GIS Governance Coordinator (Hybrid; Richmond, VA)

Job Description

GIS Governance Coordinator (Hybrid; Richmond, VA)

GIS Governance Coordinator | Onsite 2–3 days per week in Richmond

Impact Makers is a mission-driven management and technology consulting company that delivers exceptional value to make an impact for our clients and the world. Our experienced teams help organizations manage transformation in IT, data, cloud, and security with a focus on their customers and their people.

We utilize our innovative business model to transform the business value of our work into social value for the community. We are committed to gifting 100% of our net profits to the community over the life of the company, with annual community contributions that rival companies 100x our size.

Position Summary

The GIS Governance Coordinator is responsible for establishing, improving, and managing enterprise GIS governance practices. This role leads key initiatives focused on GIS inventory development, workforce role and skills standardization, data lifecycle governance, and special analytical projects. The position plays a critical role in advancing enterprise GIS strategy and facilitating consistent, high-quality GIS data management across the organization.

The ideal candidate brings deep knowledge of GIS principles and data governance, works independently with a strong sense of initiative, and communicates effectively with both technical teams and non-technical business stakeholders at all levels.

Key Responsibilities

General Governance

· Maintain and continuously improve documentation related to enterprise GIS governance standards and practices.

· Facilitate cross-department coordination to ensure consistent adoption of governance policies and procedures.

· Prepare reports, presentations, and briefings for leadership and governance committees.

· Support enterprise GIS strategic planning and continuous improvement activities.

GIS Inventory Development and Management

· Develop and execute a work plan to create an enterprise-wide inventory of GIS technologies, applications, processes, and datasets.

· Establish ongoing processes and standards to maintain and update these inventories over time.

· Coordinate with business units, IT, and GIS stakeholders to ensure comprehensive coverage and accuracy.

· Analyze inventory findings to identify gaps, overlaps, and opportunities for optimization.

GIS Workforce Role Standardization and Skills Analysis

· Lead analysis of existing GIS-related roles, competencies, and responsibilities across the organization.

· Identify core role types and develop standardized GIS role definitions and skill frameworks.

· Assess training, upskilling, and professional development needs required to build and sustain workforce capability.

· Collaborate with HR, training teams, and supervisors to align recommendations with workforce development plans.

GIS Data Lifecycle Governance

· Scope, design, and manage pilot projects to model and implement full lifecycle data governance for key GIS datasets.

· Define governance processes including stakeholder engagement, data stewardship, and data product requirements.

· Evaluate existing workflows and identify improvements for acquisition, maintenance, publication, and archiving of spatial data.

· Document pilot outcomes and create a scalable governance framework applicable to future datasets across the enterprise.

Special Projects and Analysis

· Lead research and evaluation of methodologies for spatial data analysis in support of enterprise planning and operations.

· Assess available datasets, monitoring systems, modeling tools, and historical records to develop data-driven recommendations.

· Develop recommendations for standardized data sources, processing methods, and analysis approaches.

· Work collaboratively with subject matter experts and cross-functional partners to deliver analytical findings.

Required Qualifications

· Bachelor’s degree in Geographic Information Systems, Computer Science, Information Management, or a related field (or equivalent experience).

· 3+ years of hands-on experience in GIS, enterprise spatial data management, or a related discipline.

· Strong knowledge of GIS principles, data management, and enterprise GIS environments.

· Understanding of data governance concepts including stewardship, lifecycle management, metadata, and data quality.

· Demonstrated ability to manage complex projects, engage diverse stakeholders, and coordinate cross-functional teams.

· Strong analytical thinking, workflow documentation, and process design skills.

· Outstanding communication skills—able to write governance documents and present technical findings clearly to non-technical audiences.

· Experience with GIS technologies such as Esri tools (ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Enterprise), enterprise geodatabases, and spatial data services.

· Proven ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and drive initiatives through to completion.

Preferred Qualifications

· Experience with geospatial governance or enterprise data governance programs.

· Familiarity with transportation, infrastructure, or public sector data domains.

· Experience developing skill frameworks or role competency models for technical disciplines.

· Knowledge of data privacy, data classification, and data lifecycle management best practices.

· Familiarity with DAMA-DMBOK or other recognized data management frameworks.

· Experience with Agile delivery methodologies and collaborative tools (Jira, Confluence, SharePoint).

· GIS Professional (GISP) certification or equivalent is a plus.

