Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Manager

State of Oklahoma • Oklahoma City, OK

1d • $77,798 - $93,357 • Onsite

About The Position

The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM) is seeking a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Manager to provide support to its Resilience Division area. This position is located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and is a regular, full-time position governed by the Oklahoma Civil Service system. The GIS Manager is responsible for planning, managing, organizing, and supervising the agency’s GIS program, as well as developing and sustaining enterprise geospatial capabilities that support statewide resilience, disaster operations, and data-driven decision making. This role ensures that geospatial technologies, data, and resources are effectively deployed to support agency operations, including emergency preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation. The position provides leadership over GIS staff and functions, integrates GIS capabilities across the agency, and serves as the subject matter expert on spatial technologies while supporting statewide data sharing and coordination efforts.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in geographic information systems (GIS), geography, geology, cartography, archaeology, anthropology, natural resources, computer science, engineering, environmental science or a closely related field and three years of professional level experience in GIS systems work; or an equivalent combination of education and experience, substituting one year of technical experience in GIS work for each year of the required education; or a master’s degree in geographic information systems (GIS), geography, geology, cartography, archaeology, anthropology, natural resources, computer science, engineering, environmental science and two years of professional level experience in GIS work.
• Knowledge of Geographic Information Systems and their application in state government.
• Knowledge of current trends and emerging technologies in GIS.
• Knowledge of GIS software platforms and capabilities (e.g., Esri ArcGIS).
• Knowledge of project management principles and practices.
• Knowledge of leadership principles and practices.
• Skills in managing enterprise GIS environments and geospatial workflows.
• Skills in supervising and developing technical personnel.
• Skills in project planning and coordination.
• Skills in communicating technical information to diverse audiences.
• Skills in analyzing spatial and operational data to support decision-making.
• Ability to direct, train, and evaluate personnel.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and competing priorities.
• Ability to analyze complex technical and operational challenges.
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.
• Ability to develop and implement training programs.
• Must complete and maintain required emergency management training and certifications applicable to agency operations.
• Ability to obtain and maintain any required state or federal emergency management training and certifications (e.g., NIMS/ICS).
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment requiring rapid decision-making and prioritization.
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent projects and operational demands with minimal supervision.
• Ability to communicate complex technical information to non-technical audiences, including executive leadership.
• Must be able to maintain effective working relationships across a wide range of stakeholders, including government officials, partner agencies, and the public.

Nice To Haves

• Advanced coursework or graduate-level education in Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
• Advanced GIS-related certifications such as: Geographic Information Systems Professional (GISP), Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM).
• Experience administering or supporting enterprise-level Esri ArcGIS environments, including ArcGIS Enterprise/Portal and ArcGIS Online (AGOL).
• Experience deploying operational GIS applications such as Field Maps, Survey123, and Dashboards to support situational awareness and field operations.
• Experience supervising technical staff or coordinating hybrid GIS/technology support functions in an emergency management, public safety, resilience, or project development environment.
• Experience with relational database management systems (RDBMS), including SQL Server or PostgreSQL.
• Experience automating GIS workflows using Python scripting tools such as ArcPy or API-based integrations.
• Experience supporting FEMA mitigation, recovery, or resilience initiatives, including GIS analysis, hazard modeling, or Benefit-Cost Analysis support.
• Experience with FEMA’s HAZUS loss estimation software, cloud-hosted geospatial environments, or business intelligence and reporting platforms such as Dataminer, Tableau, or Power BI.
• Experience working within or supporting state government, emergency management, public safety, or other high-reliability organizations.

Responsibilities

• Direct and coordinate agency-wide GIS functions and integrate geospatial technology into organizational operations.
• Plan, coordinate, and oversee GIS projects and program activities.
• Integrate GIS capabilities across divisions to support operational needs.
• Advise leadership on GIS program direction, priorities, and resource needs.
• Ensure GIS readiness to support emergency operations, including SEOC activations.
• Develop and maintain long-term GIS program goals, priorities, and implementation roadmaps aligned with agency resilience objectives.
• Manage multiple GIS projects and ensure timely execution of deliverables.
• Direct GIS project timelines, deliverables, and resource allocation.
• Monitor progress toward deadlines and provide regular status updates to leadership.
• Perform or oversee administrative and fiscal functions related to GIS initiatives.
• Ensure continuity of GIS operations during high-demand periods.
• Collaborate with the Mitigation and Recovery sections to provide geospatial modeling and Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA) mapping support for federal grant applications.
• Supervise the integration of GIS data into agency logistics and resource-tracking platforms to support real-time situational awareness during SEOC activations.
• Provide direct supervision to GIS staff and ensure effective team performance.
• Supervise GIS specialists, technical personnel, and/or support staff assigned to GIS operations.
• Establish workload priorities and operational expectations to ensure timely delivery of GIS and technical support services.
• Assign work, evaluate performance, and provide coaching and professional development.
• Develop and implement training programs to enhance staff capability.
• Build a high-performing team capable of supporting statewide GIS operations.
• Responsible for the professional development and performance management of a multi-disciplinary team.
• Align individual workflows with agency-wide resilience projects and ensure technical cross-training.
• Create, adopt, and modify GIS standards and procedures.
• Recommend policies and process improvements to increase program effectiveness.
• Ensure consistency, accuracy, and usability of spatial data.
• Support compliance with statewide data-sharing expectations.
• Oversee the architecture and maintenance of the agency’s Enterprise GIS environment.
• Establish governance practices for spatial data management, security, access, and lifecycle maintenance.
• Serve as the agency’s subject matter expert on GIS and spatial technology.
• Provide consultation and technical assistance to agency staff, partners, and the public.
• Translate complex geospatial information into actionable insights.
• Represent the agency on committees, work groups, and interagency initiatives.
• Contribute spatial data to statewide clearinghouses and data-sharing initiatives.
• Identify and pursue funding sources and GIS development opportunities.
• Evaluate and recommend new data sources and technologies.
• Continuously improve GIS capabilities to enhance agency services and operations.
• Integrate multi-source operational intelligence into BI tools to visualize geospatial trends and refine executive-level resilience reporting.
• Provide critical geospatial support to emergency management operations, ensuring accurate, timely, and actionable spatial intelligence during incidents and activations.
• Support State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) activations by developing and delivering real-time GIS products.
• Coordinate with internal divisions and external partners to collect, validate, and disseminate geospatial data during incidents.
• Establish and maintain GIS operational readiness, including pre-developed datasets, templates, and response workflows.
• Prioritize and manage competing GIS requests during high-tempo operations.
• Ensure continuity of GIS services during emergencies, including extended hours and rapid deployment of resources as needed.

Benefits

• Competitive state retirement benefits with employer matching
• 11 paid holidays each year
• A generous benefit allowance to offset the cost of health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance premiums for employees and their eligible dependents
• Opportunities for professional growth and cross-agency collaboration

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager