Vacancy announcement
Position
GIS & Data Officer
Starting date
ASAP
Location
Kampala
Type of contract
Fixed term
About ACTED
Since 1993, as an international non-governmental organization, Acted has been committed to immediate humanitarian relief to support those in urgent need and protect people’s dignity, while co-creating longer term opportunities for sustainable growth and fulfilling people’s potential. Acted endeavors to respond to humanitarian crises and build resilience; promote inclusive and sustainable growth; co-construct effective governance and support the building of civil societyworldwide by investing in people and their potential.
We go the last mile: Acted’smission is to save livesand support peoplein meeting theirneeds in hard-to-reach areas. With a team of 5,900 national staff and 400 international staff, Acted is active in 38 countries and implements.
more than500 projects a year reaching over 20 million beneficiaries. More on www.acted.org.
The position is based in Kampala, the Data & GIS Officer provides cross-cutting technical support to IMPACT’s assessment and field teams, and also leads on individual GIS and remote-sensing research cycles.
Key roles and responsibilities
OBJECTIVES
Under the line management of the IMPACT Research Manager in Uganda, the Data & GIS Officer is responsible for implementing all geographic information systems (GIS) activities (including remote sensing) and supporting data management and analysis activities. This includes relevant aspects of research design, support in designing data collection tools, ensuring (spatial) data quality, geo-spatial analysis, drafting of maps, and (as relevant) production of web maps and information management systems. The Data & GIS officer will provide technical inputs in all stages of the research cycle. The Data & GIS officer is responsible for preparing, conceptualizing, and producing maps and analytical remote sensing outputs in coordination with the IMPACT HQ team. The Data & GIS Officer will also support (Senior) Assessment Officers and (Senior) Field Officers in organizing and managing the data collection enumerators.
The Data & GIS Officer also supports the continuous capacity building program for national and international team members.
FUNCTIONS
- Research Planning
- In coordination with relevant assessment officer(s), support assessment planning in line with project and program objectives and with IMPACT’s research cycle and other relevant guidelines;
- Map and analyse secondary data in coordination with the assessment officer(s);
- Contribute to draft assessment ToRs with a specific focus on the analysis plan, and related mapping, as well as data management plan;
- Contribute to external engagement in design stages to understand response/partner needs;
- Support the development of 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 in developing daily assessment plans, field movement plans and accompanying operational maps for field teams;
- In coordination with relevant assessment officer(s), support construction of quantitative sample;
- Keep track of progress and delays of all assigned tasks throughout the research cycle. Ensure that delays or identified problems are reported by writing and orally in a timely manner.
- Research Implementation
- Lead on individual GIS and remote-sensing research cycles;
- Train Field Officers on relevant GIS and data quality aspects for primary data collection;
- When relevant, support the training of enumerators for primary data collection;
- When relevant, support oversight of 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 properly geo-referenced, enabling the production of maps and related products;
- In coordination with relevant assessment officer(s), document all changes in data collection that lead to a modification in the agreed TORs, ensuring that the IMPACT CC 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;
- Conduct spatial analysis 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 or other sensitive 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;
- Development and maintenance of country-level databases for the consolidation of all assessment-related and GIS data in country;
- Support in the data cleaning and analysis led by the Database Officer;
- When relevant, take charge of all data management, cleaning, and analysis tasks, if the Database Officer is not available for these tasks, with support of the Data Specialist/Manager.
- Drafting of Products
- Ensure accurate linkages between spatial databases and assessment data;
- Ensure that the GIS and remote sensing products meet the requirements of IMPACT and concerned partners;
- Maintain regular communication with IMPACT HQ on progress and deadlines for GIS and remote sensing products;
- Ensure the drafting of timely and accurate GIS and remote sensing products, which comply with IMPACT’s guidelines;
- Ensure that all GIS and remote sensing 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;
- If relevant, and in coordination with the CC, liaise with IMPACT HQ on the procurement of UNOSAT services and satellite imagery.
- External Engagement
- In support of the assessment team, link with relevant partners to consult and involve them in the GIS components of a research cycle;
- After validation by the line manager, represent IMPACT in relevant meetings/working groups;
- Follow up on issues identified by partners or during meetings/working groups;
- Promote an active use of datasets, GIS products and research findings by partners and the broader humanitarian community for their decision making;
- More generally, contribute to the creation of a positive image and overall credibility of the organization, notably through the application of IMPACT’s mandate, ethics, values and stand-point with regard to other actors.
- Knowledge Sharing, Learning Processes, and Capacity Building
- Anticipate knowledge gaps prior to the execution of the Research Cycle;
- Provide content and contributes to lessons learned exercises.
- In coordination with the CC, Research Manager and other Data and GIS staff (as relevant), conduct induction for new staff members, including training in basic technical GIS competencies;
- Support to the IMPACT CC, Research Manager and other Data and GIS staff (as relevant) in the development and implementation of capacity training plans for other team members;
- Be available to provide regular support and technical backstopping;
- Internal Coordination
- Actively participate in regular team meetings;
- Ensure regular coordination and exchange with relevant colleagues;
- Engage in the development and implementation of IMPACT’s strategy in (country).
- Data confidentiality and protection
- The GIS Officer will maintain the strictest confidentiality on all data collected and related processes, ensuring full compliance with IMPACT’s data protection policy and SOPs. He will actively take measures to prevent the unauthorized sharing of any information and data belonging to IMPACT and its partners, or collected during his assignment with IMPACT.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
- Independent creation of GIS and Remote Sensing outputs (maps, apps, dashboards, …) in compliance with IMPACT standards and the demands of relevant partner organisations
- Coding of quantitative data collection tools in KOBO and other tools for collecting GIS data
- Creation of tracking, checking, cleaning, and analysis scripts
- Generation and implementation of geo-spatial sampling frameworks and appropriate checking and cleaning of collection geo-spatial data.
- Compliance with data protection regulations
- Developing dashboards for visualising and analysing data
Required qualifications and technical competencies
- Bachelor’s Degree in Geography,Geometics,GIS,Surveying,IT,Computr Science, Environmental Science, Statistics or any related fields.
- Master’s Degree relevant fields lik GIS, Data Science or social science is an added advantage
- A minimum of 4yrs experience as a GIS&Data in any big reorganized institutions preferably NGOs.
- GIS applications like QGIS, ArcGIS, AGOL
- GIS web maps/apps
- Remote Sensing (Google Earth Engine)
- XLSForm/KoboToolbox/ODK
- R/Python programming
- Developing dashboards (e.g., R Shiny)
How to apply
- Qualified Uganda Nationals with the required qualifications/skills are invited to submit their applications accompanied by detailed curriculum vitae and cover letter as a single Document in PDF with the cover letter being on the first page and the CV starting on the second page, detailing three work related referees and contacts. Send to [email protected] before 5:00PM before the 28th of Dec 2025 with the subject line as GIS&Data OFFICER. Note that Applications sent without this exact subject line will not be shortlisted.
- Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Shortlisting will be done on a rolling basis and ACTED reserves the right to hire before the deadline.
- Acted will at no stage of recruitment process request candidate to make payments of any kind. Further, Acted has not retained any agent(s) in connection with recruitment. Acted is committed to protecting beneficiaries within our programmes from exploitation and abuse and any kind of misconduct. Acted has specific policies, including PSEA and Child Protection, which outlines the expected behavior and the responsibility of all staff, beneficiaries, consultants and other stakeholders and has zero tolerance towards misconduct. Any candidate offered a job with Acted will be expected to sign Acted’s organizational Policies and Code of Conduct as an annex to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents.
Acted is an Equal Opportunity Employer