Position Impact

This position plays a critical role in building and sustaining trusted, well-governed GIS data across the enterprise. The GIS Governance Coordinator ensures that spatial data assets are properly inventoried, consistently governed, and fit for purpose—enabling confident, data-driven planning and operational decisions that support the organization’s strategic goals.

Benefits

As a values-based company, taking care of our employees is of the utmost importance and our employee benefits package reflects that. We offer:

· Healthcare plans with benefit premiums 100% paid-for by the company

· 401(k) with company matching

· Robust PTO policy

· Flexible, dog-friendly work environment in Scott’s Addition

· Company-sponsored events and pro bono opportunities

· A culture where team members work with us, not for us

Impact Makers provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Impact Makers complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Requirements
GIS Governance Coordinator (Hybrid; Richmond, VA) GIS Governance Coordinator | Onsite 2–3 days per week in Richmond Impact Makers is a mission-driven management and technology consulting company that delivers exceptional value to make an impact for our clients and the world. Our experienced teams help organizations manage transformation in IT, data, cloud, and security with a focus on their customers and their people. We utilize our innovative business model to transform the business value of our work into social value for the community. We are committed to gifting 100% of our net profits to the community over the life of the company, with annual community contributions that rival companies 100x our size. Position Summary The GIS Governance Coordinator is responsible for establishing, improving, and managing enterprise GIS governance practices. This role leads key initiatives focused on GIS inventory development, workforce role and skills standardization, data lifecycle governance, and special analytical projects. The position plays a critical role in advancing enterprise GIS strategy and facilitating consistent, high-quality GIS data management across the organization. The ideal candidate brings deep knowledge of GIS principles and data governance, works independently with a strong sense of initiative, and communicates effectively with both technical teams and non-technical business stakeholders at all levels. Key Responsibilities General Governance · Maintain and continuously improve documentation related to enterprise GIS governance standards and practices. · Facilitate cross-department coordination to ensure consistent adoption of governance policies and procedures. · Prepare reports, presentations, and briefings for leadership and governance committees. · Support enterprise GIS strategic planning and continuous improvement activities. GIS Inventory Development and Management · Develop and execute a work plan to create an enterprise-wide inventory of GIS technologies, applications, processes, and datasets. · Establish ongoing processes and standards to maintain and update these inventories over time. · Coordinate with business units, IT, and GIS stakeholders to ensure comprehensive coverage and accuracy. · Analyze inventory findings to identify gaps, overlaps, and opportunities for optimization. GIS Workforce Role Standardization and Skills Analysis · Lead analysis of existing GIS-related roles, competencies, and responsibilities across the organization. · Identify core role types and develop standardized GIS role definitions and skill frameworks. · Assess training, upskilling, and professional development needs required to build and sustain workforce capability. · Collaborate with HR, training teams, and supervisors to align recommendations with workforce development plans. GIS Data Lifecycle Governance · Scope, design, and manage pilot projects to model and implement full lifecycle data governance for key GIS datasets. · Define governance processes including stakeholder engagement, data stewardship, and data product requirements. · Evaluate existing workflows and identify improvements for acquisition, maintenance, publication, and archiving of spatial data. · Document pilot outcomes and create a scalable governance framework applicable to future datasets across the enterprise. Special Projects and Analysis · Lead research and evaluation of methodologies for spatial data analysis in support of enterprise planning and operations. · Assess available datasets, monitoring systems, modeling tools, and historical records to develop data-driven recommendations. · Develop recommendations for standardized data sources, processing methods, and analysis approaches. · Work collaboratively with subject matter experts and cross-functional partners to deliver analytical findings. Required Qualifications · Bachelor’s degree in Geographic Information Systems, Computer Science, Information Management, or a related field (or equivalent experience). · 3+ years of hands-on experience in GIS, enterprise spatial data management, or a related discipline. · Strong knowledge of GIS principles, data management, and enterprise GIS environments. · Understanding of data governance concepts including stewardship, lifecycle management, metadata, and data quality. · Demonstrated ability to manage complex projects, engage diverse stakeholders, and coordinate cross-functional teams. · Strong analytical thinking, workflow documentation, and process design skills. · Outstanding communication skills—able to write governance documents and present technical findings clearly to non-technical audiences. · Experience with GIS technologies such as Esri tools (ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Enterprise), enterprise geodatabases, and spatial data services. · Proven ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and drive initiatives through to completion. Preferred Qualifications · Experience with geospatial governance or enterprise d