Program Assistant, GEP (Delivery scale-up)

Position: Program Assistant, GEP (Delivery scale-up)

Program: Girls’ Education Program

Base Location: Rajasthan

Organization Profile

Room to Read is a global organization transforming the lives of millions of children in low-income communities by focusing on literacy and gender equality in education. Founded in 2000 on the belief that World Change Starts with Educated Children®, our innovative model focuses on deep, systemic transformation within schools during two time periods that are most critical in a child’s schooling: early primary school for literacy acquisition and secondary school for girls’ education. We work in collaboration with local communities, partner organizations, and governments to develop literacy skills and a habit of reading among primary school children and ensure girls can complete secondary school with the skills necessary to negotiate key life decisions.

By focusing on the quality of education provided within the communities and ensuring these outcomes are measured, we have created a model that can be replicated, localized, and sustained by governments. With its global headquarters in San Francisco, Room to Read till date has benefited 32 million children across 21 low-income countries.

Room to Read India was established in 2003 and presently has programs in ten states – Chhattisgarh, Delhi NCR, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Telangana, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh.

Position Overview

The Program Assistant, GEP (Technical Assistance) will oversee the project implementation and lead the agenda of system strengthening at district and block level. The position will be responsible for quality implementation, coordination, development, and reporting of the variant of the Girls Education Program in various districts and would serve as the main point of contact for RPs, Block level officials and district level technical support being provided under the project through a team of other staff members of RtR to be placed at block/district or state level. The Program Assistant will spend the majority of time providing support to the TAD (Tribal Area Development) school teachers and wardens (as per the program design) and assist the Senior Program Officer in carrying out all activities of the GEP. The position will be field-based in the district of the state - Rajasthan and will involve extensive travel to the areas of work, specifically to the TAD Schools and Hostels spread across the districts of the state. The Program Assistant, TAD Delivery Scale-up, reports to the Girls’ Education Senior Program Officer.

We are seeking a highly qualified and experienced candidates to join our team for a Delivery scaleup initiative-Empowering Tribal Adolescent girls of TAD schools and hostels to challenge gender stereotypes, develop leadership and decision-making skills and value themselves to make healthy choices, prioritize education and plan for a successful future within a supportive Gender responsive eco-system.

Roles & Responsibilities:

Program Planning, Implementation, and Quality Assurance:

• Develop a thorough understanding of Room to Read’s Girls’ Education Program (GEP) design and support TAD residential schoolteachers and wardens in its implementation.
• Train teachers, wardens, and government functionaries (offline and online) on program content, gender-responsive teaching methods, and facilitate key training sessions, review meetings, and act as the lead facilitator.
• Assist TAD school teachers and wardens in scheduling and conducting gender-sensitive mentoring sessions with girls. Observe sessions, provide constructive feedback and targeted coaching, and use observation tools to foster an inclusive and equitable school ecosystem.
• Support the adoption and implementation of gender-responsive teaching methods both in and beyond the classroom. Observe teaching practices and provide constructive feedback and coaching to ensure the creation of an inclusive and equitable school environment.
• Lead the implementation of the project at district and block levels, ensuring timely, efficient, and coordinated execution in alignment with program and budget guidelines.
• Provide ongoing handholding support to Master Trainers (MTs), teachers, and wardens to ensure effective program delivery.
• Ensure that feedback is regularly shared with TAD schools and documented in writing.
• Conduct regular field-based monitoring visits, as per the approved plan, and collaborate with block and district-level officials for joint visits and supportive supervision.

Data Management, Monitoring, and Reporting:

• Make regular joint visits to project schools with key government officials from block and district levels, as per touch points, program design, and in coordination with the supervisor, for supportive supervision and monitoring as per the defined template.
• Collect and consolidate field data, including MIS data, program records, and implementation details. Provide it to the PO/PM as per agreed data flow mechanisms and enter data into Room to Read’s database.
• Analyse various data and information emanating from the field, develop programmatic correlations, and flag issues for larger discussion.
• Track the quality standards in the program and provide regular updates to the Program Officer.
• Provide technical oversight to the ARPs, teachers, and support them in coaching and communication.
• Support the administration of teacher training assessment tools and monitor the progress of teachers and wardens in line with the program goals.
• Document best practices, case studies, photos, and lessons learned, and share them with the GEP team for continuous learning and improvement.
• Submit weekly and monthly reports summarizing progress, challenges, and recommendations to the supervisor and CO, as per the standard template.
• Flag challenges, issues, and timely alerts to the GEP PO to ensure smooth and effective program implementation.
• Collect all the relevant information from the field related to program design and implementation and submit weekly and monthly reports to the supervisor and CO as per the standard template.

