Program Associate, Literacy Field

Position Overview:
The Program Associate (s) will work closely with the Program Officer in engaging with the respective block and district education department of Rajasthan for delivering Foundational Literacy initiative. S/he will support the Program Officer in design of the program, execution, coordination with various stakeholders (Blocks/District level government and non-profit partners) and delivering on a roadmap for building government capacity to sustain the impact and interventions from the program. Program associate will lead a team of 7-10 program coordinators and report to the Program Officer.

Roles & Responsibilities:
The Program Associate will be responsible for the intervention in his / her district/block (s) and will have the following specific key roles and responsibilities:
Program Understanding:
- Have an excellent understanding of Room to Read’s Literacy program design and the ability to defend the program in various forums- S/he has good awareness of literacy programs, their design and strategies operating in project region.- Oversee the quality of program implementation and adherence to program guidelines for blocks and district under his/her jurisdiction.- Develop a strong understanding of Govt’s education policies NEP 2020, NCF, FLN, SIQE etc.

Support program strategy and approach:
- Support to Program Officer on designing program strategy and creating an action plan with specific inputs from the block (s)and district.- Co-develop actionable implementation plan for the district with clear timeline, budget targets, M&E framework, along with the Program Officer- Support Program Officer in adapting program strategy based on on-ground learnings from blocks and district level.- Support to program coordinators for smooth program planning for implementation.

On-ground implementation and monitoring
_:_- Play the leading role in a team of 7-10 program coordinators in ensuring Project achieves the objectives in the respective assign block (s) and district.- Interact with key stakeholders (government departments and officials such as CBEO/CDEO/ADPC/DEEO/RPs/DIET etc.) on a day-to-day basis to ensure delivery on program objectives.- Create ownership for the program among block and district officials.- Develop strong working relationships with government officials at block and district level.- Ensure program is delivered as per the plan and within the budget and timeline targets.- Identify operational bottlenecks and weaknesses, wherever applicable and come up with solutions for the same in consultation with Program Officer.- Track program progress on key indicators according to the M&E framework during monthly meetings and throughout the project timeline.- Conduct regular field visits and joint visits with Govt officials in the block and district level.- Co-ordinate all district level activities (trainings, review meetings) related to Project- Develop community engagement plans for the block and district level.- Provide operational oversight to the program Coordinators and support them in communication with schools. Identify gaps in the operational capabilities and plan for their capacity building in discussion with the Program Officer.

Planning, Reporting and Documentation:
- Support to preparing regular (monthly, quarterly and yearly basis, including program data) qualitative reports and documenting case studies and best practices.- Support to high stake donor reporting, developing their annual work plan and its implementation.- Support to prepare implementation calendar for literacy program and development of program tracking system for timely and quality implementation of activities.- Support the Program Officer in strategic planning and advocacy, technical assistance, quality assurance, sustainability planning and future expansion decisions.- Participate in any other activities which may be required to be undertaken to fulfil the objectives of the program/organization.

Qualifications:
Required:
- Bachelor’s degree in education/equivalent is required- Work experience of minimum 3-5 years in development sector- Experience with on-ground program implementation in a team lead role is crucial- Experiences working with government and in education sector is required- Fluency in Hindi is required and basic communication in English is preferred.- Desired skills include problem-solving and analytical skills, written and oral communication skills, interpersonal skills and networking skills, and ability to work on tight deadlines.

Location(s)

India - Rajasthan

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

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