Urgent Search: Program Officer, IDTS

Job Description

World Change Starts with Educated Children

Position Overview:

The Officer, IDTS will anchor and support all literacy inputs. S/he will be based at Jharkhand and will report directly to SPMU lead and have dotted reporting to Country office Manager, IDTS. One Program Associate (IDTS) will report to him/her. This position will involve frequent travel to field as well as regular interaction with education officials, partners and external experts.

Roles & Responsibilities:

Lead and Design state level Curriculum, FLN approach, Literacy Materials and TLM:

- Facilitate in formulating curricular position paper and vision document for state around FLN, contributing to SCF.
- Provide guidance to state FLN PMUs in reviewing and finalizing Learning outcome framework, curricular frameworks on Literacy as per NIPUN guidelines through a consultative process with SCERT.
- Provide technical support to state FLN PMUs in designing curricular materials inclusive textbooks, school readiness materials, learning gap addressing materials, in-service teacher training plan.
- Support PMU and state level institutions in development of FLN tool kits with a focus around Foundational literacy.
- Guide in designing curricular materials and TLMs around Literacy for early grades.
- Build relationships with state and district education officials, government partners, and school administrators to further the program.

Vision building and Capacity Building of State and District Resource Groups on Literacy:

- Orient state curricular group on FLN principles and approaches.
- Build capacities of SRG, DRG and core groups at different level around FLN vision and approaches.
- Provide technical guidance to FLN core group in designing and facilitating capacity building workshops on literacy at state and district level.
- Ensure a resource group is available to the state around Literacy to support all FLN related technical work in the state.
- Provide technical support in establishing a system in the state to map level of proficiency of FLN teachers on literacy.

Lead Teacher Professional Development and support in strengthening field implementation of Foundational literacy:

- Provide support in developing a roadmap for CPD of teachers on Literacy.
- Enable development of a professional development framework on Literacy for the state.
- Enable creation of professional development packages for teachers on Foundational literacy.
- Support state FLN state level core group in developing teacher development package on Foundational literacy.
- Support in developing assessment mechanism for the state in assessing efficacy of professional development and teachers proficiency around Foundational Literacy.
- Develop/refine state team capacity building on policy level, pedagogical level and teacher training facilitation skill with the Facilitator Guides.
- Regularly participate in coordination meetings with government counterparts, implementing partners, and internal teams to stay aligned on objectives, timelines, and deliverables, to ensure the project/intervention is on track in the state.
- Keep track of progress towards the agreed outcomes. Plan visits to the field to track project progress on regular basis.
- Analyse data from reading assessments, classroom monitoring data and/or library rating indicators to determine trends, if any and identify areas that need more focused attention. Review and revise program design, materials and training content accordingly.
- Work with the govt and internal stakeholders to strengthen the monthly review meeting at/state/district/block level around data-driven discussions and action plans on FLN implementation.
- Regularly participate in coordination meetings with government counterparts, implementing partners, and internal teams to stay aligned on objectives, timelines, and deliverables, to ensure the project/intervention is on track in the state
- Support in planning and participate in community mobilization events (e.g., FLN campaigns, Melas) and annual recognition ceremonies for high performing teachers/officials.

Guide and Support Technical Team at PMU level:

- Technically inform state FLN PMUs on conducting studies and formative assessment frameworks and tools around Foundational Literacy.
- Provide support to MEL team in designing FLN related studies in states with a focus on foundational learning and TPD.
- Provide technical support to PMUs in developing sustainability plan for FLN post NIPUN mission period.
- Provide technical support to state FLN PMUs in reporting the progress vis a vis Foundational Literacy as per approved work plan.
- Provide technical guidance to state FLN PMUs in developing monitoring indicators for education departments.

Qualifications:

Required:

- Master's in education / social sciences or equivalent.
- Minimum 5 years of relevant experience.
- Prior experience of working with state governments towards state reforms in literacy would be desired.
- In-depth knowledge about language and reading practices and approaches, including national and international research on the same.
- Knowledge about early grade reading assessments.
- Experience of having worked with program design and log frames will be an added advantage.
- Strong written and oral communication skills.

Room to Read is a Child safe organization.

Location(s):

India - Jharkhand

To be successful at Room to Read, you will also:

- Have passion for our mission and a strong desire to impact a dynamic nonprofit organization.
- Be a proactive and innovative thinker who achieves results and creates positive change.
- Have a very high level of personal and professional integrity and trustworthiness.
- Embrace diversity and a commitment to collaboration.
- Thrive in a fast-paced and fun environment.

---