GIS Supervisor (Full Time)
Location: Palmer
Position - StatusGIS SUPERVISOR - RFT Who can apply? MEA Employees & General Public
Posting Date September 28, 2026
Closing Date Open until filled
Department GIS & Mapping
Grade/Salary Grade 11: $101,961 Min DOE
Union Representation N/A
Hours of Work 8AM-5PM
Work Location Palmer, AK
PURPOSE This position supervises GIS data operations, including data collection, processing, quality assurance, and maintenance of the Association's system of record. This position ensures accuracy, integrity, and timeliness of geospatial data supporting engineering, operations, and enterprise systems, including OMS integration.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE POSITION 1. Supervises GIS Department and oversees the data operations supporting enterprise systems.
2. Collaborate with Engineering, Operations, business units, and IT teams to identify GIS-related needs, develop requirements, and evaluate and implement effective business and technical solutions.
3. Supervise and develop staff by overseeing hiring, performance management, coaching, training, work assignments, and employee development in accordance with Association policies and procedures.
4. Develops, maintains, and systematically improves GIS policies, processes, standards, procedures, and practices.
5. Coordinates with Infrastructure and Applications teams to support GIS platforms, integrations, upgrades, and enterprise system interoperability.
6. Research new GIS Technology and recommend appropriate technologies per industry best practice.
7. Enforces GIS standards, quality assurance processes, and data governance procedures to ensure integrity, accuracy, and compliance of geospatial databases, drawings, enterprise GIS data, and vendor deliverables.
8. Supervises publication and distribution of GIS data, maps, reports, and services through ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Enterprise, and other internal/public platforms.
9. Prepares annual budget requests and manages budget expenditures for the GIS Collection and Processing Team and Geospatial activities.
10. Supervises the maintenance and accuracy of the Association's connectivity models.
11. Supervises the processing, updating, and maintenance of GIS databases, maps, graphical files, drawings, and related cartographic libraries.
12. Responsible for transmitting and receiving GIS data to/from outside vendors, consultants, agencies.
13. Plans, prioritizes, and manages GIS operations, projects, data collection, remote sensing activities, operational work requests, team resources, and vendor-supported initiatives aligned with the IT Strategic Plan.
14. Coordinates and supports training related to GIS systems, field applications, and electronic mapping programs.
15. Provides oversight and technical guidance for GIS application development, integrations, automation, and database design activities.
16. Demonstrate continuous effort to improve operations, decrease turnaround times, streamline work processes, and work cooperatively with other Association departments.
17. Promote a safety culture in which safety is a value. This culture is based on joint and individual engagement, ownership, and accountability regarding job safety and responsibility to perform work safely and adhere to safe work practices.
18. Perform the essential functions of the position in a safe and efficient manner.
The above items are not intended to be all inclusive of the essential functions or requirements of this type of work as they are subject to change based on operating necessity. The employee may also perform other related business duties as assigned.
ESSENTIAL POSITION REQUIREMENTS • Qualified candidates are required to have:
- A bachelor's degree in a relevant field or equivalent relevant experience.
- Seven (7) years of progressively responsible GIS-related experience, including experience with ESRI ArcGIS and related products.
- A valid driver's license and a driving record, which is acceptable by the Association's Driving Policy and insurable by the Association and the Association's insurance carrier at standard group rates.
• Preference may be given to candidates with:
- Leadership experience.
- GIS certification.
- Extensive experience working in a GIS-related capacity for an electric utility.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES: • Support a culture of safety excellence through active involvement in safety improvement and promote a sense of shared responsibility for safety.
• Advanced knowledge of the fundamental principles, theories, techniques, methodologies, and best practices of geographic, cartographic, remote sensing, geodesy principles, and processing systems analysis.
• Advanced knowledge of GIS and OMS, in a vertically integrated electric utility environment.
• Advanced knowledge of ESRI GIS software, such as ArcGIS Arc Online, ArcGIS Server, ArcGIS Enterprise.
