Associate, Literacy Field

Position Overview:

The Associate will work closely with district and block education officials to strengthen foundational literacy and numeracy across Jharkhand. They will support the District Lead in planning, coordination, technical support, data analysis and documentation, supervise the Project Field Coordinators in the assigned blocks, and enable system drivers such as BEEOs, BPOs, BPMs, BRPs, CRPs and Head Teachers to run academic platforms including Cluster Academic Meetings, Block Academic Reviews and Gurugosthi under NIPUN Bharat. They will build convergence with DIET and use DIET's annual academic calendar for teacher and mentor capacity building.

Responsibilities:

Program Planning, Management & Implementation:

• Develop a strong understanding of Room to Read's Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) program design and the NIPUN Bharat guidelines, NCF-FS, NCF-SE and SCF-Jharkhand.
• Support the Program Officer in planning, coordinating, and implementing district FLN priorities within the DPMU structure, ensuring alignment with program goals and budgets.
• Develop and maintain district, block, cluster, BRP, CRP, and school profiles to identify implementation priorities and prepare district heat maps for targeted academic support.
• Plan and monitor implementation strategies based on priority areas, ensuring effective allocation of Project Field Coordinators (PFCs), training, mentoring, and follow-up support.
• Supervise Project Field Coordinators by reviewing monthly work plans, monitoring field performance, ensuring data quality, and strengthening their technical and mentoring capacities.
• Lead and facilitate training programs, academic review meetings, and professional learning platforms for BRPs, CRPs, Head Teachers, and teachers.
• Represent the program in district- and block-level forums and maintain effective coordination and professional relationships with government stakeholders.

Technical Expertise & System Strengthening:

• Work with district and block education officials (BEEOs, BPOs, BPMs), BRPs, CRPs, Head Teachers, and DIET to strengthen government-led academic support systems under the NIPUN Bharat Mission.
• Support the planning and facilitation of Cluster Academic Meetings, Block Academic Reviews, and Gurugosthi, ensuring discussions are driven by school and cluster FLN data, with clear action plans and follow-up.
• Build convergence with DIET and align project activities with the DIET Annual Academic Calendar to strengthen the continuous professional development of teachers, BRPs, and CRPs.
• Provide technical support to education functionaries on classroom observation, academic mentoring, use of FLN data, and implementation of evidence-based improvement plans.
• Track the implementation of action points emerging from academic review platforms and support officials in ensuring timely follow-up and resolution.
• Support the development and adaptation of academic tools, observation formats, training resources, and guidance materials in collaboration with DIET and district education official.
• Stay updated on national and state education policies and initiatives, including NEP 2020, NIPUN Bharat, NCF, and SCF, and support their effective implementation at the district and block levels

 
Supervision & Reporting:

• Develop and maintain school, cluster, CRP, BRP, block, and district profiles, and support the Program Officer in analysing the data to identify priority areas and develop implementation strategies.
• Conduct regular joint visits with district and block education officials, along with Project Field Coordinators (PFCs), as per the defined touchpoints to provide supportive supervision, technical guidance, and monitor program implementation. Conduct follow-up review visits to ensure that feedback provided during joint visits is implemented effectively by teachers and school functionaries.
• Review field observations, implementation progress, and data submitted by Project Field Coordinators (PFCs) to ensure timely reporting, data quality, and adherence to program standards.
• Analyse monitoring, assessment, and implementation data to identify trends, implementation gaps, and priority areas, and provide actionable insights to support program planning, implementation, and decision-making.
• Prepare and submit timely weekly, monthly, and other program reports, documenting key achievements, challenges, lessons learned, and recommendations for continuous program improvement.

Research and Monitoring:

• Collaborate with Data and Evaluation team to implement and maintain monitoring and evaluation efforts in program.
• Synthesize and analyse data and write summary reports by program based on the M&E results.
• Identify key issues around program quality and links between monitoring and evaluation and quality assurance and improvement.
• Represent Room to Read in different forums and advocate the importance of our educational work in the developing world.

Qualifications:

Required:

• Bachelor’s Degree in education / social sciences or equivalent.
• Master’s degree in education / social sciences or equivalent preferred.
• Minimum 3 years of relevant experience in the education sector and research or both.
• 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.