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Disaster Services Information Management Associate

Contract duration: 6 months with options for extension

Location/Duty Station: Remote initially. Travel to project and activation locations once safe/feasible

Projected start date: April or early May 2020

Reports to: Director of Programs

About HOT:

Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT) is a US-based NGO and global community of thousands of volunteers working together to use maps and open data for humanitarian response and the Sustainable Development Goals. As the world’s preeminent participatory mapping NGO, HOT has fostered a global mapping community composed of more than 175,000 people with ground operations in eight countries. When major disaster strikes anywhere in the world, HOT rallies this global network to create the maps and data that enable responders to reach those in need.

HOT is soliciting CVs of experienced mid-career digital development and humanitarian professionals to assist in the management of our Disaster Services and volunteer Activations, starting as soon as possible (April 2020). This assignment is expected to last 6 months with the possibility of extension.

Profile:

HOT typically works with a range of international and national partners (both government, NGO, and civil society) as well as interact frequently with the HOT global network. Projects span sectors and typically focus on participatory mapping using OpenStreetMap, data analysis and storytelling, and training/capacity building of national and international partner organizations.

This is a full time position on the basis of remote work initially, but will likely include travel to country team offices, and potentially areas with active disaster activations. The candidate for this position should have:

  • Experienced in Information Management and its processes and applications in humanitarian crises and disaster response, and specifically comfortable with geospatial data.

  • Experience with the UN cluster system and the modus operandi of (sector) working groups.

  • Have worked with government counterparts at various levels, down to local community representatives.

  • Deep experience with GIS and its processes and applications in humanitarian crises and disaster response.

  • Experience with Information Management in multiple organizations, including MSNAs, 3/4/5W, qualitative and quantitative data collection and survey design, baseline data standardization, data processing, cleaning and analysis, production of bulletins and maps.

  • Able to structure and prioritize needs, and transforming data to insightful analysis.

The Disaster Services Information Management Associate will report directly to HOT’s Director of Programs, working in close coordination with our Programs team, Activation Leads and country level GIS staff.

Responsibilities:

  • Be HOT’s primary liaison and focal point between the Activation Lead (and volunteer mappers) on the one hand, and humanitarian organizations and government agencies responding to disasters and humanitarian crises on the other hand.

  • Assist in designing data products and analysis, and establishing partnerships to integrate OSM and (open) geospatial data into disaster coordination channels and platforms, such as the HDX and ad-hoc IM channels used in disaster response.

  • Be an integral part of disaster response IM working groups and meetings during activations. Assist with creating overviews of available data and 3/4/5Ws in disaster response situations, and work to prioritize and task HOT volunteer mappers on the basis of incoming requests for (baseline) geospatial data on the basis of those, in coordination with the Activation Lead.

  • Produce regular (data) communications and analyses on HOT’s work and available data during activations, such as bulletins and maps.

  • Actively assist organizations responding to disaster to make effective use of open geospatial data, specifically OSM data, HOT volunteer mappers and

  • Update and improve HOT’s organization wide Information Management Strategy, and oversee implementation at the Disaster Services and country team level.

Furthermore, when time allows outside of disaster response activations:

  • Ensure alignment and standardization of information and data collected across field and community projects, and work towards having relevant baseline geospatial data for humanitarian and disaster response across the globe in OSM

  • Oversee the production and publication of data products, bulletins, gazetteers and maps by HOT, and design the processes and templates for these.

  • Assist in the development of overall IM strategy and implementation within HOT.

  • Support Activation Leads and country team in implementing IM strategy

  • Co-design necessary data collection tools, ensuring that the purpose and use of data collected is clear and questions are simple, clear and collectable in OSM formats.

  • Organise and manage data and mapping workflows

  • Participate in information management working group meetings representing the organisation, and provide the necessary support in presenting the relevant GIS data and data.

  • Provide advice and counsel concerning data management issues and industry trends to the partners.

  • Adapt to changing project priorities and support other duties as assigned.

About You

Essential:

  • Care deeply about the mission: passionate about humanitarian & development work demonstrated through prior professional or volunteer experiences.

  • University or college degree in international development, GIS, disaster risk reduction, urban planning, business administration, entrepreneurship, or related fields. Ideally but not necessarily an advanced degree.

  • Fluent in written and spoken English.

  • Experience in Information Management roles at various levels and organizations.

  • Experience working with governments and in the international humanitarian system, preferably on disaster risk management and reduction projects.

  • Experience working with OpenStreetMap tools and technology.

  • Experience with GIS tools, technologies and processing. This includes the ability to analyze data, convert and manage multiple data types, and ability to develop high quality maps designed for disaster and humanitarian actors during activations.

  • Strong ICT and data management skills and eagerness/ability to learn new technologies.

  • Knowledge and understanding of the complexity related to humanitarian crisis situations and disaster response, including experience implementing MSNAs and creating operational overviews at the field level.

  • Strong writing, advocacy, and analytical skills, including experience preparing reports for clients and donors.

  • Ability to work independently and complete deliverables with minimal supervision.

  • Excellent analytical and decision making skills, and ability to prioritize and meet deadlines.

  • Demonstrated leadership, versatility, and integrity.

  • Ability to solve practical problems and react quickly and calmly to changing or emergency circumstances.

Additional desirable skills

  • Experience in open data projects and/or open source software development.

  • Experience designing and carrying out community mapping exercises, including: collecting data, using OpenStreetMap, teaching data quality assurance, collaborating with various stakeholders, and building capacity in partner organizations.

  • Experience in participatory data collection, preferably using mobile, digital data collection tools such as Kobo, OpenDataKit, and OpenMapKit.

  • Demonstrated understanding of open source culture and ethos.

Conditions and Benefits

  • Assignment on contractor basis.

  • Prior to, or immediately upon acceptance, completion of the following training at courses.hotosm.org:

    • Activation Essentials: Explaining HOT Activation

    • Partner Liaison: Creating Lasting Partnerships

    • Public Relations: Communicating Effectively During Disaster

    • HOT Reporting: Effective Documentation for Activations

  • HOT values salary transparency and equity. Salaries and pay rates at HOT are determined by an open framework: please see https://www.hotosm.org/salaries

  • HOT is a leader in flexible working arrangements. As a young, innovative, and open organization, we provide ample space and opportunity for personal initiative and growth.

  • Health and medical benefits are provided to all staff through group insurance plans for employees, corporate insurance for accidents and medical emergencies, and 8% wage differentials for independent contractors.