Local Consultancy: GIS Assistant for CDRA of Climate Resilient WASH in Health Care Facility Project in Samar Province

For every child, protection

UNICEF has been an active partner of the Government of the Philippines and civil society in realizing the rights of every Filipino child, in line with priorities to achieve the SDGs. UNICEF efforts have been focused on the most vulnerable regions identified by the Government of the Philippines Development Plan, particularly in the regions of Visayas and Mindanao. To ensure that interventions are sustainable and scaled up, UNICEF will support both the national and local government units (LGUs) as the main instruments of delivering services and building systems. The level of engagement with government institutions will consider capacities, economies of scale and sector issues.

UNICEF Philippines has two offices. One office is based in Manila and a field office in Cotabato City, the second largest city in Mindanao, Southern Philippines, with some 300,000 population. The city is the regional administrative center of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and over 80 percent of the population is Muslim. Mindanao is both conflict-affected and prone to frequent earthquakes and typhoons.

How can you make a difference?

TERMS OF REFERENCE/WORK ASSIGNMENT:

Tasks

1. GIS Inception and Data Management:

1.1 Prepare a GIS data inventory, acquisition plan, file structure, geodatabase schema, naming convention and backup protocol.

1.2 Review existing municipal shapefiles, maps, spreadsheets, scanned maps, reports and previous CDRA outputs and identify missing or unusable data.

1.3 Define the coordinate reference system, mapping scales, map series, symbology and layout standards in consultation with the CDRA Specialist.

1.4 Maintain a source register and metadata record showing origin, date, scale or resolution, processing steps, limitations and permitted use of each dataset.

2. Target Facility Mapping and Feature-Specific Risk Assessment Support:

2.1 Confirm exact coordinates and attributes of the target BHS and RHU and, where applicable, map associated water sources, intake points, pumps, treatment units, storage facilities, pipes, sanitation and handwashing facilities, access routes and power dependencies.

2.2 Prepare field maps, mobile or paper data collection forms, GPS data templates and photographic location registers for site validation.

2.3 Compile and preprocess relevant official climate and hazard layers and align them to a common spatial reference and analysis scale.

2.4 Perform spatial overlays and generate facility-level hazard exposure summaries, maps and tables under methods approved by the CDRA Specialist.

2.5 Prepare clear map layouts and data extracts for each facility and support the preparation of the two municipal feature-specific risk assessment reports.

2.6 Revise maps and tables based on field verification, engineering inputs, LGU validation and technical quality review.

3. Municipal exposure database development:

The GIS Assistant will help develop the five principal exposure database groups required for CDRA:

3.1 Population exposure database;

3.2 Urban uses exposure database;

3.3 Natural resource-based production areas exposure database;

3.4 Critical point facilities exposure database; and

3.5 Lifeline utilities exposure database.

3.6 For Villareal, reconstruct missing exposure layers and link spatial features to agreed attributes and identifiers.

3.7 For Pinabacdao, update existing exposure layers and tables and incorporate newly available data and required hazards.

3.8 Digitize or georeference elements at risk from authoritative sources and validated local information while documenting uncertainty and data quality.

3.9 Create data dictionaries and crosswalks between spatial layers, exposure tables and the risk computation templates.

4.1 Produce standardized municipal and barangay-level hazard maps using available official datasets.

4.2 Generate exposure overlay statistics and supporting tables for the agreed elements at risk.

4.3 Support risk computations using the approved CDRA spreadsheet or database templates and reproduce the results spatially.

4.4 Prepare hazard, exposure and risk maps for the identified major hazards and exposure sectors.

4.5 Prepare maps and spatial evidence for major decision areas and risk management options.

4.6 Check map titles, legends, classifications, labels, coordinate grids, source notes, scale bars and north arrows for consistency and completeness.

5. Workshop, validation and handover support:

5.1 Participate in technical meetings, field visits and targeted LGU workshops when requested.

5.2 Prepare workshop map sets, editable templates and rapid revisions needed for validation sessions.

5.3 Record and implement agreed spatial corrections and maintain a change log.

5.4 Support the CDRA Specialist in explaining GIS methods and limitations to LGU technical staff.

5.5 Package final source data, processed data, project files, map templates, tables, metadata and processing notes for handover to UNICEF and the LGUs.

Deliverables and Timelines:

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Geography, Geomatics, Geodetic Engineering, Environmental Science, Urban and Regional Planning, Information Technology or a related field with substantial GIS coursework or practice.

Work Experience

• At least two years of relevant experience in GIS data management, spatial analysis, digitization and cartographic production.

Skills and Desirables

• Demonstrated prior experience working as a GIS Assistant or GIS Specialist in the preparation, updating or completion of at least one Climate and Disaster Risk Assessment (CDRA) is a key and mandatory requirement.
• Demonstrated proficiency in QGIS, ArcGIS or equivalent software and in common raster, vector and tabular data formats.
• Experience developing geodatabases, joining spatial and tabular data, performing overlays and producing print-ready map layouts.
• Ability to work accurately with incomplete or inconsistent local datasets and document data quality and uncertainty.
• Strong organizational, communication and file-management skills and the ability to work independently under technical supervision.
• Availability for field missions and technical workshops in Samar during the contract period.

HOW TO APPLY

For every Child, you demonstrate...

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable eligible and suitable candidates irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, are encouraged to apply.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. The candidate may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid).