Program Officer, Literacy Program

JOB DESCRIPTION

Position: Program Officer, Literacy Program

Duty Location: Based in Ha Noi and frequent travel out of Hanoi to project sites: Dien Bien, Son La, Ha Nam and other provinces if assigned. 

Employment: Full time

Expected start date: ASAP

Organization Profile:

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 providing support during two of the most critical time periods in a child’s education: primary school for literacy acquisition and secondary school for life skills acquisition, particularly for girls. Our Literacy Program trains and coaches teachers, creates quality books and curricular materials and establishes libraries filled with diverse children’s books in local languages that can be enjoyed at school or home. Our Girls’ Education Program helps girls succeed in secondary school and negotiate key life decisions by supporting them as they increase their resilience, leadership, collaboration, critical thinking and decision-making skills. We do so by providing girls with positive role models, life skills classes, opportunities for mentorship and peer support, and family, school and community engagement. We also deliver remote solutions that leverage local broadcast media networks and internet-based technologies to facilitate learning beyond the classroom. Room to Read collaborates with local communities, partner organizations 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 39 million children and has worked in more than 182,000 communities and 23 countries, including Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Grenada, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Italy, Jordan, Laos, Lebanon, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Rwanda, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda, United States, Vietnam and Zambia. Room to Read plans to benefit 40 million children by 2025. Learn more at www.roomtoread.org [1].

Position Overview:

The Literacy Program Officer (LPO) will work at Ha Noi office and travel frequently to project sites and other areas where Literacy Program activities are implemented, if assigned. LPO will be part of the LP team, responsible for all aspects of Room to Read’s library program, including program establishment and development, planning, implementing, training, and monitoring of libraries. S/he will be constantly engaged in working to improve the library program, with the aim of ensuring that Room to Read libraries are effectively and fully utilized by schools and communities as a tool for increasing student motivation as well as for development of educational activities and promotion of reading. This position requires skills in project management and design, budget management, stakeholder management, training, facilitation, communication, writing, donor hosting, curriculum development, networking, accounting, and supervising. The LPO will report to the Senior Field Manager.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

Program Management, Implementation, Monitoring and Coordination

• Under supervision of the North Senior Field Manager, work to ensure successful program activity management & spending, effective implementation, and monitoring of the LP program in the North in general and in his/her in-charge provinces.
• Liaise with government officials and/or school principals, teachers, and librarians to implement Literacy Program at the selected project sites, including school surveying, assessment, selection, implementation of program activities, and monitoring.
• Prepare detailed cost estimations for each project, specifying each school’s and/or NGO partner’s cost-sharing contribution and items contributed for the challenge grant.
• Visit project sites frequently to supervise the projects; gather feedback and ensure that they deliver on their portion of the challenge grant and on all terms of agreement with Room to Read.
• Organize meetings between Government officials, principals, teachers, and librarians to review the implementation and propose recommendations for improvement or phase out the Room to Read support.
• Assist in conducting monitoring and evaluation of Room to Read libraries and follow through with recommendations for improvement; input and update Global Solutions Data (GSD).
• Write project reports to North Senior Field Manager in a timely manner and in high quality, documenting best practices and lessons learned during field work and share with other project sites, relevant local staff, the Country and Program Directors and appropriate US based Program Officers.
• In consultation with the North Senior Field Manager and Communication Manager, work to promote and advocate the Literacy Program in the in-charge provinces through local and national media engagement.
• In consultation with the North Senior Field Manager and appropriate headquarters staff, work to develop and conduct an effective Room to Read librarian training model on library management and activities, update training materials and manual accordingly, with assistance of other Program Officer(s)/Associate(s);
• Under supervision and direction of the North Senior Field Manager, work with partners to directly manage and implement the technical assistance package in provinces/ areas in charge.
• Organize activities/events to promote reading at the national/provincial and school-based level.
• Participate in any other activities/events which may be required to be undertaken to fulfill the objectives of the Organization.
• Oversee administration related issues at Hanoi office: office expense payment & billing and filing, goods, and service procurements.

Technical responsibility related to Program Management, Implementation, and Coordination

• Provide feedback to the IDTS team on the materials provided by Room to Read for use in libraries and library period to promote a habit of reading.
• Provide feedback and suggestions to the IDTS Manager on the quality of training design, materials, and delivery.
• Participate in training design, developing new training materials, technical guidelines, manuals, if applicable.
• Facilitate training sessions in national TOT training conducted by IDTS to improve the training facilitation skills, in consultation with Literacy Director and North Senior Field Manager.
• Facilitate training sessions in provincial workshops for teachers, librarians, and principals where appropriate in agreement with provincial key trainers.
• Provide technical support to provincial key trainers to ensure they are well equipped with expertise and technique to deliver the training.
• Provide technical support to Head Field Facilitators (HFFs)/Field Facilitators (FFs) through coaching during school visits and review meetings/reporting to ensure they can effectively implement the Literacy Program.

Technical responsibility related to Planning, Reporting and Documentation

• Provide information in meetings to the IDTS Manager to assist in development of materials for librarians’, teachers’ and principals’ training and support.
• Document best practices and lessons learned during field work and shares with IDTS, RME, DevCom.
• Support annual, quarterly, and monthly planning of Literacy Program activities as needed.

Meetings/Networking

• Explore opportunities for partnerships and knowledge sharing with NGOs, experts and institutions involved in teacher training and literacy initiatives.
• Establish and manage relationships with other NGO’s, government officials and local educational facilities/authorities; schedule and attend meetings with them to coordinate planning and implementation of libraries.
• Represent Room to Read at relevant meetings and occasionally assist in hosting key donor visits.
• Provide regular updates on program activities and plans at regular meetings with Room to Read Team Meetings.
• Perform other agreed tasks assigned by the North Senior Field Manager.

Qualifications:

• Vietnamese native.
• Bachelor’s degree, preferably in library science or education.
• At least 8 years of professional experience working in education or community development programs/project in NGO sector.
• Prior and rich experience in working with schools, teachers, administrators and government officials.
• Good knowledge and understanding of education issues, including teaching methodologies and community involvement in schools.
• Strong planning, budgeting, report writing skills.
• Ability to travel frequently to project sites.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills in Vietnamese and English.
• Strong mentoring/training facilitation skills.
• Strong skill in management and use of database/ information and communication technology.

Preferred:

• Extensive knowledge and experience working in education, with teachers and children.
• Good knowledge and understanding of children’s books issues, including the publishing trends in Viet Nam and the world, and children’s habit of reading.
• Direct working experience in NGOs or international development organization/project.
• Prior experience in delivering or facilitating training workshops.
• Experience in developing and/or implementing large-scale literacy initiatives.

To be successful as a member of the Room to Read team, 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.

Compensation:

Room to Read offers a competitive salary with excellent benefits. The non-monetary compensation includes a unique opportunity to be part of an innovative, meaningful, fun, and rapidly growing organization that is transforming the lives of millions of children in developing countries by focusing on literacy and gender equality in education.

Application Procedure:

• Directly submit your application preferably with a cover letter to email address [email protected] [2] with the email subject: “2024 LPO NORTH_CANDIDATE FULL NAME”
• Or please submit your application preferably with a cover letter by visiting our website www.roomtoread.org [1] (About > Careers > See current vacancies).

Due to the high applicant volume, we regret that we are not able to send personalized responses to all applicants. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Applications are accepted until the position is filled.

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

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.