• Advanced knowledge of the theory, principles, practices, methods of GIS and ESRI's versioned enterprise database as well as ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Enterprise.
• Advanced knowledge of the terminology, principles, methods utilized within GIS and IT including nomenclature, symbols, principles and mathematics of mapping, map interpretation.
• Advanced knowledge of RDBMS technology that includes Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, or similar RDBMS.
• Advanced knowledge of Mobile Mapping, Mapping Web Services, and Data Collection.
• Advanced knowledge of Outage Management Systems and GIS field operations incident response tracking.
• Knowledge of electrical utility industry terminology and symbology using civil, architectural, or electronic engineering drawings.
• Knowledge of programming and scripting languages as they relate to GIS, as well as other development tools such as Visual Studio, JavaScript, Python, ArcGIS API, ArcPy, and source code management systems.
• Knowledge of windows environment, including the use of Word, Excel, and Visio.
• Skill in effective and professional verbal, telephonic, and written communication.
• Skill in managing team efforts.
• Skill in performing advanced mathematical calculations or use appropriate software to make calculations.
• Skill in interpreting technical drawings, schematics, and maps.
• Ability to establish and maintain both internal and external (to the Association) relationships necessary to effectively accomplish assignments as directed by designated supervisors.
• Ability to maintain complete confidentiality of confidential information.
• Ability to logically interpret and analyze problems assigned or encountered.
• Ability to manage and meet multiple deadlines for completing projects and tasks.
• Ability to utilize proper interpersonal and communication skills as a GIS professional to train, instruct, and educate groups and individuals in a team environment.
• Ability to analyze, test, install, troubleshoot, and operate complex GIS software applications.
• Ability to prepare detailed project definitions, specifications and procedures.
• Ability to make oral and written reports and presentations and prepare clear and concise drawings, maps, graphs and charts.
• Ability to communicate clearly, courteously and professionally with diverse audiences.
• Ability to select, understand, and use relevant reference materials and as needed, generate additional source materials.
• Ability to make well-reasoned decisions governed by technical and/or project standards.
• Ability to facilitate cooperation between work groups and work functionally across all levels of the organization.
• Ability to self-motivate improvement based on successes and failures.
• Ability to analyze processes for efficiency and make recommendations for improvements.
• Embrace and embody the Association's Core Values through decisions, actions, attitude and behavior to directly contribute to the success of the organization.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS • The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position; this list is not inclusive of all the physical demands that may be required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Physical demand activity percentages:
- Major occurs 60% or more of work time.
- Moderate occurs between 20-60% of work time.
- Minor occurs less than 20% of work time.
• Physical demand requirements:
- Ability to understand, read, and carry out written instructions.
- Ability to understand, read, and verify documents electronically, verbally, or hard copy.
- Major amount of sitting, finger use of items, and seeing near.
- Moderate amount of eye-hand-coordination, communicating, hearing, depth perception and repetitive arm-hand-eye movement.
- Minor amount of standing, walking, lifting/carrying/pushing up to fifty (50) pounds, stair climbing, ladder climbing, balancing, kneeling, crouching, crawling, turning/twisting, bending at waist, handling of items, feeling/touching of items, foot-hand-eye coordination, and seeing-far.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS • The work environment conditions described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• This position works primarily in an office setting.
EMPLOYMENT STATUS • This position is classified as an exempt, non-represented position; and therefore, is not eligible for overtime compensation. All Association employees are expected to work widely varying amounts of time outside the normal shifts to assist in power restoration or other needs of the Association.
Benefits Include - 401(k) matching 2%
- Medical, Dental, Vision insurance
- Life insurance 100% paid by MEA
- Long Term Disability 100% paid by MEA
- Employee assistance program
- Paid time off starts at 3.385 hrs/wk
- 11.5 paid holidays per year.
- Retirement Defined Benefit plan/Pension
