National Spatial Information Systems Specialist

Organizational Context

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is supporting Papua New Guinea's development of a national Protected Area Registry System, building on the existing GeoNode-based Biodiversity and Climate Geo-Portal. This system aims to be the official source for protected area information, integrating legal records, GIS boundaries, management documents, and monitoring data. FAO also supports related work in participatory land use planning, forest monitoring, restoration tracking, peatland mapping, and food security early warning systems, requiring strong national coordination and integration with government systems.

Job Purpose

The National Spatial Information Systems Specialist will provide crucial technical support for the development and operationalization of the GeoNode-based Protected Area (PA) Registry System. This role involves leveraging expertise in spatial information systems, GIS database management, land-use planning, restoration monitoring, peatland mapping, and food security early warning systems. The incumbent will be responsible for managing spatial data, administering GeoNode/PostgreSQL/PostGIS, coordinating with stakeholders, and integrating geospatial information into national environmental information systems to enhance data accessibility and decision-making.

Responsibilities

The specialist will support the development and enhancement of the PA Registry System and GeoNode-based Geo-Portal, including reviewing requirements, preparing specifications, and coordinating with consultants and partners for system improvements. Responsibilities include testing, collecting user feedback, and preparing documentation and training materials. The role also involves compiling, cleaning, and managing PA-related datasets, ensuring data quality, and linking spatial and attribute data within the PostgreSQL/PostGIS database. Furthermore, the specialist will support participatory land use planning and mapping, identify linkages between different systems, and manage sensitive land information. They will also review and support the registration of restoration initiatives using Open Foris FERM, contribute to peatland mapping and monitoring planning, and assist in developing a food security monitoring and early warning system, including data integration and dashboard development.

Work Experience

A minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience is required in areas such as GIS, spatial information systems, geospatial database management, environmental information systems, land-use planning, remote sensing, or natural resource management.

Skills

Key skills include proficiency in GIS, GeoNode, PostgreSQL/PostGIS, spatial databases, web-based GIS platforms, and remote sensing. Experience supporting protected area management, land-use planning, environmental monitoring, restoration initiatives, peatland mapping, or biodiversity conservation is essential. The role requires strong data analysis capabilities, including statistical methods and software (R, Python, SPSS, Stata), familiarity with GIS software (QGIS, ArcGIS), and experience in data quality assurance, metadata development, and technical documentation. Demonstrated ability to coordinate with diverse stakeholders, implement spatial information systems, and support capacity development is crucial.

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