Officer, Foundational Literacy and Numeracy

World Change Starts with Educated Children® 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: The Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) Officer provides technical leadership for Room to Read’s integrated Foundational Literacy and Numeracy program, including Literacy, Numeracy, and School Library components, for the early grades. The position oversees the quality and fidelity of program implementation, leads teacher professional development, provides technical supervision and capacity building to FLN Facilitators, and supports effective use of instructional, assessment and library resources. The FLN Officer works closely with the Field Manager to ensure effective planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting, and coordinates with government education officials and Room to Read’s RM&E, Finance, Administration and Technical teams to strengthen program quality, scale and sustainability. The FLN Officer reports to the Field Manager and provides technical supervision to FLN Facilitators. The position also supports annual planning, budgeting, implementation tracking, data analysis, reporting and field-level problem solving.

Duties and responsibilities: A. Technical Leadership and Program Quality Provide technical leadership to ensure that Literacy and Numeracy instructional approaches, implementation routines, School Library practices and quality standards are consistently understood and implemented across assigned schools. Oversee the quality, fidelity and effectiveness of FLN implementation across the assigned portfolio of schools and ensure alignment with approved program design and standards. Identify and analyze program design, implementation and quality issues and facilitate timely, solution-oriented responses in coordination with the Field Manager and Country Office Technical Team. Provide technical guidance to Facilitators, schools and teachers on effective instructional practices, coaching approaches, assessment use, teaching and learning materials, and integration of library-based reading opportunities. Provide technical inputs into the development and refinement of FLN instructional materials, teacher guides, training modules, coaching tools, assessment tools, library resources and digital content in coordination with relevant technical teams. B. Teacher Professional Development and Facilitator Capacity Building Lead the planning and delivery of technical training for teachers, Head Teachers, FLN Facilitators, government officials and other relevant stakeholders, ensuring alignment with program standards and approved plans. Lead the induction, orientation, continuous capacity building and technical coaching of FLN Facilitators to ensure they have the knowledge, skills and tools required for effective school-level coaching and implementation support. Provide ongoing technical supervision to FLN Facilitators in their school coaching, classroom observation, implementation support, data collection and engagement with Head Teachers, teachers and government stakeholders. Accompany Facilitators periodically during school visits to observe the quality of coaching and implementation support, provide feedback, model effective practices and identify capacity-building needs. Supervise and support the performance of FLN Facilitators through regular review, coaching, performance feedback and professional development, in coordination with the Field Manager. Develop and maintain a resource pool of Master Trainers and technical resource persons in foundational literacy, numeracy, instructional practices, coaching and related FLN areas. C. School Library and Reading Integration Provide technical oversight to ensure that the School Library component is effectively integrated into the broader FLN program to promote children’s reading habits, enjoyment of reading, access to quality storybooks and opportunities to read at school and at home. Guide Facilitators and schools on effective use of storytelling, read-alouds, book sharing, independent reading, library-based activities and reading-at-home practices as complementary opportunities to strengthen literacy development. Provide technical input into library-related training, tools, guidance and sustainability mechanisms and promote integration of reading culture within school and community practices. D. Implementation Supervision and Quality Assurance Ensure that FLN Facilitators effectively conduct school visits, teacher coaching, classroom observations, materials-use monitoring, library support, family/community engagement and implementation follow-up in accordance with program standards. Review and triangulate classroom observation, coaching, program fidelity, assessment, materials-use and library-use data to assess implementation quality and identify areas requiring additional support. Ensure that schools receive instructional materials, student materials, assessment resources, storybooks and other program resources in a timely manner and that their use is consistent with program design. E. Data, Evidence and Learning Analyze FLN implementation, monitoring, coaching, assessment, materials-use and library-use data generated from the field to identify trends, implementation gaps, emerging issues and opportunities for improvement. Review data submitted by FLN Facilitators for completeness, accuracy, consistency and quality, and coordinate with the RM&E team to resolve data-quality issues. Ensure timely and accurate monthly, quarterly and annual data compilation, analysis and reporting within agreed systems and timelines. Work with the Field Manager and relevant technical teams to ensure that data and evidence inform programmatic decisions, resource allocation, implementation strategies and technical support. Contribute to or lead action research, implementation research, pilots and learning activities related to FLN, as assigned. F. Government Engagement and System Strengthening Support coordination with district and Upazila-level government education officials on FLN implementation, monitoring, review, training and capacity-building activities. Represent Room to Read in relevant government meetings, technical discussions and committees related to foundational literacy, numeracy, early grade learning, school libraries and primary education. Engage government stakeholders to promote effective implementation, institutionalization, scale-up and sustainability of FLN practices within government primary schools. Support Facilitators in maintaining constructive school-level communication with government stakeholders while taking responsibility for higher-level technical coordination and issue resolution. G. Planning, Coordination and Reporting Support the Field Manager in developing the annual FLN plan of action and budget, covering professional development, school support, materials, monitoring, library activities, government engagement and other program priorities. Provide regular feedback to the Country Office Technical Team on field implementation, technical challenges, Facilitator and teacher capacity needs, design issues and emerging learning. Participate in regular meetings with the Field Manager, Facilitators and relevant technical teams to review progress and agree on priorities and follow-up actions. H. Documentation, Learning and Sustainability Ensure systematic documentation of FLN implementation, Facilitator supervision, training, coaching quality, government engagement, monitoring findings, library integration and follow-up actions. Identify, document and share best practices, innovations, implementation challenges, lessons learned and promising approaches with the Field Manager and relevant technical teams. Support development of sustainability and scale mechanisms that enable teachers, Head Teachers and government stakeholders to continue effective FLN and reading practices beyond Room to Read’s direct support. Participate in other activities required to fulfill the objectives of the organization.

