Description

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.

Program / Country Office Summary

Mercy Corps’ Ukraine crisis response seeks to meet the humanitarian needs of vulnerable Ukrainians and other conflict-affected people where they are: displaced inside Ukraine, refugees in Poland, Romania, and Moldova, or trapped behind frontlines. We aim to reach 500,000 vulnerable people with multi-purpose cash assistance, in-kind humanitarian support, and protection services across four countries. Almost all our impact will be delivered in partnership: with Ukrainian, Polish, Romanian and Moldovan Civil Society Organizations through a granting program that matches Humanitarian Action with capacity strengthening, and with peer international NGOs through a consortium in Ukraine. Mercy Corps is responding to the Ukraine crisis with large-scale consortium programming with a focus on Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA). The Consortium is a partnership between four international humanitarian aid agencies to model and deliver innovative, effective cash and other humanitarian assistance programs to support people affected by the Ukraine crisis within Ukraine.

The Program / Department / Team

In response to the complex humanitarian situation in Ukraine as well as the regional implications of this crisis, Mercy Corps has established a Ukraine Crisis Analytics team. Ukraine Crisis Analytics team supports Mercy Corps to make programmatic decisions, based on Analysis of humanitarian needs and access, regional economic and social dynamics. Crisis Analytics team aggregates and analyzes data to improve decision making and access in complex crises. The team supports programming in Ukraine, Poland, Romania and other locations. The team directly contributes to data-driven decision making by layering information from primary sources, open sources and responders’ programmatic data, where it is analyzed by subject matter experts and data scientists. This analysis is grounded in Mercy Corps’ status as an operational NGO, keeping products constructive and relevant. Typical products and services range from informal briefings to weekly products, contributions to risk assessments, in-depth assessment of the political economy of a defined geography, deep-dives on specific thematics, etc., ranging in themes from conflict to market systems to governance, in line with programmatic needs.

The Position

The GIS/IM Officer is a member of Mercy Corps’ Ukraine Crisis Analytics Team reporting directly to the Senior Analyst. The GIS/IM Officer is expected to produce all maps and other relevant visuals for the Ukraine Crisis Analytics team’s products, as well as provide GIS/IM support to research design and analysis as required. The Officer will also create and maintain structures necessary for GIS data storage.

The GIS/IM Officer will work closely with analysts to design, develop and implement GIS products and methodologies. The Officer will have knowledge of cartographic standards and application of these within QGIS, Arcgis Online or ArcGIS Pro. The Officer will be a highly motivated self-starter, with willingness and ability to learn and self-teach new technical skills.

The GIS/IM Officer should have an interest in the Ukraine context and/or humanitarian programming. The Officer will be able to think innovatively about appropriate presentation of spatial data, synthesizing information from a wide variety of sources to communicate key messages to a diverse range of products and audiences.

Essential Responsibilities

GIS / Technical

• Develop processes and best practices for the collection, storage and presentation of geospatial information.
• Identify relevant sources of geospatial data for the Ukraine Crisis Analytics team.
• Create and maintain structures for GIS data storage.
• Develop maps and other Data Visualizations using QGIS or Esri ArcGIS platform products.
• Develop data visualizations using PowerBI and other software as relevant.
• Conduct geospatial analysis and proactively develop GIS solutions to support Analysts.
• Ensure accuracy, quality, and timeliness of GIS products.

Engagement

• Work closely with Analysts to identify appropriate GIS solutions, based on understanding of audience needs and changing context in Ukraine.
• Engage with internal and external stakeholders as directed to increase understanding of Mapping and visualization needs.

Coordination

• Submit work in accordance with the team’s output timeline and determined deadlines.
• Join and contribute to all team meetings and calls as required.
• Develop and maintain an awareness of the humanitarian response in Ukraine.
• Develop and maintain an awareness of humanitarian principles, international humanitarian law and Mercy Corps’ culture and values.

Security

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by the response team and Global Security.
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.
• Ensure compliance with and implementation of Mercy Corps safeguarding measures.

Supervisory Responsibility: None.

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Senior Analyst, Ukraine Crisis Analytics Team.

Works Directly With: Ukraine Crisis Analytics Team Leader, Ukraine Crisis Analytics Analysts, Ukraine Response’s MEL team, Director of Security and Humanitarian Access, Ukraine response team, Global Crisis Analysis team, Global Policy and Advocacy, Global Data for Impact Advisor, Technology for Development Team.

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring
and evaluation of our field projects.

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

Any skills you have gained through education, volunteer, work, or life experience that are relevant for the position will be considered. Be sure to fully explain transferable skills and success factors and how they apply to this position in your cover letter.

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in a relevant field such as IT, Geography, GIS, Data Analysis, Computer Science, Statistics, Software Engineering, Surveying or Urban Planning (or equivalent relevant work experience).
• Two or more years of work experience in GIS/IM, preferably in conflict analysis, humanitarian programming and research, reporting or related fields.
• Excellent geospatial analysis, visualization and information management skills.
• Willingness to learn and motivation to self-teach relevant technical skills.
• Ability to use and manipulate complex datasets. Experience with data processing or analysis is an asset.
• Ability to understand audience needs and use GIS to innovatively present relevant information.
• Proficient in QGIS, ArcGIS Online and/or ArcGIS Pro. Knowledge of alternative GIS/IM tools is an asset.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office systems including Word and PowerPoint. Advanced knowledge of Excel, Power BI, Tableau or other data visualization tools is an asset.
• Willingness to work in a fast-paced environment with a high level of collaboration both in-person and remotely.
• Experience working within the development/humanitarian sector and understanding of humanitarian principles and the humanitarian system is an asset.
• Ability to communicate in English is required, ability to communicate in Ukrainian and/or Russian is an asset. Ability to create maps and visuals in English is required.

Success Factors

The successful candidate will be a key member of a growing team where curiosity, critical thinking and the ability to see beyond the surface level are highly valuable. A professional attitude, demonstration of integrity, discretion and excellent work ethic are key aspects to the success of this new position. The GIS/IM Officer will have the ability to take initiative on projects and support multiple team members with mapping, visualization and information management. Strong time management, organizational skills and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment are essential. Communication
skills are imperative to developing positive relationships and working effectively with the rest of the analysis team.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions The position is based in Kyiv, Ukraine or open to being based elsewhere in Ukraine or remotely in countries in which Mercy Corps has an office. This position may require limited travel for coordination with the rest of the team, as security permits.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC. We will not tolerate Child Abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct e-learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

How to apply

Please submit your CV using the link: https://recruiting2.ultipro.com/MER1024MERCY/JobBoard/7a14d810-d41a-4542-9b9c-ba39a563b91a/OpportunityDetail?opportunityId=19a5cbf2-5c19-41cc-956c-2d593f6d3c92