprehensive capacity development program to empower national and local stakeholders.

Aninver is preparing a proposal for this assignment. The selected expert will be part of the proposed team; the engagement is conditional on the contract being awarded to Aninver. The full Terms of Reference for the position are shared with shortlisted candidates.

Objectives of the assignment

• Institutionalize nature-positive decision-making across key economic sectors including tourism and agriculture.
• Update and expand priority Natural Capital Accounting modules into national accounts and the Tourism Satellite Account.
• Develop and deploy user-friendly, open-source National and Local Decision Support Tools to evaluate Nature-based Solutions.
• Deliver a comprehensive capacity development program targeting national and local stakeholders.

Scope of work

• Updating and expanding priority Natural Capital Accounting modules including energy, water, waste, mangroves, coral reefs, seagrass, and forests.
• Integrating expanded natural capital accounts into national accounts and the Tourism Satellite Account.
• Developing and deploying user-friendly, open-source National and Local Decision Support Tools to evaluate Nature-based Solutions.
• Delivering a comprehensive capacity development program targeting national and local stakeholders.
• Developing competency frameworks, learning assessments, facilitator guides, and post-training monitoring systems.

Your role as Natural Capital Accounting Specialist / Team Leader

• Lead the overall execution of natural capital accounting and technical assistance activities as Team Leader.
• Drive the practical application of the SEEA Central Framework and SEEA Ecosystem Accounting.
• Oversee physical and monetary accounting, ecosystem-service valuation, data reconciliation, metadata, quality assurance, and policy interpretation.
• Manage multidisciplinary team inputs and ensure high-quality technical reporting and deliverables for UNDP and national counterparts.
• Facilitate high-level stakeholder consultations and institutional engagement across government and sector agencies.
• Guide the integration of natural capital data into decision support tools and capacity building initiatives.

Requirements

• Education: Advanced university degree in environmental economics, economics, statistics, natural resource management, ecology, environmental accounting or a closely related field
• Minimum 10 years of professional experience in natural capital accounting, environmental-economic accounting, ecosystem accounting, or related statistical and policy applications
• Languages: Not specified

Desirable

• Experience working in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) or Pacific contexts.

An experienced environmental economist and team leader with a robust background in implementing SEEA frameworks, linking natural capital accounts to national economic systems, and leading multi-disciplinary teams in SIDS or Pacific island contexts.

Assignment details

• Location: Samoa
• Financed by: UNDP
• Sector: Urban
• Estimated duration: 18 months
• Expected input: 120 days
• Contract: individual consultancy (conditional on award)

About Aninver Development Partners

Aninver is an international development consulting firm headquartered in Spain. It supports governments, development banks, UN agencies and bilateral donors with feasibility studies, technical assistance, evaluations and capacity building across Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia and Asia-Pacific, working with a network of international and national experts.

Why apply

• Join a multidisciplinary team on a UNDP-financed project in Samoa.
• Individual consultancy: flexible, output-based engagement with an experienced proposal team.
• Your CV stays in Aninver's expert network for future assignments that match your profile.

How to apply

Sign in (or create a free account) and upload your CV in English. Add your LinkedIn profile, indicative daily rate and availability to speed up the assessment. Aninver will contact the shortlisted candidates.

Frequently asked questions

Is the position confirmed? The engagement depends on the contract being awarded to Aninver. Shortlisted experts are included in the proposal with their consent.

Can I apply if I am not based in the country? Yes, unless the requirements say otherwise; relevant regional experience is an asset.

What happens with my CV? It is used to assess your fit for this and future positions and is not shared with third parties without your consent.