Qualifications required: Required: Master’s degree in education/ project management / social science / child development or any other relevant subject

• Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in education, teacher professional development, instructional coaching, education program implementation or a related field
• Experience in supervising, coaching and developing field-based staff and preferably experience supervising Facilitators or similar field-level education personnel
• Excellent understanding of Foundational Literacy and Numeracy and early grade teaching and learning, preferably with experience in Grades 1–3
• Demonstrated experience in teacher training, facilitation, instructional coaching and program quality assurance
• Experience working with government primary schools and education officials at Upazila/district level
• Experience in program monitoring, implementation fidelity, data analysis and using data for program improvement and decision-making
• Strong understanding of classroom observation, teacher coaching and effective feedback practices
• Strong planning, coordination, budgeting, implementation tracking and reporting skills
• Strong communication, facilitation, interpersonal and relationship-building skills
• Ability to represent Room to Read effectively in meetings and discussions with government officials and other stakeholders
• Proficiency in Bangla and English, particularly for professional communication, documentation and reporting
• Good computer skills, including MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and relevant digital data-collection and reporting tools
• Willingness and ability to travel regularly to project schools, communities and government offices
• and Commitment to Room to Read’s mission, values and principles of quality, equity, sustainability and evidence-based programming

Preferred: Prior success working closely and building relationships with diverse groups of people Effectiveness in working or volunteering in a non-profit organization that is focused on maintaining high quality work and low overhead Prior experience in a fast-paced, growth-oriented global or regional organization Proven track record of achieving results Ability to juggle multiple priorities simultaneously and take initiative Prior experience living and/or working in rural areas Prior experience working with schools, teachers, administrators and government officials Experience in successful implementation of a wide range of tasks as well as developing and implementing improvements in a prior position

Compensation: We offer a competitive salary.

The benefits include: Provident Fund 13th Month Allowance Gratuity Health coverage for staff and dependents Insurances Professional Development opportunities. The most significant benefit is the opportunity to work with one of the fastest growing international organizations, which has sole focus on education & continuously innovating efficient & effective social entrepreneurship 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. Room to Read is an equal opportunity employer committed to identifying and developing the skills and leadership of people from diverse backgrounds. 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. 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 at www.roomtoread.org. 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. Thank you for considering a career with Room to Read. I was first attracted to Room to Read because of the mission to create a world free from illiteracy and gender inequality. What I have found here is the joy in working with a group of extraordinary people towards this bold goal. In my work, I aim to shape an inclusive and supportive organizational culture where everyone feels valued and respected, and where we each thrive. Our team members are our greatest asset, and I am personally committed to creating an environment that supports both personal and professional growth and empowers individuals from everywhere in the world to contribute their best. I hope you will join us in creating a better, more equal world. Cynthia Orme Chief People and Technology Officer