Turkey: University Outreach Assistant- Turkey

Organization: Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team
Country: Turkey
Closing date: 03 Jul 2017

General information

The Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT) is a U.S.-based NGO that applies the principles of open data sharing for humanitarian response and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Free, up-to-date maps are a critical resource when relief organizations are responding to disasters or political crises. The Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT) creates and provides those maps.

HOT’s programming in the region is focused on establishing a local presence in Turkey and expansion of the OpenStreetMap community. HOT is currently recruiting for a University Outreach Assistant to join our team.

Contract duration: 3 months

Option to extend for an additional 7 months, depending on continued funding.

Location: Based in Istanbul, Turkey

Reports to: Country Manager

Starting date: June 2017

Position Overview

The University Outreach Assistant will report directly to HOT’s Country Manager in Turkey, working in close coordination with the Mapping and Outreach Coordinator. This individual will support the Mapping and Outreach Coordinator to carry out training and outreach activities with local universities on existing OSM tools.

This individual will be the primary liaison with local universities to establish YouthMappers chapters and expand OSM skills of university students. S/he will lead mapping activities with these students, facilitating trainings and workshops. S/he may also serve in a monitoring and evaluation capacity, ensuring that outputs and outcomes of project activities are appropriately captured in order to provide accurate, nuanced reporting and improve programming.

More broadly, HOT seeks to develop the OpenStreetMap (OSM) community in Turkey by engaging youth volunteers who are interested and dedicated to the use of open data for humanitarian response and economic development purposes. Starting in 2016, HOT and YouthMappers began working together, leveraging each other’s strengths to grow the number of affiliate universities in the YouthMappers network and develop cross-pollination activities. YouthMappers is an international network of university student group chapters dedicated to mapping real-world challenges.

Responsibilities:

Support the Mapping and Outreach Coordinator in organizing and facilitating OSM trainings, workshops, and awareness sessions for university students
Lead outreach efforts with universities, introducing and encouraging the use of OSM and open data in university curricula
Where possible, set up YouthMappers chapters that promote and practice the use of open data, mapping and OSM
Communicate regularly with university partners regarding the mapping project and progress
Engage, train, and directly manage a team of 2-3 interns who will work to improve OSM basemaps in Istanbul
Write and translate documentation as necessary
Submit progress reports as requested, and assist in producing project deliverables
Provide information for the monitoring and evaluation database and ensure indicators are captured to feed into project reporting cycle
Participate in communications (such as blog posts and social media)
Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree or equivalent in a relevant field required
Established network with various universities in Istanbul
Strong ICT and information management skills and eagerness/ability to learn new technologies
Experience working with GIS, OSM and other mapping platforms preferred
Strong writing and analytical skills, including experience preparing reports for clients
Ability to collaborate with and take guidance from project leadership and staff
Ability to work independently and complete deliverables with minimal supervision
Demonstrated leadership, versatility, and integrity
Fluency in writing and speaking Turkish and well-developed English language skills required

Requirements