Programme Data and Geospatial Analyst

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has reinforced its presence in Ukraine by signing an agreement with the Government to set up a Project Office that will facilitate and expand the provision of technical and humanitarian assistance to the country’s most vulnerable communities, especially in rural areas.

Ukraine joined FAO in 2003 and since 2015 the Organization has been operating in two strategic directions: emergency humanitarian response in conflict-affected oblasts and agricultural development across the whole country. Following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, FAO has scaled up its activities in the country to support agricultural production and food systems with the aim of protecting the food security of vulnerable households and communities across Ukraine.

This role is based full-time in office, with duty station in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of the Head of Office, the direct supervision of the Programme Coordinator, and in collaboration with the ARM Unit on its led activities, the Programme Data and Geospatial Analyst will play a crucial role in ensuring effective information management and coordination within the mine action program.

Technical Focus

The assignment focuses on providing field-level information and geospatial data management support to FAO projects implemented in conflict-affected areas of Ukraine, with an emphasis on documenting demining progress, analyzing agricultural land conditions, and optimizing targeted assistance for smallholder farmers. The role ensures that spatial analysis, interactive GIS products, and beneficiary datasets are highly accurate, secure, and seamlessly integrated with national systems. Ultimately, this position drives evidence-based decision-making and harmonized reporting aligned with international data protection standards, donor requirements, and FAO corporate guidelines to accelerate productive agricultural recovery.

Tasks and responsibilities

•     Oversee the analysis and integration of Earth Observation data into programme planning and operational activities for strategic damage assessment and optimization of targeted assistance.
•     Design and implement GIS-based mechanisms and spatial data workflows for the planning, verification, and implementation of farmer support programmes through the State Agrarian Register (SAR), to enhance the efficiency and transparency of assistance delivery.
•     Ensure compliance with data security protocols and beneficiary confidentiality requirements in line with GDPR standards and international humanitarian data protection principles, in liaison with the FAOUA Data Protection Focal Point.
•     Serve as the primary programme-level liaison with the ARM Unit, providing technical inputs to support the maintenance of the MEAL tracker and contributing to the tracking of output and outcome indicators across all funded projects and reporting periods.
•     Develop comprehensive cartographic materials and interactive GIS products to visualize demining progress, the condition of agricultural land, and the geographical coverage of programme interventions.
•     Manage landbank data to inform programme design, visualizing data for programmatic needs, including presenting programme results to management, national partners, and international donors.
•     Coordinate technical collaboration with IT and GIS specialists from partner organizations to ensure operational data compatibility and harmonization of information exchange in line with the data governance frameworks established by the ARM Unit
•     Provide expert support to FAO activities within the Soil Pollution Working Group (SPWG) by coordinating the development and implementation of a specialized GIS portal for monitoring and analysis. 
•     Provide GIS and spatial data support for operational assessments and soil contamination assessments, as well as ARM-led Post-Distribution Monitoring and beneficiary surveys, and donor-specific analytical requests within agreed deadlines.
•     Provide day-to-day technical guidance to the GIS Intern, including task assignment, quality review of outputs, and mentorship on geospatial methodology. 
•     Support FAO’s engagement with the JICA/GRIT Agricultural Recovery Pilot (Izium rayon) including spatial analysis, data provision, and reporting coordination, subject to project confirmation. 
•     Strive to promote the digitalization of mine action processes by providing expert inputs for the development of national strategies and protocols.
•     Other duties as assigned.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•     University degree in geographic information systems (GIS), geomatics, remote sensing, data science, computer science, or a closely related field.
•     At least 5 years of relevant experience in GIS, geospatial data management, or information management, with a strong emphasis on integrating Earth Observation data and developing interactive spatial products.
•     Working knowledge of English (Level C) and Ukrainian (Level C).
•     National of Ukraine.

FAO Core Competencies

•     Results Focus
•     Teamwork
•     Communication
•     Building Effective Relationships
•     Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

•     Proven ability to design and maintain interactive GIS dashboards, analytical infographics, and high-quality cartographic materials tailored for senior management, national partners, and international donors.
•     Expert knowledge of data governance, security protocols, and privacy standards, including hands-on experience apply-ing humanitarian data protection principles to sensitive beneficiary datasets.
•     Excellent coordination and technical liaison skills, with a track record of harmonizing information exchange standards across partner organizations, supporting inter-agency working groups, and managing MEAL tracking systems.
•     Demonstrated mentorship skills, including the ability to provide day-to-day technical guidance, task assignment, and quality assurance reviews for junior staff or interns under tight deadlines.

Selection Criteria

•     Proven experience working in emergency, humanitarian, or recovery contexts, ideally within mine action, agricultural re-covery, or land clearance programs, and familiarity with international humanitarian data protection principles
 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION