Nature Information Advisor (GIS/Geo)

Company: GISjobs Title: Adviseur Natuurinformatie (GIS/Geo) Do you want to work at the intersection of geospatial data, policy, and nature conservation—and make a visible contribution to future-proof provincial nature management in the Netherlands? Are you a strong, proactive GIS professional who not only analyzes but also guides, connects, and actively translates developments in GIS and geo-information into opportunities for your organization? Then this role is for you. Who We Are Working at the Interprovincial Consultation (IPO) means contributing to something greater. As the umbrella organization for the twelve Dutch provinces, we work daily to develop solutions at regional, national, and European levels that help the Netherlands move forward. We support provinces on issues such as network congestion, housing construction, nature, and nitrogen. We do this through three mutually reinforcing organizational units: IPO in The Hague, BIJ12 in Utrecht, and the House of the Dutch Provinces (HNP) in Brussels. You’ll collaborate closely with committed colleagues in a dynamic network of government and civil society organizations, within an open culture that encourages initiative and innovation. About the Team You’ll join the Nature Information and Nature Management unit. Together, you’ll develop information products by the provinces that support nature conservation efforts. For example, BIJ12 developed the Protected Species Indicator (BeSI) and the Nature Information Map (IKN)—and now ensures these products continue to meet the evolving needs of provinces and their users. Your Role and Impact as Nature Information Advisor (GIS/Geo) As Nature Information Advisor, you are the subject-matter lead and sparring partner for GIS and geo-information within the organization. You possess deep GIS expertise and stay closely attuned to developments in the geo-domain. For your information products, you serve as the central hub between provinces, the internal development team, product owners, and other stakeholders. You move effortlessly between strategy, policy, and implementation—and translate complex geo-challenges into concrete, impactful solutions and advice. Your key responsibilities include: Identifying and analyzing trends, innovations, and risks in the GIS and geo-domain, and translating these into strategic opportunities, improvements, and organizational direction; Investigating innovations and developing plans for the further development of information products such as IKN and BeSI—e.g., by collaborating with provincial GIS departments, gathering user needs, and translating them into improvement proposals for product owners and development teams; Identifying opportunities for improved information exchange between provinces and their chain partners, and proposing approaches; Representing the organization in GIS, GEO, and nature-related networks, advisory groups, working groups, and conferences—and actively introducing new developments into the organization; Maintaining, expanding, and actively leveraging a relevant network of provincial experts, policymakers, product owners, and development teams; Ensuring the quality, reliability, and timeliness of nature information and geo-data; Supporting and advising provincial experts in the use of information products such as IKN and BeSI; Taking a coaching, proactive, and driving role within the team—and actively involving colleagues in developments in GIS and geo-information. What a Typical Workday Might Look Like It’s Monday, and you’re working in the office in Utrecht. You start the day with coffee, a chat with colleagues, and catching up on your inbox. Next, you join a meeting with the product owner and the Scrum team. Several ideas for new features in one of the information products are on the table. Drawing on your GIS expertise, you look beyond the short term: Which developments should the organization follow, and where are the opportunities for the future? You engage colleagues in your vision and align technical possibilities with user needs. Your input leads to decisions on solutions that also consider the long-term significance of the products. Actions emerging from the meeting are taken forward immediately. After a lunch walk and sandwich in central Utrecht, you join an online meeting with GIS specialists from various provinces. You discuss geo-standards and emerging developments in the geo-domain. You quickly translate signals into opportunities for further development of IKN and BeSI—and bring improvement points to the product owner and development team. Later in the afternoon, you develop a trend analysis. At a recent GIS conference, you gained new insights into satellite monitoring and GeoAI. You assess which innovations are relevant for provinces and BIJ12—and how they can be applied within the organization. You then discuss this with your unit manager. It’s time to head home. On the train in first class, you comfortably continue refining the trend analysis based on your unit manager’s feedback. What We Offer A fixed-term contract for 32 to 36 hours per week (0.89 to 1.0 FTE) for one year, with the prospect of a permanent contract upon successful performance; A gross monthly salary of €4,402.95 to €6,213.95 (depending on experience, salary scale 11 IPO – CAO Provincies), based on a 36-hour workweek; In addition to your salary, an individual choice budget (IKB) of 22.37%, including 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% year-end bonus. The IKB can be paid monthly or saved, and used for purposes such as repaying student loans (via DUO) up to €1,250 per calendar year (max. 6 years); Full first-class public transport reimbursement for commuting; A modern, open, and flexible working environment within walking distance of Utrecht Centraal Station; A personal development budget of €6,000 per 5 years; Participation in the ABP pension scheme; A personal laptop and mobile phone arrangement. What You Bring You are a strong, proactive advisor with vision, ownership, and conviction. You don’t wait for opportunities—you spot them, generate ideas, and take initiative to drive improvements and developments. You successfully engage people across organizational levels in your vision and advice. You are analytically strong, quickly grasp complex issues, and translate them into clear, well-substantiated advice within a governance context. You comfortably operate across strategy, content, and execution—and feel at ease in a dynamic environment with diverse interests and stakeholders. Additionally, you are highly communicative, organizationally sensitive, and a natural connector. You actively seek collaboration, enjoy spirited discussions with colleagues, provinces, and stakeholders, and know how to build support for new ideas and developments in the GIS and geo-domain. Further, you have: A completed HBO or WO degree, preferably in geo-informatics, geography, GIS, biology, or a related field; Experience with GIS and geo-informatics, preferably in a government, implementation, or consultancy setting; Affinity with nature, species, or ecological information provision; Experience applying Dutch geo-standards and geo-informatics infrastructure; Knowledge of the Environmental Act (Omgevingswet) and nature policy; Experience with agile/Scrum methodologies and collaboration with development teams; Affinity with innovation, trend analysis, and developments in the geo-domain. No recruitment agencies, please. Tags: BIJ12, GEO, GIS