Gis Manager

  Project Overview  In response to the Syrian Crisis and the resulting influx of refugees into Lebanon, Medair’s Mapping started in October 2012 to support the initial work distribution work being done in Informal Settlements.  This data is used to support Inter-Agency coordination, and as such Medair were asked to expand their project over the whole of the Bekaa Valley, to build capacity and to oversee other Implementing Partners carrying out the same mapping work over the whole of Lebanon.    Overall Purpose: Working as an important member of a diverse team, who are committed to serve the world’s most vulnerable, the GIS Project Manager develops, leads, monitors and evaluates the GIS Mapping project. This involves effectively managing and reporting on the projects in line with the objectives, timeframe and budget with a focus on technology development, training and coordination outside Medair. Important aspects of the role include representing Medair in its  role as lead agency for mapping in Lebanon, championing GIS best practice and innovation for IM in the sector,  managing and training mapping staff in data collection and data management best practices to maintain Medair’s position as lead mapping agency, liaising with other stakeholders, and anticipating, planning, and contributing to the development of Medair’s Information Management capacity in Lebanon by working with other Medair teams Mapping Project Management Manage the assigned mapping project in order to meet the project objectives within budget and within the allotted time frame and report promptly any operational concerns to line manager (e.g. projected failure to meet objectives; increased beneficiary needs; projected over or under spending on project budget) Within the field of GIS and Medair’s overall country strategy, develop a practical but challenging vision to collect, analyse and represent data linked to geographical references to better serve refugees and host community alike. Provide strong leadership of the assigned mapping project, working to ensure both short and long-term positive impacts and outcomes for the beneficiaries, coordinating bodies and other NGOs Continuously monitor and supervise mapping activities, evaluating progress through outputs and impacts, involving the mapping team in analysis and taking appropriate action as needed to ensure continued progress Provide input into the integration of beneficiary participation and accountability in all aspects of the project Ensure accurate and timely reporting of activities according to Medair, donor and other applicable timeframes and formats Develop new proposals, linked to the assessed needs and gaps and the Medair country strategy, in conjunction with the relevant field managers and the HQ technical advisor   Staff Management Line-manage staff of the GIS team, including day-to-day management, development and training, appraisals, etc. Facilitate regular meetings to assist information sharing between project staff, to ensure all staff members are aware of project objectives and current work plans and to provide the opportunity for feedback Provide coaching and technical supervision to staff in order to develop ownership and full responsibility for all activities Assess the training needs of staff and ensure that appropriate training is conducted   Partner Organisation Management Provide initial and refresher training for partner organisations (INGO’s) carrying out mapping in other regions of Lebanon. Facilitate opportunities for communication for mapping partners, including regular meetings and opportunity for feedback on challenges and lessons learned Monitoring and updating the SOPs for mapping processes Monitor data received from partners   Communication and Coordination Champion GIS best practice and innovation for IM, representing Medair at local and national coordination levels and to maintain Medair’s position as lead mapping agency in Lebanon Contribute to development and implementation of an appropriate and effective Information Management (IM) strategy within Medair Coordinate with other Medair teams developing IM resources to ensure integration of solutions. Develop and maintain appropriate, regular, transparent and supportive communication structures with the assigned team, Medair in-country and HQ managers and advisors and other relevant stakeholders (e.g. beneficiaries, community leaders, local and national government officials, UN agencies and other NGOs), with the objective of ensuring good cooperation and partnerships Participate in IM coordination meetings, Medair internal trainings, and other working groups or meetings as required, representing Medair and feeding back to the staff and project managers on relevant issues   Logistics Support the logistics activities of staff Liaise, as necessary, with the project, logistics and finance staff to ensure items are procured, transported, stored, managed and accounted for correctly   Quality Management Promote and use the Medair intranet and other operating procedures, ensuring that all standardised formats are used and guidelines are followed Ensure projects are implemented in line with donor proposals and requirements and in accordance with Medair, donor, country and international standards i.e. Sphere and HAP standards   Delegated Responsibilities Implementation of the assigned project(s) within budget and the agreed timeframe Line management of assigned staff, including recruitment, performance monitoring, disciplinary action, etc. Management of the technical aspects of the assigned project(s), including staff knowledge and performance Representation of Medair at meetings and through relationships with external partners (e.g. community leaders, local and national government officials, UN agencies and other NGOs) in coordination with the Information Management Project Manager and Projects Coordinator Competencies Data management expertise, including experience with GIS mapping Expert in all Microsoft Office programs, in particular Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint.Experience in GIS development Knowledge of the ESRI ArcGIS package Project management experience Excellent numerical, report writing, and administration skills, problem solving ability Excellent communicator, preferably with experience of coordination between internal and external agencies Team-player with good interpersonal skills. Willingness to support others and to share workload. Aptitude for capacity building. Capacity to work under pressure and manage personal stress levels Knowledge of humanitarian principles, Sphere and HAP Standards and other international humanitarian guidelines and protocols. Creative, open-minded, flexible, self-learner Able to prioritise clearly and oversee multiple tasks Able to take initiative in project decisions and able to enforce procedures. Able to set clear objectives to staff and to delegate Commited to consultative and servant-minded leadership.