GIS Specialist

We are currently looking for a GIS Specialist to support our team.

Department: REACH

Position: GIS Specialist

Contract duration: 6 months, renewable depending on performance and funding

Location: Warsaw or Rzeszow

Starting Date: ASAP

RESPONSIBILITIES

STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT & IMPLEMENTATION

The GIS Specialist will participate and actively contribute to the development of IMPACT’s strategy in Poland and the region, in support to the Country Coordinator/Representative. She/he may be asked to collaborate in the Senior Management Team. In particular s/he will support in identifying and concretising:

• GIS and information management gaps in the out of Ukraine regional response and and develop a regional GIS and IM strategy
• Ensuring the national/regional GIS/IM strategy is integrated and actioned across Units and within individual work plans of GIS officers
• Synergies with other GIS and IM actors
• Dissemination strategies to strengthen the impact of our GIS and IM work
• Engagement with IMPACT HQ in global level GIS priorities

RESEARCH PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION

• In coordination with management and assessment teams, ensuring that assessments are planned in line with project and program objectives and with IMPACT GIS, research cycle and other relevant guidelines;
• Identification of available GIS to inform secondary data review, in coordination with the assessment team;
• For each assessment, ensure contribution to and review of draft ToRs with a specific focus on the analysis plan, as well as data management plan, and related mapping;
• In coordination with Assessment team, co-construct qualitative and quantitative data collection tools, ensuring GIS requirements of research cycle/assessment are met;
• Develop geo-spatial analysis of assessment areas to be used, as relevant, in developing daily assessment plans, field movement plans and accompanying operational maps for field teams;
• Keep track of progress and delays of all GIS and relevant data- and information-management tasks throughout the research cycle. Ensure that delays or identified problems are reported by writing and orally in a timely manner.
• When relevant, ensure that support is provided by the GIS staff for the identification and training of enumerators for primary data collection;
• When relevant, ensure that support is provided by GIS staff in overseeing data collection, in line with agreed TORs (including their Annexes), including spatial verification and validation as part of daily assessment checks;
• Ensure that collected data is geo-referenced, enabling the production of maps and related products;
• In coordination with the assessment team, ensure that all changes in data collection that lead to a modification in the agreed TORs are documented; and that the IMPACT Country Coordinator and IMPACT HQ are informed and agree on the modifications.

DATA MANAGEMENT, CLEANING AND ANALYSIS

• Ensure that all collected data is stored in line with IMPACT’s Data Management Guidelines, and with the ToRs (data management plan Annex);
• Ensure that data is revised and cleaned, and that all revisions are recorded;
• Ensure spatial analysis is conducted on collected data as per ToRs;
• Ensure that data and its spatial analysis are validated by IMPACT HQ before product drafting stage;
• Ensure that data and its analysis do not contain personal information and are validated by IMPACT HQ before sharing to external parties;
• Ensure the quality and accuracy of technical information provided as well as the confidentiality and protection of collected information.

DRAFTING OF PRODUCTS

• Ensure accurate linkages between spatial databases and assessment data;
• Ensure that the GIS products meet the requirements of IMPACT and concerned partners;
• Maintain regular communication with IMPACT HQ on progress and deadlines for GIS products;
• Ensure the drafting of timely and accurate GIS products, which comply with IMPACT’s guidelines;
• Ensure that all GIS products are validated by IMPACT HQ before external release;
• When relevant, in close coordination with IMPACT HQ, support the regular maintenance and update of web GIS products;
• In coordination with the CC/CR, liaise with IMPACT HQ on the procurement of UNOSAT services and satellite imagery.

TEAM FUNCTIONAL SUPERVISION AND LINE-MANAGEMENT

• Close collaboration with Research Managers who are line managing GIS staff in their units on the career development, work planning and technical guidance of the relevant GIS staff; in addition to direct line management of cross-cutting GIS staff (if relevant);
• Conduct regular meeting with all international and senior national GIS Team members to assess progress in all research cycles and to review work plan; Reviewing the GIS unit staff work throughout research cycles (clean datasets, analysis scripts, maps, etc.)
• Bilateral management of international and senior national/regional GIS team members as needed, including (in consultation with IMPACT Country Coordinator) the conduct of appraisals, as well as participation in staff career management;
• In coordination with Country Coordinator/Representative, conduct induction for new staff members, and provide ongoing training for staff;
• Be available to provide regular support and technical backstopping;
• When relevant, support Country/Deputy Regional Coordinator and RMs in staff appraisal and recruitment process.

