GIS Architect

Job Title: GIS Architect     

Department: Data 

Reports to: Deputy Executive Director of Data  

Effective Date: March 2026 

Job Summary:  
The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) is seeking a GIS Architect to design and build CMAP’s geographic information systems platform, data pipelines, and analytical frameworks.

This is an exciting time for CMAP! The GIS Architect will join our data team, and work under the leadership of CMAP’s first Deputy of Data (Chief Data Officer). This position will work at the intersection of technology and planning practices, working at the system level, ensuring the daily operations of the users meet the needs of the agency. This GIS architect will be responsible for developing and executing a long-term strategy of how GIS can deliver adoptable, substantiable solutions across the agency. This position will be involved with defining the procedure and standards of GIS-based solutions as well as responsible for administering CMAP’s GIS systems and related IT resources to ensure the efficient and secure delivery of the organization’s geospatial solution. The ability to actively engage stakeholders and clearly communicate technical systems will be central to the success of this role.

CMAP is looking for a spatial technology leader with,

•A strong business background, bachelor’s degree in geography, urban planning, computer science, information systems or related field

•A minimum of 6 years professional experience, master’s degree preferred

•Demonstrated experience presenting technical analysis to non-technical audiences including senior leadership

•GISP certification preferred.

Organizational Stewardship:  
• Fosters communication between planning and policy stakeholders with geographic questions 
and the technical systems capable of answering them. 
• Builds organizational awareness of spatial thinking as a core planning competency. 

Communications/People:  
• Creates documentation and architectural diagrams that communicate system design to both 
technical and non-technical audiences.  
• Assess the spatial analysis needs of CMAP staff and external partners and translates them into 
technical requirements 
• Presents spatial analysis findings to non-technical audiences including elected officials, 
community stakeholders, and agency leadership in compelling formats.  
• Collaborates to embed spatial joins, geocoding, and geographic aggregations into Python/R data 
pipelines and analytical workflows. 
• Designs and delivers training for staff with various levels of GIS familiarity including basic map 
reading to intermediate spatial analysis. 
• Develops self-service spatial tools and templates that empower staff to answer common 
geographic questions independently. 

Execution/Project Management:  
• Assesses CMAP’s current GIS state and develops a phased capability roadmap from foundational 
mapping through advanced spatial analytics.  
• Implements data standards, metadata protocols, and spatial data governance frameworks to 
ensure long-term data quality and interoperability. 
• Identifies opportunities to apply emerging spatial analytics approaches including network 
analytics, suitability modeling, and scenario development to CMAP’s priority areas.  
• Maintains technical documentation, user guides, and onboarding materials for all GIS systems 
and datasets.  
• Manages vendor relationships, software licensing, and procurement processes for GIS-related 
technology investments. 
• Monitors budget and resource implications of proposed platform expansions, providing cost
benefit analysis to inform leadership decisions.  

Subject Matter Expertise/Technical Skills:  
• Designs and develops CMAP’s enterprise spatial data infrastructure, ensuring scalability, 
integration with existing data science tooling, and alignment with agency-wide data governance 
policies. 
• Evaluates, recommends, and implements GIS platform technologies (ArcGIS, etc.) that integrates 
with CMAP’s existing data science environment. 
• Develops a data architecture that connects spatial datasets internally and externally with 
partner agencies, and public data sources. 
• Designs Application Programming Interface (APIs) and data pipelines that allow non-GIS tools 
and staff to consume spatial data without manual GIS workflows. 
• Develops user personas and use-case frameworks to prioritize GIS platform features based on 
actual planning workflows. 
• Develops open data, dashboards, story maps, and interactive spatial applications that make 
geographic data accessible to staff and the public without GIS expertise. 
• Develops reusable spatial analysis modules and notebooks that allow non-GIS data scientists to 
incorporate geographic dimensions into their work. 
• Builds and maintains spatial datasets and analytical layers supporting transportation modeling, 
land use analysis, demographic research, and environmental assessments 
• Evaluates emerging technologies including AI-assisted spatial analysis and conversational GIS 
interfaces and advises leadership on appropriate adoption timelines.  

Required Skills/Abilities:  
• Ability to use clear communication to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing. 
• Ability to work collaboratively with internal and external partners, agencies, and communities 
and maintain effective harmonious relationships.  
• Ability to work effectively in a hybrid environment promoting resourcefulness and efficient 
practices. 
• Knowledge of computer systems and application tools, including Microsoft Office products. 
• Ability to efficiently manage work, projects, and multiple responsibilities to meet deadlines and 
agency expectations. 
• Demonstrated experience presenting technical analysis to non-technical audiences  
• Proficient with enterprise GIS platforms including Esri, ArcGIS Enterprise and spatial data 
management. 

Education and Experience:  
• Bachelor’s degree in geography, urban planning, computer science, information systems or 
related field, 6 years professional experience, master’s degree preferred. 
• GISP certification preferred. 

Physical Requirements:  
• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.