Spatial Planner – Gambia

Aninver Development Partners SL (www.aninver.com) is looking for a Spatial Planner for a consultancy assignment in Gambia.

Aninver Development Partners is seeking an expert Spatial Planner for an upcoming tourism development and resilience initiative in Gambia. This assignment focuses on unlocking the potential of the river corridor by shifting from traditional coastal tourism toward diversified, community-based, and nature-oriented products, establishing an integrated spatial and economic framework to guide public and private investments along the waterway.

The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in formulating spatial baselines, zoning plans, and sustainable design strategies. Working closely with public authorities, local communities, and private stakeholders, the Spatial Planner will help design a comprehensive management framework that balances economic growth with rigorous environmental and social safeguards.

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

• Develop a comprehensive inception and spatial baseline framework for the river corridor.
• Formulate a sustainable tourism corridor strategy and integrated spatial development plan.
• Identify growth poles, priority intervention areas, and product diversification opportunities including eco-tourism and cultural tourism.
• Establish robust zoning plans and land-use guidelines to direct public and private investments sustainably.

Scope of work

• Conduct initial stakeholder consultations and spatial baseline mapping of the tourism corridor.
• Formulate a strategic vision and zoning plan identifying growth poles and priority intervention areas.
• Contribute spatial data and analysis to infrastructure feasibility studies for small-craft facilities and river transport access points.
• Support the validation and packaging of market-ready tourism investment products.
• Integrate spatial planning data into the overall corridor management framework and safeguard strategies.
• Participate in participatory workshops, validation sessions, and capacity-building activities for national and local stakeholders.

Your role as Spatial Planner

• Lead spatial planning and sustainable design activities for the river corridor development plan.
• Deliver comprehensive spatial baseline mapping and geographic analysis of priority intervention areas.
• Design zoning plans, land-use frameworks, and spatial strategies to support tourism product diversification.
• Collaborate with engineering and economic specialists to align spatial layouts with infrastructure feasibility studies.
• Ensure integration of sustainable tourism management principles into all spatial and physical planning outputs.
• Facilitate stakeholder consultations and mapping validation workshops with local government and community representatives.
• Contribute spatial expertise to the preparation of the comprehensive corridor management plan and safeguard frameworks.

Requirements

• Education: Post-graduate qualification in tourism development, regional planning, or a related field
• Minimum 10 years’ experience in spatial planning and sustainable design
• At least three (3) destination tourism planning projects conducted over the past 10 years
• Languages: English

Desirable

• Demonstrable experience in sustainable tourism management preferred
• Prior working experience in West Africa or similar regional contexts.
• Experience with community-based or nature-oriented tourism planning initiatives.

An experienced Spatial Planner with a strong background in sustainable destination planning, zoning, and regional development, eager to contribute to a transformative sustainable tourism corridor initiative in Gambia.

Assignment details

• Location: Gambia
• Estimated duration: 12 months
• 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 project in Gambia.
• 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.