Position title: Program Officer, Girls Education Program

Location: Qutub Institutional Area, New Delhi

Organization Profile:

Room to Read India was established in 2003 and presently has programs in 10 states –Chhattisgarh, Delhi NCR, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Telangana, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh.

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. Room to Read has globally distributed offices and staff and has so far benefited more than 39 million children across 23 countries.

Position Overview:

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 sights. This is a key position housed in the national office, responsible to provide technical support to the direct implementation program as well as program being implemented in partnership with the government in (put together) 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 programing at the same time. A person with knowledge and understanding and experience of working in the climate domain and gender will be given preference. The position will require the incumbent to understand the varied state contexts with an expectation of devoting 40% time to field travel and working with the state program team as well as the state leadership team. The position is responsible for ensuring robust implementation and support in realizing state lead 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:

• Leads in ensuring that the program(s) (depending upon the allocated state) are being implemented on agreed benchmarks and stays on top of implementation of the allocated states by working with relevant stakeholders.
• Works closely with Program Operations team and the State Team in identifying bottlenecks of implementation and resolving it.
• Takes initiative in identifying and resolving quality issues in the program while working together with the country office colleagues and other stakeholders as required.
• Ensures that relevant data (reports/ dashboards) are analyzed timely, and the feedback loop is closed by using it in the program.
• Regularly undertakes and documents the monthly check in calls conducted with the relevant stakeholder(s).
• Ensures that Standard Operating Protocols (SOPs) are being followed, keep abreast of the     ground zero challenges being faced by the state teams.
• Takes corrective measures and proposes relevant changes/process improvement(s) (if any) that might be required to fine-tune the existing SOPs for better implementation of the tasks.

Leading quality discourse:

• Develop and contextualize content for life skills program materials for different program models. Collectively working GEP INCO team in content development of different GEP products both text based and digital other training manuals.
• Supports the Senior Program Manager to develop standards and checklists for defining them.
• Develop quality parameters of the programs and shares and takes on board for further discussion and follow up with team at State level.     
• Play a leading role in getting all the teammates (across the country) on a common page for delivering a quality program – whether in direct model or in partnership.
• Supports Research/Baseline studies as well as Action Researches as required and interfaces with external and internal stakeholders, as and when required.
• Participates in Special Task forces as and when required.
• Supports Capacity Building efforts of States on specific themes.
• Developing Presentations, Program Notes, status update etc. to be shared during the internal meetings and meetings with the government officials; rendering support in donor reporting and the state team in advocating with the govt. to institutionalize the life skill sessions in the school
• Participate in events, workshops and seminars on girl’s education. Develop a network of well-wishers and supporters.

Liaison with other departments to strengthen the program (both models):

• Liaison with other departments like administration for follow-up on Requisitions for workshops, Logistics, other services required like translations etc.
• Liaise closely with Operations on tracking spending and initiating corrective measures for budget utilization, lead the budget exercise for GEP – contribute in making budgets, reviewing state budgets etc. (depending on the role assigned by the National Program Coordinator and to track implementation.
• Works closely with RM&E on using the existing monitoring mechanisms and data points for enhancing program quality and exactness of delivery, as well as designing new ones as need be.
• Works closely with HR if any support is required being a part of the interview panel or revising role expectation etc.
• Any other task assigned by 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, school development.
• Experience in developing training modules, conducting trainings and managing events.
• Experience or working with the government, teacher training, 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 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 changing 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; all personnel are expected to adhere to Room to Read’s Child Protection Policy and Child Protection Code of Conduct.

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.

 

Tags Jobs in Delhi Jobs in New Delhi Jobs in NonProfit Jobs in Education Jobs in Program Management