GIS and Data Visualization Specialist

Oakville; Oakville; Hybrid; CAD 85,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Town of Oakville seeks a GIS and Data Visualization Specialist to lead the design, development, and governance of enterprise dashboards and spatial analytics. You will translate business questions into decision-support tools and ensure consistent visual standards across platforms.

The role emphasizes drafting requirements, testing, and collaborating across departments to advance the Enterprise Data Management Strategy and deliver trusted spatial data products.

Qualifications

• Four-year University Degree in GIS, Geomatics, CS, Data Visualization, Data Management, or related field.
• Minimum 3 years of relevant experience.
• Municipal/public sector experience is an asset.
• Advanced proficiency with Esri ArcGIS Suite (ArcGIS Pro/Online/Enterprise).
• Strong experience designing dashboards and analytics with Power BI (DAX, semantic models, enterprise patterns).
• Experience with Microsoft Fabric concepts (Lakehouses, pipelines, semantic models).
• Strong information design, data storytelling, and visualization practices across spatial and non-spatial data.
• Proficiency in SQL and data modelling; working knowledge of Python, GIS automation tools (FME) or scripting.
• Experience gathering/documenting user and system requirements; QA/UAT testing.

Responsibilities

• Designs, builds, tests, and maintains dashboards and visualizations using Power BI, ArcGIS Dashboards, and related platforms.
• Translates spatial and non-spatial data into intuitive, actionable visuals aligned with business objectives.
• Develops reusable templates and components to support enterprise consistency and decision-making.
• Ensures dashboards meet accessibility and branding standards and implements governance and QA/QC.
• Leverages Microsoft Fabric to deliver scalable analytics and reporting solutions.
• Designs, develops, and maintains GIS applications using ArcGIS Pro, Online, Enterprise; conducts advanced spatial analysis.
• Leads user requirement gathering sessions; translates requirements into specs for dashboards and GIS solutions.
• Conducts system testing, UAT, and QA/QC; coordinates fixes and usability improvements based on feedback.
• Contributes to Enterprise Data Management, data governance, and platform standards.

Skills

Power BI

Data storytelling

Communication

Project leadership

Organizational skills

Requirements gathering

UAT/QA

Multitasking

Education

Four-year University Degree in GIS/Geomatics/CS

Tools

ArcGIS Pro

ArcGIS Online

ArcGIS Enterprise

SQL

Python

FME

Microsoft Fabric

Job description

Job Details

Permanent Full Time (CUPE 1329)

Posting Status

Open to all current Town of Oakville employees and external applicants

Closing Date

September 17, 2026

This job posting is for an existing vacancy and therefore will be filled accordingly.

Reporting to the Supervisor, Spatial Solutions, the GIS and Data Visualization Specialist provides expertise and technical guidance in the planning, design, development, testing, implementation, maintenance, review, and management of enterprise geospatial solutions, dashboards, visualizations, and data products. The position translates business and service requirements into clear, accurate, user-centered decision-support tools; establishes and sustains supporting processes, policies, procedures, technologies, and visualization standards; and advances the Town’s Enterprise Data Management Strategy through consistent, trusted, and well-governed use of spatial and analytical data. Key responsibilities also include requirements gathering, system testing, quality assurance, data governance, cross-departmental integration, continuous improvement, and long-term planning aligned with enterprise technology capabilities and business needs.

Job Responsibilities

Dashboard & Visualization Design and Delivery

• Designs, builds, tests, and maintains enterprise dashboards and interactive visualizations using Power BI (including semantic models, DAX, and Fabric-enabled datasets), ArcGIS Dashboards, ArcGIS Experience Builder, and related visualization platforms.
• Translates complex spatial and non-spatial data into intuitive, accurate, and actionable visual products aligned with business objectives.
• Develops reusable dashboard templates, visualization patterns, and design components to support enterprise consistency and reuse, that reveal meaningful trends, performance drivers, service impacts, and emerging issues to support evidence-based planning and decision-making.
• Ensures dashboards adhere to corporate accessibility requirements, branding standards, and information design best practices.
• Creates executive-level, operational, and public-facing visualizations that support reporting, planning, transparency, and broader business objectives.
• Leverages Microsoft Fabric to deliver scalable, governed analytics and reporting solutions.