Liaising, Networking, and Stakeholder Engagement:

• Build and strengthen partnerships with block and district-level government officials to enhance the mainstreaming of monitoring and reporting mechanisms.
• Plan and organize meetings and trainings for government officials and teachers to share program updates and discuss upcoming plans.
• Develop linkages with like-minded organizations for referral services for girls, in consultation with the Program Officer.
• Actively participate in donor and government stakeholder visits, providing updates and insights on the Girls’ Education Program as required.
• Liaise with relevant stakeholders to increase the visibility of the GEP at the district and state levels.
• Represent Room to Read in various forums and advocate for the importance of educational interventions for adolescents, particularly gender-responsive education and adolescent centric mentoring.

Technical Support, Capacity Building, and System Strengthening:

• Stay updated regarding changing trends and new state-level policies, programs, or interventions, as announced by the government, especially those related to education and adolescent development.
• Participate in workshops on material development, training module development, and training of trainers to enhance program effectiveness.
• Provide technical oversight to RPs, district-level functionaries, teachers, and wardens during monitoring visits. Identify gaps in their capabilities and plan capacity-building activities in collaboration with the team.
• Support the State Team in organizing review meetings at the block, district, or state level to evaluate progress and identify solutions.
• Provide support to the State Team in strategic planning, advocacy, sustainability planning, and decisions regarding program expansion.
• Represent Room to Read in various forums and advocate for the importance of educational interventions for adolescents, particularly gender-responsive education and adolescent centric mentoring.

Research and Monitoring:

• Support State team and RME team in reviewing the monitoring and evaluation data of school monitoring visit and supportive supervision.
• Identify key issues around program quality and links between monitoring and evaluation and quality assurance and improvement.
• Represent Room to Read in different forums and advocate the importance of our educational work in the developing world.

Other Responsibilities:

• Provide adequate direction and support to ensure the smooth functioning of teachers and wardens.
• Participate in the annual planning and budgeting process, ensuring accurate forecasting and timely submission of expenses to the state office.
• Undertake any additional activities as required to fulfill the organization’s objectives in consultation with the State Program Officer.

Reporting Relationships:

• Reports to: Girls’ Education Program Officer / Senior Girls’ Education Program Officer.
• Other Significant Relationships: Liaison with State finance, administration, and HR teams as needed.

Qualifications:

 Required:

• Master’s degree in education/social work/development/Gender Studies or equivalent.
• Minimum 2-3 years of relevant work experience in areas of girls' education, gender, life skills and adolescent centric mentoring.
• Prior experience of living and/or working in rural and semi-urban areas.
• Previous experience working closely with schoolteachers and government.
• Demonstrate understanding of Rajasthan's educational challenges, including girls' education and gender issues, and knowledge of regional policies and guidelines governing education in the state.
• This position requires extensive travel to district/block levels.
• Good interpersonal skills and a team player.
• Proficient in MS Word and MS Excel for reporting purposes.
• Strong organizational and planning skills, including the ability to monitor program implementation progress.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously and take initiative.
• Previous experience working closely with diverse groups of people.
• Experience in facilitation and training.
• Good knowledge of Hindi and English.

Preferred:

• English fluency
• Experience in counselling techniques related to adolescent girls
• Good knowledge of the local dialect

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.

Application Procedure:

Kindly CLICK HERE  to submit the application.

Due to the high volume of applicant responses, not all applicants may receive a response from Room to Read. Room to Read is an equal opportunity employer committed to identifying and developing the skills and leadership of people from diverse backgrounds. We always encourage women to apply.

Room to Read is a child-safe organization; all personnel are expected to adhere to Room to Read’s Child Protection Policy and Child Protection Code of Conduct.

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