Vaga para Gestor de Base de Dados e SIG (Terra Firma)

Background & Job Summary

Terra Firma Limitada is a Maputo-based company that has been providing research and consultancy services related to land, forest and environmental issues throughout Africa since 2002. In this time, it has established a solid portfolio of clients and a reputation for professional and high quality work.

Terra Firma is currently implementing a pilot process of community land delimitation, land use planning and land tenure regularisation within the forestry plantation areas of the company Portucel (the Portucel Pilot Project). The pilot focuses on one community and provides an opportunity to test new low-cost and open-source methodologies for data collection and community-based mapping. These methodologies are based on the use of Open Data Kit (ODK) digital data collection forms, combined with high-accuracy Bluetooth GPS units and the management of data through Postgres and QGIS software. This project is based on the on-going experience and learning of the company gained through implementing a Customary Land Certification project in Zambia as part of the Tenure and Global Climate Change (TGCC) initiative of USAID.

On the basis of the early experiences from the Mozambique pilot, Terra Firma (in partnership with ORAM-Nampula and ORAM-Zambézia) have also been awarded a grant (from the DFID LEGEND Challenge Fund) for the implementation of these delimitation and LTR processes throughout all the community areas of the Portucel concessions in Zambézia province. The project is due to commence on 01/10/16 and will be implemented over a 30-month period.

The company is also currently undertaking a national audit of available information in respect to all delimited communities in the country, involving the mapping of the identified boundaries of these communities and, where necessary, the developing of proposals for the modification of the formal esboços, many of which are incorrectly configured. This project (MADICO) is funded by the CTC-COOP (iTC) for an initial period of 6 months, commencing in September 2016.

In addition, there are further project proposals pending (to the World Bank Landscapes Project, USAID and IFAD) which focus on the generation and dissemination of spatial data in respect to community rights.

The company is therefore looking to recruit a Senior GIS Expert to join the teams which will work on these projects, and to lead the development of database and GIS systems to support their implementation. The duration of the proposed contract will be for an initial 30 months, with a possible extension if the pending proposals are approved.

It is expected that the activities related to the on-going projects will occupy about 80% of the GIS Expert’s time over this period. S/he will therefore be expected to provide technical and analytical inputs across a number of other on-going research projects and in the development of proposals for potential future activities. These may include projects within Mozambique and in other countries of the region.

The position is based in Maputo. Terra Firma expects that approximately 15% of the GIS Expert’s time will be spent traveling within Mozambique or abroad. The GIS Expert’s will be supported by the management and research team of Terra Firma.

Salary will be commensurate with skills, experience and salary history.

Responsibilities and Tasks

Conduct the following specific activities:

Responsibility #1 – Portucel Pilot Project & LEGEND Project

Terra Firma is responsible for implementing a land delimitation, land use planning and land tenure regularisation pilot project in a single community that falls within the DUAT area awarded to the forestry company, Portucel. The GIS Expert will assist the team as follows:

• Development of protocols and procedures for management and archiving of spatial and textual data generated in the field;
• Sourcing of satellite imagery suitable for use as mapping tools at a variety of scales, conversion of imagery into offline formats useable in mobile devices;
• Development, configuration and maintenance of spatially-enabled database(s) with capacity to produce a range of maps, reports and monitoring tools;
• Generation of a variety templates for the production of base maps, parcel maps, atlases for use by demarcation teams in the field, and boundary and land use maps of delimited communities;
• Management of teams responsible for digitisation processes aimed at capturing large volumes of data from analogue maps;
• Sourcing of other relevant spatial data in respect to the project area for use by management and field teams;
• Contributions to the development and configuration of field tools for data capture;
• Management of the on-line publication and dissemination of relevant spatial data to interested parties;
• Training of GIS and data management staff from ORAM-Nampula and ORAM-Zambézia in some or all of the above tasks.

Responsibility #2 – Mapping Delimited Communities (MADICO Project)

Terra Firma is implementing a project to identify all delimited community areas in the country and capture relevant data into a spatial database. This will involve mapping existing boundaries, as captured in the formal esboços, and their reconfiguration according to the existing participatory maps and cartogramas. The GIS Expert will contribute to this project as follows:

• Development, configuration and maintenance of spatially-enabled database(s) with capacity to produce a range of maps, reports and monitoring tools;
• Organising the receipt of data from a network of potential informants at provincial level, who can provide or source data on delimitations;
• Oversight of data capture into the database;
• Identification and acquisition of relevant satellite imagery and development of methodologies and protocols for adjusting esboços to match delimited boundaries;
• Development of efficient procedures for the re-issuance of corrected certificates and esboços to affected communities and training in this regard of GIS and data management staff from SPGC offices in some or all provinces;
• Management of the on-line publication and dissemination of relevant spatial data to interested parties.

Qualifications & Experience

Education/Training

• Bachelor level degree in Geographical Information Systems.

Experience

• A minimum of 8 years’ experience of GIS-related work as part of a private, public or academic institution;
• Knowledge of the Land Administration Domain Model and the Social Tenure Domain Model and prior experience with land information management systems development in Mozambique;
• Prior experience of developing cost effective approaches and processing methods for the use of publicly available high resolution imagery;
• A minimum of 3 years of experience involving supervisory responsibilities.

Other competencies & technical skills

• Technical skills:
  • Required: QGIS, PostgreSQL;
  • Desirable: ODK Aggregate/Briefcase, Google Fusion Tables, DHIS2, VFront, GeoServer;
• People skills: Ability to work both independently and as a team player. Demonstrated ability to listen to and support staff and partners;
• Communication skills: Excellent written and oral communication skills in Portuguese. Able to communicate clearly with internal and external stakeholders. English language skills strongly preferred;
• Other computer skills: Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint and Outlook; advanced internet searching skills.
• Demonstrated awareness of and sensitivity to gender and diversity;
• Integrity: Trustworthiness and integrity and a clear commitment to Terra Firma core values and principles;
• Resilience/adaptability and flexibility: Ability to operate effectively under difficult circumstances. Willing to travel out of Maputo for up to 15% of time;
• Desirable: Skills in organizing and facilitating training and discussion events.