Senior Program Officer, GEP

Organization Profile

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

Position Overview:

The Senior Program Officer for Life Skill Education for Gender Equality Project primarily provides technical support, including training facilitation, guidance and coaching for National Master Trainers (NMT) and school principals on Life Skill Education. This position reports to the Program Manager and works closely with the Senior Program Operations Manager.

Responsibilities

Program design, content/materials development and training

• Support and work with Program Manager to review and contextualize program contents and manuals.
• Support and work with Program Manager to develop additional manuals/training materials needed for training teachers to improve program activities.
• Support and work with Program Manager to design training agenda and materials for training.

Ensure timely Program Implementation and Training

• Prepare and facilitate training for the National Master of Trainers (NMT) and School principals on Life Skill Education (LSE) and coaching, and other necessary contents to support program objective.
• Conduct regular site visits to schools to observe and monitor NMT and School principals’ implementation of program activities in schools.
• Provide technical guidance and coaching to National Master Trainer and School principals on program implementation in line with global program design.

Support the National Master of Trainers and School principals

• Prepare and facilitate training of trainer (TOT) for National Master Trainer.
• Prepare and facilitate coaching training for National Master Trainer and School principals.
• Prepare and facilitate other manuals training for National Master Trainer and School principals.
• Prepare and facilitate teacher’s manual training to National Master Trainer and School principals.
• Supports National Master Trainer and School principals in the planning and conducting of meetings/workshops.
• Prepare and facilitate monthly meetings with National Master Trainer and School principals for each school through both online discussion and face-to-face conversations.
• Supports the NMT’s scheduling of school principal session observations and schoolteachers conduct LSE for students.

Program monitoring and coaching to National Master of Trainers and School principals

• Conduct field visit and observe life skills classes and provide coaching to National Master Trainers and School principals as needed in different locations and collect feedback/best practice on LSE.
• Conduct field visit and observe and provide coaching to National Master Trainers and School principals.
• Prepare and participate in a monthly operational/technical meeting with Program Manager and Senior Program Operations Manager.
• Participate in and support quarterly review meetings with National Master Trainer and school principals for feedback and learned lesson.

Planning, Reporting and Documentation

• Gather and provide inputs for the strategic planning process and Annual Planning and Budgeting (AP&B).
• Participate in annual planning and budgeting for project areas of assignment.
• Work with Program Operations Associate on quarterly/monthly forecasting and advance request, spending and expenses report complied with financial guidelines with accuracy, and transparency.
• Produce monthly, quarterly and annual reports and ensure quality and timely.
• Provide input for Global solution database (GSD) report as needed.
• Ensure documentation of best practices, case studies/success stories, and lessons learned and shared with the Gender Equality Project team/Communication as needed.

Other important tasks

• Support Program Manager to ensure that overall program quality, including local adaptation of Room to Read worldwide program contents and training materials, meets Room to Read, GEP standards.
• Participate in regular training and meetings with Room to Read and any other activities that may be required to be undertaken to fulfill the objectives of the organization.
• Participate in donor site visits and provide information to donors about programs as needed.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor/master’s degree in related fields (i.e. Social Science, Psychology, Community Development, Pedagogy/Teacher Training or related field)
• 3 – 5 years of professional experience in education sector and community development work
• Prior experience in planning, facilitating training, coaching or supervising others.
• Strong organizational and planning skills including the ability to monitor progress of program implementation.
• Ability to juggle multiple priorities simultaneously and take initiative.
• Prior success working closely and building relationships with diverse groups of people.
• Experience working with and/or counseling adolescent girls.

Preferred

• Good verbal and written communication skills in English
• Good computer skills: MS. Word, Excel, Power Point and Outlook
• Work more effectively in decision-making and problem solving
• Be an innovative and creative thinker
• Work well independently and be able to play leadership role in the team
• Have a very high level of personal and professional integrity and trustworthiness
• Have attended the training course on Psycho-social, Project Management, Project Planning and Budgeting, M&E, Research and Professional Report Writing.

Compensation

Room to Read Laos values the commitment of our staff, and offers a professional & respected working environment, competitive monthly salary and other benefits such as annual salary review, a Wellbeing allowance, 13th month salary bonus, gratuity bonus, performance bonus, Staff Medical Insurance, Social Security Organization (SSO), annual medical check-up, phone allowance and other leave benefits based on Lao Labour Law.

Room to Read is 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 must adhere to Room to Read’s Child Protection Policy, Child Protection Code of Conduct and Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) Policy.

Application: click on: https://osv-rtr.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/RoomToRead/job/Laos—Champasack/Senior-Program-Officer–Gender-Equality-Portfolio_R-03055