GIS Officer - Kenya

Department: Programme
Position: GIS Officer Contract duration: 6 months renewable Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Starting Date: ASAP

I. Background on ACTED

ACTED is a French humanitarian NGO, founded in 1993, which supports vulnerable populations, affected by humanitarian crises worldwide. ACTED provides continued support to vulnerable communities by ensuring the sustainability of post-crisis interventions and engaging long-term challenges facing our target populations, in order to break the poverty cycle, foster development and reduce vulnerability to disasters. Our interventions seek to cover the multiple aspects of humanitarian and development crises through a multidisciplinary approach which is both global and local, and adapted to each context. Our 3,300 staff is committed in to responding to emergencies worldwide, to supporting recovery and rehabilitation, towards sustainable development. Our teams in the field implement some 340 projects in 34 countries covering the following sectors emergency relief, food security, access to health, education and training, economic development, microfinance, advocacy, institutional support, and regional dialogue, cultural promotion. Based on considerable experience addressing the needs and situations of vulnerable communities, ACTED contributes to the international agenda towards reaching the Millennium Development Goals, through a wide range of partnerships, innovative initiatives, and campaigns.

II. Country Profile

Capital Office : Nairobi National Staff : 105 Areas : Kenya, Uganda (Pokot, Middle Juba, Northern Uganda, Karamoja) On-going programmes : 19 Budget : 4.2 M

ACTED launched its Kenya mission in January of 2008 with an emergency assistance program for residents in Nairobi slums affected by the post election violence. Since 2009, Nairobi has been the home base of ACTED’s relief operation in Southern Somalia aimed at supporting vulnerable famers affected by recurrent droughts. In 2010, ACTED’s mission in Kenya/Somalia sought to address the needs of pastoralist and farmer communities of North Central Kenya and South Somalia arising from multiple shocks such as adverse climatic conditions and disease outbreaks, through emergency food and non-food items distribution. In the wake of this emergency context, ACTED also promoted the adoption of sustainable community-based solutions, emphasizing livelihood strengthening and diversification, natural resource rehabilitation and management, good hygiene practices and access to sanitation facilities. ACTED is developing its programs in South Somalia, focusing on building capacity to respond to emergency outbreaks, as well as ensuring local populations are integrated into longer term projects aiming at improving their livelihoods. This will occur in the form of food, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and livelihood support to vulnerable agro-pastoral and riverine communities. Today, ACTED's teams and resources are mobilized on the front of dire needs in our areas of intervention in Somalia and Kenya, as well as other areas in the Horn of Africa.

III. Position Profile

The GIS Officer reports directly to AMEU Coordinator

GIS Officer responsibilities include:

1. General • Preparation, conception and production of maps, including the supervision and monitoring of mapping-related data collection and ensuring dynamic linkages between GIS data and ACTED Database; • Co-developing GIS components in proposals and supervising the implementation of these GIS components in approved projects; • Train the AMEU team on usage of maps and GPS; • Represent ACTED in GIS related coordination meetings.
2. Preparation, conception and production of maps • Identify map information needs; • Identify and access map information sources; • Work closely with the Database Manager to ensure an accurate link between the GIS and the Database data, cross check data collected in the field and to develop dynamic links between Database and GIS data and to ensure regular updates and solve eventual discrepancies; • Ensures that the produced maps meet the requirements of concerned ACTED departments.
3. C. Supervision and monitoring of mapping related data • Conceptualize methodologies for collecting GPS and other GIS related data, as according to need; • Organize and supervise GIS field missions; • Managing and supervising the GIS assistant and the staff on the GIS; • Monitor accuracy of data collected.

IV. Qualifications:

• Flexibility and adaptability are essential, as well as the ability to plan, take initiative and organize work independently. In addition Impartiality, objectivity and confidentiality are imperative;
• Good command of GIS software (especially those used by ACTED), Excel, Word and Database software such as Access or Foxpro. Familiarity with other information and data sources related to GIS to be recommended to ACTED for better GIS practices would be an asset.
• Understanding the nature of the work carried out by programs is necessary for ensuring the relevancy and usability of the maps produced. Therefore a proactive and self-motivated attitude towards gaining a good understanding of ACTED programs, innovating GIS activities and developing new GIS components for proposals is essential;
• Willingness to learn and capacity to innovate: The GIS Officer must be inventive and eager to improve his or her own skills, and be capable to adapt, shape and develop tools best suited for ACTED’s activities
• Ability to travel to the field for data collection, cross-checking the data and provide training to field staff;
• Good organizational and communication skills with international and national staff and rural communities.

V. Conditions:

• Salary defined by the ACTED salary grid; educational level, expertise, hardship, security, and performance are considered for pay bonus
• Additional monthly living allowance
• Free food and lodging provided at the organisation’s guesthouse
• Transportation costs covered, including additional return ticket + luggage allowance
• Provision of medical, life, and repatriation insurance + retirement package

How to apply:

VI. Submission of applications:

Please send, in English, your cover letter, CV, and three references to jobs@acted.org Ref : GISO/KEN/SA

ACTED Att: Human Resources Department 33, rue Godot de Mauroy 75009 Paris FRANCE

Fax. + 33 (0) 1 42 65 33 46

For more information, visit us at http://www.acted.org