Spatial data and mapping services specialist for Hirkan and Shirvan National Parks

Organizational Setting

The GEF-funded project, Conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity: Strengthening Azerbaijan’s system of protected areas through improved governance and management is being executed by the FAO and the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources (MENR).

This GEF-funded project will contribute to strengthening the planning and management capacity of the system of Specially Protected Natural Areas (SPNAs) in Azerbaijan, with a strategic focus on delivering project support to: (i) enhancing the financial sustainability of SPNAs; (ii) building more effective information management systems for SPNAs; (iii) ensuring more sustainable land management practices in the areas directly adjacent to SPNAs; and (iv) integrating SPNAs into broader, landscape-scale conservation initiatives. The project will spatially focus this planning and management capacity support in two SPNAs – Shirvan National Park (SNP) and Hirkan National Park (HNP) – and their park-adjacent communities.

Reporting Lines

Assistant FAO Representative in Azerbaijan (AFAOR)

Technical Focus

A Project Management Unit (PMU) has been constituted to oversee the day-to-day implementation of the project. The operational core of this PMU comprises an International Team Leader (ITL), a National Team Leader (NTL), a Project Assistant (PA), and two Technical Field Officers (TFOs) – one located in SNP, and one located in HNP. The PMU is, in turn, contracting a range of service providers and/or entering into management agreements with partnering institutions to implement the different outputs and activities under the project.

Tasks and responsibilities

Under Output 2.1.3 of the project, the PMU now seeks to contract a Spatial Data Management and Mapping consultant to provide spatial data management and mapping support to Hirkan NP and Shirvan NP (including their proposed sanitary zones).

The primary objective of the contract is to collect, collate, organize and present the baseline spatial information and attribute data for Hirkan National Park and Shirvan National Park (and their proposed sanitary zones[1]).

• Collect and collate all existing spatial information[2] (with coordinate and projection information for spatial features) and (linked) attribute data for Hirkan NP and Shirvan NP (and their sanitary zones) from multiple sources (government institutions, universities, UN agencies, private sector data suppliers, satellite imagery, international data suppliers, etc.).
• Manipulate and transform (e.g. coordinate thinning, geometric transformation, map projection transformation, conflation, edge mapping, etc.) the spatial data - as required - to enhance data analyses, modelling and mapping capabilities.
• Consult with the park management, local communities, and local authorities to ensure the veracity of existing spatial information and attribute data for Hirkan NP and Shirvan NP (and their sanitary zones) – to be documented via the monthly progress report.
• Consult with the park management and PMU to identify the key spatial information and attribute data gaps for Hirkan NP and Shirvan NP (and their sanitary zones) – to be documented via the monthly progress report.
• Develop and initiate the implementation of a prioritised action plan to cost-effectively derive, collect and/or update the information required to address the spatial information and attribute data gaps[3] for Hirkan NP and Shirvan NP (and their sanitary zones).
• Maintain the metadata (following the ISO 19115 guidelines) for the project spatial information and attribute data for Hirkan NP and Shirvan NP (and their sanitary zones) – to be documented via the monthly progress report.
• Prepare working maps of the proposed areas for the sanitary zones for Shirvan NP and Shirvan NP (that will be used to support/assist in the stakeholder consultations preceding the gazetting of sanitary zones for the respective parks).
• Review the current maps available for Shirvan NP and Shirvan NP and develop a standardized template/format for the baseline maps for Hirkan NP and Shirvan NP (and their sanitary zones).
• Prepare an electronic set of geo-referenced baseline maps – including inter alia the following: contextual map; bio-physical features maps; park management infrastructure map; park visitor infrastructure map; land use map/s; and park zoning map – for Hirkan NP and Shirvan NP (and their sanitary zones).

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or Information Technology.
• 5 years of relevant experience in Computer Science or Information Technology
• Fluent in Azerbaijani, with a working knowledge of English.
• National or resident of the country

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

The prospective consultant will be required to demonstrate that he/she has technical and professional capabilities in:

• Information management systems
• Database management and maintenance
• Remote sensing
• Geographical Information Systems (GIS) software
• Sourcing spatial information and attribute data from multiple sources
• Analysis, manipulation, and transformation of spatial information
• Cartography and map production

Selection Criteria

• Technical knowledge of the collection, collation, organization, and presentation of natural resource data would be considered an asset.
• Previous work with international donor-funded projects would also be considered an asset.

[1] The Project Management Unit (PMU) will provide the contracted service provider with an indication of the proposed extent of this sanitary zone (limited to a maximum distance of 3000m from the park boundary).

[2] This may include inter alia: geo-referenced aerial photography and satellite imagery; park boundaries; vegetation; rivers, lakes and dams; locations of rare, threatened and endemic species; land degradation; topography; DEM; cadaster; roads; buildings; zoning; land uses; cultural and historical sites; monitoring locations; water, waste and electrical reticulation; etc.

[3] The project has a limited budget to pay for any additional costs associated with collecting new data, deriving new data, or updating obsolete data, so the filling of data gaps must be prioritized to ensure the most cost-effective use of project resources. This prioritization will be undertaken in consultation with the PMU.