Senior GIS Officer (Старший фахівець з геоінформаційних систем)

We are currently looking for a Senior GIS Officer to join our Humanitarian Infrastructure and Damage Unit (HIDU) in Ukraine.

Since 2014, IMPACT, through its REACH initiative, have been active in Ukraine, significantly scaling up following the 2022 invasion by the Russian Federation. Our Humanitarian Infrastructure and Damage Unit assesses the impact of the conflict on both built and natural environments, providing humanitarian actors with actionable data to inform recovery and response efforts. The unit’s work includes infrastructure damage assessments using high-resolution satellite imagery, socio-economic impact analysis, support for the winterisation response, environmental contamination assessments, and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in conflict settings.

We are seeking an experienced Senior GIS Officer to support these efforts. In this role, you will lead the design, analysis, and visualization of geospatial data and develop high-quality maps and dashboards that inform humanitarian decision-making. Working closely with the Senior Assessment Officer and supporting the team of GIS Officers, you will contribute to project planning, technical management, task delegation, and capacity building to cultivate a skilled and motivated team. Additionally, you will foster cross-unit collaboration to ensure GIS outputs align with broader programmatic goals and support inter-unit knowledge exchange. You will also liaise with key external partners to strengthen coordination and maintain strategic relationships for impactful GIS-driven assessments.

To excel in this role, you will need advanced GIS skills, strong understanding of cartographic principles, experience with data management and processing, and the ability to innovate in geospatial analysis for humanitarian applications. The ideal candidate will have leadership abilities, proficiency in English, and experience with international teams, preferably in humanitarian contexts.

Background 

Following the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine on 24 February 2022, military hostilities have caused widespread damage to infrastructure and houses, hundreds of civilian deaths, disrupted markets and essential services, and precipitated massive displacement within Ukraine and into neighbouring countries. Present in Ukraine since 2014, IMPACT, through its REACH initiative, is working across the country to provide humanitarian actors with rigorous data and in-depth analysis to ensure aid interventions are timely, appropriate, and relevant. As part of this, the Humanitarian Infrastructure and Damage Unit (HIDU) analyses the impact of conflict-related damage to the built and natural environments, identifies and tackles knowledge gaps, and supports the humanitarian community and local authorities in addressing the immediate consequences of the conflict and informing a sustainable and climate-sensitive recovery. The mission is looking for a Senior GIS Officer to support its work. 

Assignment 

Under the supervision of the IMPACT Senior Assessment Officer (SAO), the Senior GIS Officer (SGISO) will provide essential, cross-functional GIS support within the unit, including spatial data processing and visualization (mapping) of diverse geospatial datasets. The SGISO will oversee technical management of strategic relationships with external partners and stakeholders, and actively participate in project planning. This role includes delegating GIS tasks within the team to ensure efficient workflow and timely completion of objectives. The SGISO will also ensure quality and standardization across all GIS outputs, maintaining accuracy and consistency in line with humanitarian data standards. 

Additionally, the SGISO will contribute to capacity building by mentoring junior GIS officers, supporting skill development in GIS practices relevant to the team’s mission. The SGISO will foster cross-unit collaboration, working closely with data collection, analysis, and research design teams to ensure that spatial data requirements are fully integrated into each research cycle. Finally, the SGISO will work to enhance and develop innovative approaches to geospatial analysis for humanitarian applications, staying informed of emerging technologies to improve the unit’s capabilities. 

Chain of Command  

Under the authority of:  

IMPACT Senior Assessment Officer 

Working Relations 

Internal Relations: 

IMPACT Senior Research Manager – HIDU 

IMPACT Senior Assessment Officer – Damage Impact Analysis 

IMPACT GIS Officers 

Various units with the IMPACT mission 

External stakeholders and partners 

FUNCTIONS 

1. GIS Activities and Data Visualization 
 The Senior GIS Officer (SGISO) will lead the design, analysis, and visualization of geospatial data to support IMPACT’s objectives in Ukraine. Working closely with the Senior Assessment Officer – Damage Impact Analysis, the SGISO will develop high-quality maps, dashboards, and other GIS-based visualizations that inform critical humanitarian decisions. This includes overseeing data collection, verification, cleaning, and management processes to ensure the accuracy and reliability of spatial datasets across research cycles.

