Reading Room Programme Manager

Organization Profile:
Room to Read seeks to transform the lives of millions of children in developing countries by focusing on literacy and gender equality in education. Working in collaboration with local communities, partner organizations and governments, we develop literacy skills and a habit of reading among primary school children, and support girls to complete secondary school with the relevant life skills to succeed in school and beyond.
They are non-governmental, non-religious and work with many local NGOs and community based organizations to implement our programs. We currently work in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Laos, Nepal, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Zambia - countries with a desperate lack of resources to educate their children. Since our inception, Room to Read's worldwide team has impacted over 4
million children by constructing more than 1,100 schools, establishing over 9,200 libraries, publishing 433 new children's book titles in 11 local languages, and putting over 8,700 girls onto long-term,
holistic scholarships.
Room to Read has an annual budget of approximately US$30 million and our global staff numbers over 300. Our global headquarters is located in San Francisco, and we have smaller fundraising offices in New York, Hong Kong, London, Tokyo and Delhi. We have an Asia Regional Office located in New Delhi, a Southern Africa Regional Office in Pretoria, and program offices in Colombo, Dhaka, Ho Chi Minh City, Kathmandu, Lusaka, New Delhi, Pretoria, Phnom Penh, and Vientiane. Their long-term goal is to help 10 million children to gain the lifelong gift of education.

Program Overview:
The primary goal of the RR program is to promote the habit of reading among children. Libraries are established in primary schools that need support in ensuring that: educators encourage a habit of reading; appropriate reading materials are available; there is time to read; learning environments are conducive to reading; and families and communities are supportive of their children’s reading habits.

Position Overview:
They are seeking the services of a professional with considerable program management experience to become their new Reading Room Program Manager in Ho Chi Minh. The Program Manager is
responsible for the continued development of the program design in the South and must additionally work collaboratively with the Program Manager in the North. The position manages the South’s program’s finances and a staff that oversees the implementation and monitoring of all new and active Reading Rooms. This position requires strong leadership, staff management and team-building skills, and an ability to represent Room to Read to provincial and district governments. This position will be located in Ho Chi Minh; travel throughout Vietnam and occasional travel to other Room to Read country programs will be required as needed.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:
Program activities
- Establish processes to standardize program work with an aim to maximize program effectiveness and efficiency
- Collaborate closely with local partners to effectively establish the Reading Rooms (planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation)
- Oversee all program and field staff to support their professional development and successful implementation of high quality projects
- Lead the planning, development, implementation, monitoring and reporting on all program activities
- Visit project sites as needed to plan, launch and implement activities; supervise as needed to ensure that other program stakeholders (community, school, government) deliver on their commitments to the program work
- Oversee all monitoring and evaluation activities in the Reading Room program
- Develop and oversee the implementation of trainings on library management, conducting reading activities and on project monitoring
- Manage the Reading Room budget, prepare detailed cost estimations and provide regular updates on the state of the budget
- Develop a plan for increasing community engagement and support of developing a habit of reading in students
- Oversee and finalize all donor reporting to the Global and Regional Offices, individual donors, corporations and foundations, and government partners
- In consultation with appropriate headquarters staff, working to pilot components of developing habits of reading among children at targeted schools.
- Document best practices and lessons learned during field work and share with other project sites, relevant local staff, the Country and Program Director and appropriate Regional and Global staff
- 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 RtR at government and NGO forums.
- Participate in any other activities which may be required to be undertaken to fulfill the objectives of the organization

Qualifications Required:
- Bachelor’s degree in education or library sciences
- 5+ years experience in implementation of education programs, preferably with an emphasis on primary school reading and literacy
- Good knowledge and understanding of education issues, including teaching methodologies and community involvement in schools
- Strong team-building, mentoring and supervisory/management skills
- Excellent planning and program development/management skills
- Proven ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences including Room to Read
- Country, Regional and Global Office staff and donors, government and school officials, contractors and consultants, community leaders/residents, etc
- Ability to travel regularly to regions throughout Vietnam
- Strong verbal and written communication skills in English
- Proven track record of achieving results
- Computer literate
- Finance literate
- Ability to work under pressure and systematically plan and carry out work assignments

Terms of Appointment
- The Programme Manager will work directly under the Program Director.
- The position will be based at Room to Read’s Office in Ho Chi Minh City with the regular travels to provinces.
- The position will be appointed according to regulations for local staff at Room to Read Vietnam with an expected starting date of 18 April 2011.
• The salary for the position will be based on the candidate’s experience and qualifications.

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 an up-and-coming 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

Application Procedure:
Please send your cover letter and resume (by email only, no phone calls, faxes or drop-ins please) to Ms. Ngoc Diep at [email protected].
Email subject should clearly indicates: Application for Reading Room Program Manager.