Officer, Instructional Design and Technical Support

World Change Starts with Educated Children 2025 is our 25th Anniversary Join Us in Celebrating 25 Years of Progress.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:

This role entrusted with leading and contributing to the core area of the instruction design of Foundational Literacy at Room to Read. This position will be based at the Country Office in New Delhi and report directly to the Manager of Instruction Design and Technical Support (IDTS). It will require frequent travel to field offices and regular interaction with education officials, partners, school administrators, teachers, and students.

About Instruction Design and Technical Support Team (IDTS): the team enables Room to Read's state units to enhance program implementation by improving the adoption of structured pedagogy resources, teacher and team professional development, and evidence-informed assessment in instruction. The team is in charge of content creation amidst a lot of academic rigor and field experiences. This team supports other teams by providing technical inputs at various levels including internal and external stakeholders.  

Responsibilities:Program Design & Development:

• Develop a thorough understanding of Room to Read's Literacy program design.

• Lead the preparation of conceptual notes, learning frameworks, operation guidance notes, and related toolkits in alignment with project requirements

• Material creation for custom projects, which are aligned with the state and the projects.

• Develop training plans, growth frameworks, training content, trainer manuals, and participant handbooks for both online and offline training programs.

• Define core areas of school support and monitoring for Library Coaches and Literacy Facilitators.

• Develop/refine the Facilitator Guides of professional development.

Technical Support & Capacity Building:

• Provide technical support and assistance to state Program Officers/Associates and field-level monitoring staff regarding all aspects of the Literacy program.

• Contribute to designing capacity-building plans and resources for internal staff and external stakeholders; engage in both online/offline training. Contribute to pedagogical approach, material creation or co-creation.

Research & Analysis:

• Read, understand, and apply current national/international research in the field to upgrade the instruction design continuously.

• Determine topics for action research and further reflection, both at the local/field level as well as at the country level along with the RME (Research monitoring and Evaluation) team.

• Review and revise program designs, materials, and training content accordingly.

Communication & Collaboration:

• Regularly communicate with Operations/RME (Research monitoring and Evaluation)/Administration/Finance/HR teams at the CO (Country Office) and State levels for smooth program implementation.

• Participate actively on social media in all RtR's campaigns.

• Engage in discussions with state teams regarding future opportunities and new programs/interventions by like-minded organizations.

• Coordinate with consultants to provide necessary feedback for creating quality content for children and teacher professional development.

Field Engagement & Implementation:

• Visit state programs and provide necessary feedback to improve on-the-ground implementation.

• Explore and ideate the creation of new content, including edtech resources.

• Facilitate the translation of all training content, manuals, and handbooks into local languages.

• Negotiate plans for sustaining program interventions in phase-out states with the respective state governments.

Reporting & Documentation:

• Contribute to the preparation of various reports, budget reviews, forecasts, and documentation of good practices.

• Keep track of progress toward agreed outcomes.

Other Duties:

• Undertake any other work assigned from time to time to meet the technical needs of the organization.

Qualifications:Required: 

• Graduate Degree in education / social sciences or equivalent.

• Master's degree in education / social sciences or equivalent preferred.

• Minimum 5 years of relevant experience.

• Prior experience working in the area of Early Grade Literacy.

• Prior experience teaching children in foundational/early years.

• Awareness of language and reading practices and approaches.

• Strong oral and written communication skills in English and Hindi.

• Excellent project execution skills include the ability to break down tasks, adhere to timelines, balance multiple priorities at a time, and hold oneself and others accountable to deliverables.

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 changing and 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.

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.

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

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

---