2. Quality Assurance and Standardization 
 The SGISO will ensure adherence to standards for GIS outputs, ensuring data accuracy, consistency, and adherence to humanitarian data standards. He/she will implement quality assurance checks throughout the data processing and visualization stages, promoting best practices in geospatial analysis and upholding IMPACT’s commitment to data integrity.

3. Team Management and Mentorship 
The SGISO will support the Senior Assessment Officer in overseeing a team of GIS Officers, contributing to recruitment, performance appraisals, and career development processes to help cultivate a skilled and motivated team. This role involves providing input into task delegation, participating in regular check-ins, and supporting the development and monitoring of workplans to optimize the team’s output. Additionally, the SGISO will play a key role in mentorship and capacity building, offering technical guidance to foster the development of team members' skills in GIS and spatial analysis. 

4. Unit-level GIS support 
 The SGISO will collaborate with data collection, analysis, and research design colleagues to ensure spatial data requirements are fully integrated throughout the research process. This includes aligning GIS outputs with the needs of team members to enhance the utility and impact of geospatial analysis in supporting the unit’s humanitarian objectives.

5. Unit-level GIS support 

Acting as a bridge between units, the SGISO will actively liaise with other units within the organization to support GIS insights and outputs aligned with broader programmatic and operational goals. This involves coordinating with data collection, analysis, and research teams from other units to integrate geospatial data requirements effectively and foster a collaborative approach to information sharing. The SGISO will support inter-unit knowledge exchange towards enhancing the overall impact of geospatial analysis in advancing the organization’s humanitarian mission. 

6. External Engagement and Coordination 
 The SGISO will serve as the primary technical point of contact for external partners and stakeholders involved in damage assessment and GIS-related activities for the unit. Responsibilities include representing IMPACT in meetings, workshops, and events, facilitating information flows, and communicating assessment objectives and findings to enhance coordination and collaboration with partners.

7. Confidentiality and Data Protection 
 The SGISO will ensure strict confidentiality of data and uphold data protection protocols, taking proactive measures to prevent unauthorized access or distribution of sensitive information.

Qualifications 

• Full working proficiency in English required; 

• Masters degree or equivalent professional experience in GIS, Cartography, Geodesy, Geography, Computer Science, Information Systems or any relevant discipline; 

Essential minimum technical qualifications: 

• Advanced proficiency with ArcGIS Desktop or ArcGIS Pro or QGIS; 

• Excellent understanding of cartography concepts and map design principles; 

• Understanding of remote sensing data (satellite imagery data sources and general processing approaches); 

• Data processing and analysis experience using Excel / R / Python (pandas) / Tableau an asset. 

Desirable technical qualifications: 

• Experience with any web-mapping tools (ArcGIS Online, Mapbox, CARTO, Map Server, Leaflet, Open Layers) is a strong asset; 

• Experience in the area of web development (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Python) is a strong asset. 

• Experience with environmental and infrastructure damage monitoring data collection and processing from both national Ukrainian monitoring services and global datasets.  

• At least 5 years of experience in the GIS field, preferably in an humanitarian context; 

• Management experience preferred; 

• Presence of any relevant portfolio (GitHub account, web based-dashboard, OSM mapper profile, published maps) is a strong asset; 

• Good organizational, communication and interpersonal skills; 

• Ability to think creatively in terms of tool and process development and optimization; 

• Flexibility and adaptability to ever-changing needs and responsibilities; 

• Ability to work independently; 

• Excellent critical thinking and problem-solving skills; 

• Experience with international teams is an asset; 

• Ability to learn new concepts/build technical skills quickly. 

Conditions  

• Salary defined by the ACTED salary grid; educational level, expertise, hardship, security, and performance. 

• Cosy office in the central part of the city. 

• Flexible working hours. 

• Medical insurance after 3 months of work. 

Applications only in English should be submitted with the title or reference of the position. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for an interview. ACTED and IMPACT are equal opportunity employers.

Attention!

Per current legislation, individuals subject to military service duty must provide updated military registration documents while being employed

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