Associate, Literacy

World Change Starts with Educated Children®

IMPORTANT: All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the country where the position is located. Room to Read is not able to provide sponsorship.

Position Overview:

We work in collaboration with State Education Departments to bring reform by implementing large-scale system-led projects, with the goal of improving foundational learning (FLN) outcomes in students. Our team supports the State in designing and implementing an integrated program that encompasses multiple aspects of a reform process - ranging from designing effective classroom pedagogy to building salience and state capacity to deliver FLN at scale, while also strengthening governance and other critical enablers. Room to Read has partnered with the Education Department of Jharkhand on a long-term engagement for system reform and a demonstration program in selected districts.

Responsibilities:

The Program Associate will be responsible for the intervention in his / her district and will have the following specific key roles and responsibilities:

Program Understanding:

• Develop a thorough understanding of Room to Read’s Literacy program design and Project Deliverables
• S/he has good awareness of Foundational Literacy and Numeracy programs, their design and strategies operating in project region.
• Develop a strong understanding of Govt’s education policies NEP 2020, NCF, FLN, SIQE, Mission Ankur etc.

On-ground Implementation and Monitoring:

• Support the quality implementation of the project in the district and blocks, ensuring timely, efficient, and well-coordinated implementation, adhering to the program and budget guidelines.
• Complete higher frequency of regular visits to program schools, observe classroom transactions, speak to teachers and head masters and make suggestions for improving quality and utilization of these materials.
• Support District Lead collating collated from the field to further communicate the same to SO and CO for necessary changes in the pedagogy and material.
• Support in analyzing various data and information emanating from the field, develop programmatic co- relations and flag off issues for a larger discussion.
• Participate in any other activities which may be required to be undertaken to fulfil the objectives of the organization.
• Support effective utilization of program budget through proper planning and tracking of planned activities. Ensure that financial and procurement norms are adhered to, and efforts are made to reduce cost to the extent possible, without compromising on the quality.
• Track program progress on key indicators according to the M&E framework during monthly meetings and throughout the project timeline.
• Participate actively on social media in all Room to Read (RtR) campaigns.
• Stay updated and share this knowledge with the District Lead regarding new programs/interventions of the like-minded organizations in district.
• Identify operational bottlenecks and weaknesses, wherever applicable and come up with solutions for the same in consultation with District Lead.
• Support the District Lead in the execution of the Project by leading all technical tasks in the district focused on capacity building of stakeholders across all levels (District, Block, Cluster and Schools), support uptake of materials, and establish coordination with various stakeholders at the district level to sustain the impact and interventions from the program.

Government Liaison and Technical Support:

• Support District Lead in participation of technical assistance discussions at the district level.
• Attend government meetings, discussions and committees on foundational literacy as well as Numeracy and use those forums to advocate for enabling policies and government orders in support of RtR literacy program.
• Interact with key stakeholders (government departments and officials such as CDEO/ADPC/DEEO/RPs/DIET etc.) as recommended by the District Lead to ensure delivery of program objectives and explore opportunities for systemic integration.
• Conduct discussions with stakeholders at multiple levels across the districts reflecting on the insights collated via field visits, monitoring data and interactions to formulate the way forward for the month.

Participate in Meeting/Workshops at State and INCO Level:

• Participate in IDTS workshops on material development, training module development and training of trainers.
• Attend review meetings at the state/national level and provide reflective feedback on program implementation and design issues. At the same time acts as the conduit for transferring innovative ideas and practices from the national level (or from other states) on to the field.

Planning, Reporting and Documentation:

• Support District Lead for preparing regular (monthly, quarterly, and yearly basis, including program data) qualitative reports and documenting event reports, case studies and best practices.
• Support and ensure all data entry and compilation on monthly, quarterly and yearly basis, including GSD, Dashboard data, maintaining high levels of data quality.
• Develop actionable insights through analyses of data collected via monitoring visits to further inform the project implementation.
• Assist for preparing Implementation calendar, cash forecast, PRs budget outlook, AP&B and regular tracking of budget management.

Qualifications:

Required:

• Master’s degree in education / social sciences or equivalent preferred.
• Minimum 3 years of relevant experience in the education sector.
• In-depth knowledge on foundational literacy, language and reading practices and approaches.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Critical thinking and analytical skills.
• Proven track record of achieving results.
• Proven ability to work effectively with schools and communities.
• Ability to travel regularly to project sites in remote locations.

Preferred:

• Able to design google forms, sheets, sites, dashboard etc.
• Data analysis through advance excel, SPSS etc.
• Development of short videos
• Able to design workshops session plan.
• Able to lead facilitation in workshop for internal team, teachers and officers etc.
• Able to design modules, feedback forms, questionnaire, etc.

Compensation:

Room to Read offers a competitive salary with excellent benefits. Benefits include thirteenth month bonus, health insurance and a retirement plan. The non-monetary compensation includes a unique opportunity to be part of an innovative, meaningful, and rapidly growing organization that is changing transforming the lives of millions of children in developing countries on literacy and gender equality in education.

Room to Read is a child-safe organization.

Read is a child-safe organization; all personnel must adhere to Room to Read’s Child Protection Policy, Child Protection Code of Conduct and Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) Policy.

Room to Read is an equal opportunity employer committed to identifying and developing the skills and leadership of people from diverse backgrounds.

Child Protection Principles

• Room to Read is committed to the education and welfare of children and protecting them from abuse and exploitation
• Room to Read has zero tolerance for child abuse and exploitation.
• All children have the right to be free from abuse and exploitation, including neglect, maltreatment, and physical, mental or sexual violence, injury or abuse.
• All children should be treated with respect and dignity.
• The well-being of the child is Room to Read’s first priority when dealing with all identified or suspected cases of child abuse.
• Room to Read shall integrate child protection into all its organizational strategies, structures and work practices.

Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) Principles

• Room to Read Representatives must create and maintain an environment that prevents sexual exploitation and sexual abuse.
• Room to Read has zero tolerance for adult sexual exploitation and abuse.
• Sexual exploitation and abuse are serious violations of fundamental human rights and will not be accepted or tolerated.
• All adults should be treated with respect and dignity.
• Room to Read implements a survivor-centered approach, putting the survivor’s rights and dignity at the forefront.
• Survivors referred to available professional assistance (e.g. mental health counselling), upon consent.

About Room to Read:

Founded in 2000 on the belief that World Change Starts with Educated Children®, Room to Read envisions a world free from illiteracy and gender inequality, where all children have room to read, learn and grow - creating lasting change. Through our Literacy Portfolio, we train and coach teachers of the early grades in literacy instruction; create and publish quality books and curricular materials in local languages; and establish children’s libraries filled with diverse children’s books that can be enjoyed at school and home. Our Gender Equality Portfolio supports adolescents, particularly girls, in developing life skills that promote gender equality, helping them to pursue lifelong learning and make informed decisions.

We support young people of all genders to overcome gender biases and build the knowledge and skills to create a gender-equal world. Room to Read collaborates with local communities, partner organizations, publishers, and governments to test and implement innovative models that can be integrated into the education system to deliver positive outcomes for children at scale. To date, Room to Read has benefited more than 50 million children in 28 countries.

Learn more at www.roomtoread.org.