Job Opportunity for District Lead, Literacy at Room to Read in India – Karnataka

## District Lead, Literacy Field

 

**Room to Read** is a global non-profit organization dedicated to transforming the lives of children in low-income communities through literacy and gender equality in education. Founded in 2000, Room to Read has benefited over 39 million children in 23 countries and is committed to reaching 40 million children by 2025. 

 

**Job Location:** India – Karnataka

 

**About the Role:**

 

The District Lead will oversee the implementation of Room to Read’s Literacy program and lead the agenda of system strengthening at the district and state levels. This role serves as the main point of contact for schools and local government officials, coordinating the work of other RtR staff within the district and state. The District Lead reports to the State Manager and will have Program Associates reporting to them. This position involves frequent travel to field locations and regular interaction with education officials, school administrators, teachers, and students.

 

**Responsibilities:**

 

**Program Planning, Management & Implementation:**

 

* Develop a thorough understanding of Room to Read’s Literacy program design.

* Oversee program implementation in the project location, ensuring timely, efficient, and well-coordinated execution, adhering to program and budget guidelines.

* Manage relationships with school, community, and government counterparts in the project location, addressing any issues that may arise.

* Ensure all program schools receive books, materials, and furniture at the appropriate time.

* Ensure all teacher training and capacity building activities are held as per plan and program guidelines, including obtaining necessary approvals.

* Lead trainings organized for resource persons, CRPs, and RtR field staff under the project.

* Ensure the implementation of teacher training by resource persons and act as a key facilitator for these trainings.

* Ensure effective utilization of the program budget through proper planning and tracking of planned activities.

* Adhere to financial and procurement norms, striving to reduce costs without compromising quality.

* Prepare cash advance, settlement, and reimbursement for program activities.

* Assist in preparing the annual plan of action and budget for the program.

* Support the State Manager in strategic planning and advocacy, including sustainability planning and future expansion decisions.

* Actively participate in social media for all RtR campaigns.

* Supervise and ensure the proper implementation of community engagement plans.

* Participate in any other activities required to fulfill the organization’s objectives.

 

**Technical Expertise & System Strengthening:**

 

* Stay updated on changing trends and new state-level policies, programs, or interventions in foundational literacy and reading, as announced by the government.

* Engage in discussions with the country team regarding future opportunities.

* Attend all district-level government meetings, discussions, and committees on early literacy and advocate for enabling policies and government orders in support of the RtR literacy program.

* Represent Room to Read in district and state-level forums, advocating for the importance of reading and the need for libraries for children.

* Regularly interact with government officials and ensure the systemic integration of the program for sustainability.

* Attend review meetings at the national level and provide reflective feedback on program implementation and design issues.

* Act as a conduit for transferring innovative ideas and practices from the national level (or from other states) to the field.

* Stay updated on current national/international research in the field.

* Provide technical oversight to CRP, BEO, DIET, and district-level officials, supporting them in their coaching and communication with government teachers and schools.

* Identify gaps in their capabilities and plan for their capacity building in discussion with the team.

* Participate in workshops on material development, training module development, and training of trainers.

 

**Monitoring, Supervision & Reporting:**

 

* Provide technical oversight to program associates and support them in their coaching and communication with government officials and schools.

* Identify gaps in their capabilities and plan for their capacity building in discussion with the IDTS unit.

* Analyze various data and information emanating from the field, develop programmatic correlations, and flag off issues for larger discussion.

* Ensure program schools are monitored as per guidelines and field staff perform their jobs effectively.

* Supervise and ensure all data entry and compilation on a monthly, quarterly, and yearly basis, including GSD data.

* Maintain a high level of data quality.

* Assist in preparing all programmatic and financial reports as required, including donor reports.

* Analyze various data and information emanating from the field, develop programmatic correlations, and flag off issues for larger discussion.

* Organize and lead review meetings at the field level.

* Track progress of implementation and expenditures through regular review meetings and field visits, flagging off deviations and delays at the earliest.

* Manage Program Associates, including their performance evaluation, capacity building, and coaching.

* Make regular visits to program schools alone and with key government officials from block/district/state levels, observe reading practices, Library Management, library activities, speak to teachers and headmasters, and supervise the functioning of the block-level RtR staff.

 

**Qualifications & Experience:**

 

**Required:**

 

* Bachelor’s Degree in education/social sciences or equivalent.

* Master’s degree in education/social sciences or equivalent preferred.

* Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in the education sector.

* In-depth knowledge about language and reading practices and approaches.

* Strong written and oral communication skills.

* Critical thinking and analytical skills.

* Good interpersonal skills and a team player.

* Proven track record of achieving results.

* Proven ability to work effectively with schools and communities.

* Ability to travel regularly to project sites in remote locations.

* Knowledge of Kannada.

 

**Preferred:**

 

* Prior success working closely and building relationships with diverse groups of people.

* Prior experience working in a non-profit organization focused on maintaining high-quality work and low overhead.

* Prior experience in a fast-paced, growth-oriented global or regional organization.

* 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.

* Knowledge of English and/or Hindi.

 

**Compensation:**

 

Room to Read offers competitive pay with excellent benefits. The non-monetary compensation includes a unique opportunity to be part of an innovative, meaningful, and rapidly growing organization that is 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.