Project Officer, Girls’ Education Program

Job Description

Position: Project Officer, Girls’ Education Program (Technical function)
Location: Ho Chi Minh City and other project sites
Employment: Full time, one-year project based
Starting: May 2020

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. Room to Read has benefited 16.8 million children across over 37,000 communities in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Grenada, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Rwanda, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Vietnam, and Zambia. Learn more at www.roomtoread.org.

Room to Read’s Girls’ Education Program Strategy

Room to Read’s Girls’ Education Program ensures that girls complete secondary school and have the skills to negotiate key life decisions. We collaborate with local communities, partner organizations and governments towards these goals. Our program reinforces girls’ commitment to their own education, works with girls to develop essential life skills and increases support for girls’ education among their parents, school staff, and communities. We ensure each girl gets the material and emotional support she needs to succeed in school and beyond through an enhanced approach that includes academic support, mentoring and life skills training. We set measurable goals and are committed to collecting action-oriented data to ensure our programs are run with quality and impact, while maximizing cost efficiencies.

Position Overview

The position is mainly responsible for implementing the projects between Room to Read and the two local organizations Anh Duong and Capacity Building and Support Center for Women and Children (CSWC), as well as the pilot project on School Mentoring with the Ministry of Education and Training.

This position is mapped to the Girls’ Education Program (GEP) team and is responsible to ensure the projects are implemented as planned. The incumbent will assist the GEP Senior Program Manager in providing technical support, delivering the trainings to partners and field staff, and monitoring the implementation. This position will require regular travel to the provinces where Room to Read is operating and frequent interactions with the project partners and stakeholders.

This position will be based in the country office in Ho Chi Minh City and will report directly to the GEP Senior Program Manager.

Roles & Responsibilities

Project Design, Training and Implementation

• Review modules and materials developed by partners, provide input and work with partners to revise the relevant Materials, Modules in accordance with the project objectives.
• Involve actively in the process of revising and designing training materials, modules which will be delivered to the partners and target groups.
• Work with consultants for translation of the learning materials and activities (tools, handout…) as needed
• Work with the GEP Senior Program Manager to design the training plan for local partners and teachers as well as beneficiaries based on the modules and materials designed and approved by both parties, partners and Room to Read;
• For the pilot project with the Ministry of Education and Training: work in collaboration with field staff (Field Manager and GEP staff) to provide technical support for the school mentoring models, ensuring that they have adequate capacity to do the work as required.
• Follow -up on the partners’ commitment in the implementation of the projects.
• Assist the Senior Program Manager in developing staff and partners’ understanding of the project designs, and translate them into field practices
• Ensure the quality of the project trainings. This includes designing and conducting trainings, coaching and capacity building for partners and related teachers, educators.
• Provide technical assistance to the team and shares knowledge, experience and skills for developing manuals, training modules and documenting best practices.

Management & Coordination; Planning, Monitoring, Reporting & Documentation

• Manage and coordinate the implementation of the 2 projects with Anh Duong and CSWC..
• Closely coordinate, set up working plan with the two local partners, monitoring the deliverables in the field, provide coaching and feedback to partners and teachers, educators to improve the quality of the project activities.
• Regularly visit the project sites for technical supporting and monitoring the activities.
• For the pilot project on School Mentoring: work with Field Manager and field staff to ensure quality and effectiveness in project implementation;
• Periodically collect and document the project-related data, information, photographs, best practices and case studies.
• Track the project progress towards the expected projects’ outcomes; implement the necessary risk management and improvement interventions as needed.
• Provide recommendations on improving the projects ’s impact with particular focus on maximizing quality.
• Periodically provide reports (both financial and narrative) to manager as the projects are implemented, as well as after the field visit.

External Coordination & Networking

• Represent Room to Read by attending and speaking at relevant forums and advocate for the importance of GEP work.
• Liaise with other NGOs that run similar programs to identify areas for knowledge sharing and possible collaboration.

Others

• Participate in regular trainings and meetings with Room to Read staff.
• Participate in regular review meetings and any other activities that may be required to be undertaken to fulfill the objectives of the organization.
• Work in collaboration with staff in GEP and other Departments
• Perform other duties as assigned by the direct supervisor.

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor’s or higher degree in related fields (i.e. Education development, Psychology, Sociology, or related field)
• A minimum of five years of professional experience in related fields, especially in community development.
• Strong knowledge and skills in organizing, facilitation and training, preferable in life skills\ education, mentoring and child rights
• Experience in staff supervision, mentoring and coaching.
• Ability to travel frequently and work with children and others in disadvantaged groups
• Advanced computer skills: MS. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Internet search for materials and Outlook.

Preferred

• Good verbal and written communication skills in English and Vietnamese
• Efficient problem-solving skills.
• Prior experience working with schools, teachers, administrators and government officials
• Good knowledge and understanding of education issues including teaching methodologies, community empowerment and development
• Prior experience living and/or working in rural areas
• Enjoy working with community and helping people.
• Open attitude, capable to work under high pressure and build a good teamwork
• High commitment and a trustworthy person

To be successful as a member of the Room to Read team, you will also:

• Have a passion for our mission and a strong desire to impact a dynamic non-profit organization
• Be an innovative and creative thinker - you are not afraid to try something new and inspire others to do so
• Have a very high level of personal and professional integrity and trustworthiness
• Have a strong work ethic and require minimal direction
• Work well independently as well as part of a team
• Thrive in a fast-paced and fun environment

Application Procedure:

• Please submit your application preferably with a cover letter, online by visiting our website www.roomtoread.org (about us > careers > see current vacancies); link:

• Alternately, send to [email protected]

We regret that we cannot respond to all applicants personally due to high applicant volume.

Applications will be 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.