Job Title: Geospatial Coordinator
Job Purpose: Support the delivery of GIS projects and programmes, internally and with global partners
Location: Remote but based in the United Kingdom, Mozambique or Kenya. We will consider other countries that are close in time to the GMT time zone (3 hour difference max).
Salary: Dependent on location; Salary banding starting at £32,799 FTE
Contract: Full time contract from July 2025 to end of December 2025 substantive position. Up to 37.5 hours per week.
Responsible to: Head of Geospatial Services
The Opportunity
MapAction has a unique opportunity for a Geospatial Coordinator looking for their next challenge in a fast-paced and dynamic humanitarian response organisation. We’re looking for someone to work within our Geospatial Services team helping on the delivery of GIS projects and programs while working alongside multiple global partners. You will work with a diverse group of expert volunteers, colleagues and support four main areas of MapAction’s work: emergency response, preparedness, anticipatory action and training. All of this is at the core of what MapAction does and we need you to be part of this! You will also play a vital supporting element to the planning, delivery and evaluation of operational activities, training and volunteer recruitment.
Why MapAction?
MapAction (mapaction.org) is a leading humanitarian mapping charity delivering information services and products to enhance decision making in disasters and conflicts. In collaboration with our partners, this mapped information helps responders understand vulnerabilities and target their response effectively, contributing to saving lives and minimising suffering. We work through a team of skilled volunteer professionals and a small paid staff team.
We have built a strong reputation in the humanitarian sector and are a technical partner of the United Nations, Non-Government Organisations, the likes of Red cross, UNICEF, save the children etc, regional entities and national authorities.
At MapAction, training and team building are at the heart of our organisational culture. We have frequent meetups where paid staff and volunteers get together for training opportunities and skill-sharing, in areas such as fieldwork, emergency preparedness and GIS technical development.
At a time when the humanitarian sector is increasingly data-driven, MapAction plays a critical role by providing the geospatial intelligence needed to drive smarter, more coordinated relief efforts. Its work is not only timely and technically advanced but also deeply humanitarian in purpose. That’s what makes MapAction a vital organisation—and why being part of its mission is both an opportunity and a responsibility.
Who are you?
You are an experienced GIS specialist, confident in your ability to use your geospatial skills and knowledge to contribute to the development, design and delivery of projects and training activities internally and with external partners. You are calm under pressure and share the MapAction ‘can-do’ attitude, rooted in our volunteer values. You relish a challenge and like us, feel excited about the future and what we can achieve together. You want to work in a diverse organisation that is concerned about minimising its environmental impact, and cares about everyone in the team. Be assured, you will be supported in your role as you grow.
Main Responsibilities
- Provide geospatial support to a wide variety partner projects
- Take the lead on some projects and grant deliverables
- Share responsibility for GIS support to deployed teams at the onset of and during emergency responses.
- Fulfil, requests for mapping and other geospatial support from partners
- Contribute to ongoing data preparedness activities
- Contribute to keeping documentation such as standard operating procedures up to date
- Help develop our web mapping and dashboarding offer
- Support internal and external training activities, including the coordination and leading of sessions
- Actively contribute to developing new ideas and innovation
- Coordinate activities related to volunteers’ recruitment, onboarding and engagement
- Maintain organisational records and work closely with the Head of MEAL to develop and collect appropriate metrics
Key Competencies
Essential
GIS specialist with professional experience using GIS to prepare data and undertake spatial analysis
- Good knowledge of spatial data structures and formats and understanding of data quality
- Clear and confident written and verbal communicator
- Experience of collaborative working with a wide range of people, with a positive, supportive attitude, and showing sensitivity to the needs of colleagues (staff, trustees, volunteers, donor partners).
- Project management experience
- Demonstrable ability to use initiative and prioritise a diverse workload effectively under pressure
- Able to grasp concepts and needs quickly and use initiative
- Strong demonstrable organisational skills
- Committed to the volunteer ethic of MapAction.
Desirable
- Proficiency with ArcGIS Pro and QGIS
- Understanding of cartographic principles
- Experience working with web mapping applications and creating dashboards
- Experience and knowledge of humanitarian or related fields.
- Able and willing to travel, including being deployed out of home-base at short notice (< 24 hours)
- Have a full driving licence and access to a car at short notice
- Proficient in a second language such as Spanish, Portuguese or French.
Additional Information
- Flexibility and willingness to work outside office hours including evenings and weekends as required, including being on a roster for emergency cover
- Required to attend weekend training events if based in the UK (camping at various venues around the UK). Travel expenses are paid and reasonable time off in lieu provided.
- Required to work remotely and to attend team days near the MapAction office in Oxfordshire at least 6 times a year, at own expense, again if based in the UK
- 30 days holiday with a workplace pension (dependent on location) and also paid training opportunities to help further your career.
- Must have the right to live and work in the UK, MapAction is unable to consider candidates who do not already hold appropriate permissions.
- If living and working outside of the UK, terms to be discussed and paid through a 3rd party
- Contract may be extended if additional funding is secured
Note: this is an operational role in a small, highly specialised charity and an appreciation of, and affinity with the humanitarian purpose of the charity is essential, as well as a willingness to take up additional tasks outside of the normal role when needed
Equal Opportunities Policy
MapAction is an Equal Opportunities employer. All employees have a personal responsibility to promote and support measures designed to create a working environment which is free from harassment or discrimination on the grounds of gender, marital status, family status, age, race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, membership of the Travelers community or HIV&AIDS status.
How to apply: Please apply by gohire with a CV and covering letter to be considered for the role. We will review applications on a rolling basis and will close the process if we secure someone at an early stage, so we urge you to apply early so as not to miss out. For further discussion regarding the content of this role, please call email info@mapaction.org