Officer, GEP

Job Description

The Program Officer at the Country office will be responsible for supporting the India Country Office in achieving the Country goals set out for the Gender Equality Portfolio (GEP) in direct implementation sites as well as scale-up sites. This is a key position housed in the national office, responsible to provide technical support to the direct implementation program as well as programs being implemented in partnership with the government in 8 states of India. The role requires expertise in gender, life skills, and a thorough understanding of girls education issues in India and an ability to enhance both kinds of programming simultaneously. Preference will be given to candidates with knowledge and experience working in the climate domain and gender. The position will require the incumbent to understand the varied state contexts with an expectation of devoting 40% of their time to field travel and working with the state program team and leadership. The position is responsible for ensuring robust implementation and support in realizing the state lead's vision for the program. The position will also require regular interaction with key stakeholders like state teams, government, field staff, and colleagues in different offices.

Program Implementation Support:

- Lead in ensuring that the program(s) (depending on the allocated state) are being implemented on agreed benchmarks and stay on top of implementation of the allocated states by working with relevant stakeholders.
- Work closely with Program Operations team and the State Team in identifying bottlenecks of implementation and resolving them.
- Take initiative in identifying and resolving quality issues in the program while working together with country office colleagues and other stakeholders as required.
- Ensure that relevant data (reports/dashboards) are analyzed timely, and the feedback loop is closed by using it in the program.
- Regularly undertake and document the monthly check-in calls conducted with the relevant stakeholder(s).
- Ensure that Standard Operating Protocols (SOPs) are being followed and stay abreast of the challenges faced by the state teams.
- Take corrective measures and propose relevant changes/process improvements (if any) that might be required to fine-tune the existing SOPs for better implementation.

Leading Quality Discourse:

- Develop and contextualize content for life skills program materials for different program models, working collectively with the GEP INCO team in content development of different GEP products (both text-based and digital training manuals).
- Support the Senior Program Manager to develop standards and checklists for defining them.
- Develop quality parameters for the programs and share and take feedback from the team at the state level.
- Play a leading role in ensuring all teammates (across the country) are on the same page for delivering a quality program whether in the direct model or in partnership.
- Support Research/Baseline studies as well as Action Researches as required and interface with external and internal stakeholders as needed.
- Participate in Special Task forces as required.
- Support Capacity Building efforts of States on specific themes.
- Develop presentations, program notes, status updates, etc., to be shared during internal meetings and meetings with government officials; support donor reporting and advocacy with the government to institutionalize life skill sessions in schools.
- Participate in events, workshops, and seminars on girls education. Develop a network of well-wishers and supporters.

Liaison with Other Departments to Strengthen the Program (Both Models):

- Liaise with other departments like administration for follow-up on requisitions for workshops, logistics, and other services required (e.g., translations).
- Liaise closely with Operations on tracking spending and initiating corrective measures for budget utilization. Lead the budget exercise for GEP, contributing to making budgets, reviewing state budgets, etc., and track implementation.
- Work closely with RME (Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation) on using existing monitoring mechanisms and data points to enhance program quality and delivery. Design new monitoring tools as needed.
- Work closely with HR if any support is required, such as being part of the interview panel or revising role expectations.
- Complete any other tasks assigned by the supervisor.

Qualifications:

Required:

- Master's degree in education, social work, development studies, gender, or social sciences.
- Experience of working in the areas of secondary education, girls education, gender, and school development.
- Experience in developing training modules, conducting trainings, and managing events.
- Experience working with the government, teacher training, and reviewing government programs.
- Ability to travel frequently and spend time in the field.
- Good verbal and written communication skills in English and Hindi.
- At least 6 years of relevant experience in working with an NGO/INGO.

Preferred:

- Prior experience living and/or working in rural areas.
- Prior experience working with schools, teachers, and government officials.

Compensation:

Room to Read offers a competitive salary with excellent benefits. Benefits include a 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 transforming the lives of millions of children in developing countries in literacy and gender equality in education.

Room to Read is a child-safe organization.

Location(s):

India - Main - New Delhi

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.

About Room to Read:

Founded in 2000 on the belief that World Change Starts with Educated Children, Room to Read is creating a world free from illiteracy and gender inequality through education. We are achieving this goal by helping children in historically low-income communities develop literacy skills and a habit of reading, and by supporting girls as they build life skills to succeed in school and negotiate key life decisions.

We collaborate with governments and other partner organizations to deliver positive outcomes for children at scale. Room to Read has benefited more than 45 million children and has worked in 24 countries and in more than 213,000 communities, providing additional support through remote solutions that facilitate learning beyond the classroom.

Learn more at www.roomtoread.org.

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