INTERNAL KNOWLEDGE SHARING, LEARNING AND CAPACITY BUILDING

• Identify GIS capacity gaps, and resolve to bridge these through targeted capacity building, training, performance monitoring, and backstopping where needed;
• Support to the line managers and specialists in the development and implementation of GIS capacity training plans for team members;
• Develop a standard GIS training package for new staff
• Conduct and support regular training to [country/regional] teams, including regular updates on IMPACT guidelines, adapted (to context) training modules, learning on the job; Complement in house training material with external resources, if and as relevant;
• Ensure impact of trainings and progression of staff is monitored;
• Pro-actively provide regular technical support and backstopping to teams;
• Support to GIS/ Assessment / unit teams to systematically review the efficiency and quality of research cycles and information products;
• Support monitoring and evaluation for relevant Research Cycle, as specified in the research ToRs and in line with IMPACT Guidelines;
• Contribute to generating and documenting robust lessons learned at the end of relevant Research Cycle;
• Ensure knowledge and learning processes are shared across the [mission/region] and with HQ;
• Able and available to engage with Global Units and global learning processes, such as methodology notes, lessons learned, SOPs, Communities of Practice, etc;
• Continuously seek to improve and innovate IMPACT research, GIS practices, information products and processes to identify and meet information gaps in the [COUNTRY/regional] humanitarian response in order to support in the facilitation of an evidence-based response;
• Work closely with other specialists in the [country/region] to develop, implement and monitor a multi-disciplinary training and learning plan for IMPACT teams;
• More generally, contributes to creating a culture of rigour, innovation and learning within IMPACT’s operations.

STRATEGY, PROGRAM AND PROJECT DEVELOPMENT

• Contribute to country, regional and unit strategies development with relevant technical and thematic contents;
• Ensure that GIS strategies are implemented in a structured and coherent manner in line with project and strategic objectives;
• Support the development/revision of programme strategies, reports, or new proposals.
• EXTERNAL ENGAGEMENT
• Under the coordination of the IMPACT Country Focal Point/RM/Assessment Officers, ensure that relevant partners are consulted and involved in the preparation of GIS products;
• In coordination with the IMPACT Country Focal Point/RM, engage in relevant technical fora in country (e.g. IM/GIS working groups);
• In support of the IMPACT Country Focal Point/RM, engage with other organisations engaged with the maintenance of spatial data in Poland, ensuring IMPACT Geodatabases are up-to-date and in line with Common Operational Datasets (CODs) and Fundamental Operational Datasets (FODs)
• In coordination with the IMPACT Country Focal Point/RM, support the presentation of GIS products to relevant third parties, to enhance their use and impact;

DISSEMINATION

• Ensure the strictest confidentiality of data and data processes. The GIS Specialist will actively take measures to prevent the unauthorized sharing of information and data;
• In coordination with IMPACT HQ, ensure that GIS products are uploaded on relevant data portals, as specified in Research ToRs;
• In coordination with IMPACT’s Country Coordinator/Representative and with the assessment, GIS and data team, ensure that lessons learned are gathered and documented at the end of each research cycle.

DATA CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROTECTION

The GIS Specialist will maintain the strictest confidentiality on all data collected and related processes. He/she will actively take measures to prevent the unauthorized sharing of any information and data belonging to IMPACT and its partners, or collected during his/her assignment with IMPACT.

REQUIREMENTS

• Academic Excellent academic qualifications, preferably including a Master degree in relevant discipline;
• Research skills Excellent research and analytical skills required, including a sound understanding of sampling frameworks and their application, an ability to analyse large data sets, as well as conduct temporal or spatial trend analysis. Demonstrable experience with geo-spatial information management and analysis. Excellent spatial analysis skills
• Software skills Advanced knowledge of ArcGIS. Proven knowledge of Microsoft office including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Knowledge of R, STATA, python or equivalent statistical software an advantage.
• Familiarity aid system Familiarity with the aid system and with the research community;
• Years of work experience At least 4 years of relevant working experience
• Experience in humanitarian sectors Experience working in humanitarian, development, NGO sector an asset;
• Training skills Ability to conduct trainings and mentor IMPACT teams and partners on assessment skills;
• Communication/reporting skills Excellent communication and drafting skills for effective reporting;
• Multi-tasking skills Ability to multitask with tight deadlines, on numerous research cycles;
• Level of independence Strong existing ability to work independently in support of colleagues and partners;
• Cross-cultural work environment Ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment requiring flexibility;
• Experience in geographical region Past experience in the [relevant] region is desirable;
• Language skills Fluency in English required, competency in [Russian, Ukrainian] an asset.

WHAT WE OFFER

• Work in an experienced, international organization
• A chance to be part of the emergency response in the Ukrainian crisis
• A chance to begin a career in the humanitarian sector
• A competitive salary: 12,305.00 PLN gross (flexible upon experience)
• A possibility to work remotely 2 days per week
• A six-month employment contract with a possibility of extension