GIS Application Development & Advanced Spatial Analysis

• Designs, develops, enhances, and maintains GIS applications and solutions using the ESRI ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Enterprise, and web application frameworks.
• Conducts advanced spatial analysis and investigates complex spatial and non-spatial data to identify underlying issues, patterns, trends, relationships, and anomalies that inform planning, infrastructure management, service delivery, policy analysis, and operational and strategic decision-making.
• Integrates ArcGIS data with enterprise systems and analytics platforms, including Power BI and Microsoft Fabric, to enable location-based analytics, service performance reporting, and cross-system insights.
• Supports advanced use cases including 3D GIS, digital twins, and integrated spatial visualization environments, and develops innovative geospatial solutions where business requirements are evolving, data is incomplete, or traditional reporting methods are insufficient.

User Requirements Gathering & System Testing

• Leads user requirement gathering sessions to understand business questions, success criteria, and data needs.
• Translates business requirements into functional and technical specifications for dashboards and GIS solutions.
• Conducts system, user acceptance, and regression testing to ensure solutions meet functional requirements and quality standards.
• Coordinates fixes, enhancements, and usability improvements based on testing outcomes and user feedback.

Standards, QA/QC, and Data Quality

• Develops, documents, and maintains enterprise dashboard, visualization, and GIS standards, including naming conventions, layout guidelines, validation rules, and performance expectations.
• Implements and applies QA/QC processes to ensure dashboards and geospatial products are accurate, reliable, repeatable, and consistent.
• Reviews visualization and GIS deliverables for compliance with corporate standards, privacy legislation, security policies, and data governance practices.
• Contributes to Enterprise Data Management, data governance, enterprise analytics and platform standards for Power BI, Microsoft Fabric, and GIS data integration, including data certification, performance optimization, security, and privacy.
• Advisory Services, Training & Continuous Improvement
• Provides advisory support and best practice guidance to departments on the effective use of dashboards, GIS tools, and data visualizations.
• Develops and delivers training materials, job aids, and documentation to support user adoption and self-service capabilities.
• Monitors emerging trends and technologies in GIS, visualization, and analytics and recommends improvements to tools, standards, and methods.

Qualifications

• Completion of a four (4) year University Degree in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Geomatics, Computer Science, Data Visualization, Data Management, or related discipline.
• At least three (3) years of relevant experience as it relates to the job description and qualifications.
• Experience in a municipal or public sector environment is considered an asset.
• Advanced proficiency with GIS platforms, particularly the Esri ArcGIS Suite (ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Enterprise).
• Strong experience designing and delivering dashboards and analytics using Power BI, including DAX, semantic models, and enterprise visualization patterns.
• Practical experience working with Microsoft Fabric concepts (e.g., Lakehouses, pipelines, semantic models, and analytics integration) or demonstrated ability to adopt modern analytics platforms.
• Strong understanding of information design, data storytelling, and visualization best practices across spatial and non-spatial data.
• Proficiency in spatial and non-spatial data management, including SQL and data modelling concepts.
• Working knowledge of Python, GIS automation tools, FME or scripting for data preparation and analytical workflows.
• Experience gathering and documenting user and system requirements.
• Demonstrated experience conducting system testing, UAT, and QA/QC for dashboards and GIS applications.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience leading projects and/or working with project teams and all levels of staff, including management.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities.

DATED: September 3, 2026

The Town’s recruitment software includes elements of artificial intelligence to assist in the screening and short-listing of qualified candidates.

This job profile reflects the general requirements necessary to perform the principal functions of the job. This does not include all of the work requirements of the job. Applicants are required to demonstrate through their application and in the interview process that their qualifications match those specified. The minimum threshold score for the interview is 75%.

Wethank all applicants and advise that only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

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