Team Leader / Customs Administration, Border Management and Trade Facilitation Specialist – Samoa

Aninver Development Partners SL (www.aninver.com) is looking for a Team Leader / Customs Administration, Border Management and Trade Facilitation Specialist for a consultancy assignment financed by DT Global – Tautai programme in Samoa.

Aninver Development Partners is seeking an expert Team Leader / Customs Administration, Border Management and Trade Facilitation Specialist for an upcoming initiative in Samoa funded by DT Global under the Tautai program. This advisory engagement focuses on reviewing and updating the national customs authority's corporate plan, aligning strategic goals with post-separation mandates, and strengthening institutional performance.

The successful candidate will lead a multidisciplinary team to deliver comprehensive strategic planning, capacity building, and institutional reform. The role demands deep technical expertise in modern customs administration and trade facilitation, coupled with proven leadership capability to steer complex stakeholder consultations and ensure robust, sustainable outcomes for Samoa's economic growth.

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

• Lead the comprehensive review of the current corporate plan and evaluate past strategic implementation.
• Facilitate the development of a new, forward-looking five-year strategic corporate plan for the national customs authority.
• Assess and advise on organisational structures, operational models, and workforce capability requirements.
• Integrate international customs standards, digital transformation priorities, and compliance best practices.
• Ensure inclusive, consultative, and culturally appropriate stakeholder engagement across government, border agencies, and the private sector.

Scope of work

• Conduct inception activities, finalise methodology, and review all relevant strategic, policy, and operational documents.
• Evaluate the relevance, effectiveness, and impact of the current corporate plan and document key lessons learned.
• Perform environmental and situation analysis, assessing ICT, staffing, resourcing, and emerging border security threats.
• Facilitate planning workshops and consultation sessions to refine the institutional vision, mission, values, and strategic outcomes.
• Formulate the new five-year corporate plan featuring SMART objectives, performance measures, and monitoring frameworks.
• Review the post-separation organisational structure, operating model, and resource alignment to provide practical transition support.
• Engage with internal and external stakeholders including border management partners, customs brokers, and commercial operators.
• Present the final strategic framework, organisational review, and corporate plan to senior management for formal endorsement.

Your role as Team Leader / Customs Administration, Border Management and Trade Facilitation Specialist

• Direct and manage all technical aspects of the assignment as Team Leader, ensuring timely delivery of high-quality outputs.
• Provide high-level technical expertise in customs administration, border management, trade facilitation, and revenue administration.
• Lead the evaluation of the previous planning period and translate lessons learned into actionable strategic priorities.
• Design and facilitate interactive strategic planning and validation workshops with senior management and key stakeholders.
• Advise on coordinated border management arrangements, compliance management, enforcement, and international customs standards.
• Oversee the development of practical implementation plans, risk management matrices, and performance monitoring indicators.
• Coordinate inputs from specialized team members covering digital transformation, organizational development, and social inclusion.

Requirements

• Education: Relevant tertiary qualifications in customs, trade, management or related fields
• Technical expertise in customs administration, border management, trade facilitation, compliance management, enforcement, revenue administration, coordinated border management, and international customs standards/good practice
• Languages: Strong written and verbal communication skills in English and Samoan

Desirable

• Previous professional experience working in Samoa or the broader Pacific region.
• Familiarity with DFAT or other major donor programming and aid-funded governance initiatives.
• Experience with post-separation institutional restructuring or public sector reform processes.

An experienced Team Leader and Customs Specialist with a strong background in border management, trade facilitation, and strategic planning within Pacific island contexts or similar developing economies.

Assignment details

• Location: Samoa
• Financed by: DT Global – Tautai programme
• 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 DT Global – Tautai programme-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.