Job Opportunity at Room to Read: Senior Program Officer

Position: Senior Program Officer, Girls’ Education Program

Position Overview:

The Girls’ Education Senior Program Officer assumes the overall responsibility to manage the implementation of the Girls Education Program (GEP) program in selected areas and spends considerable time providing technical support and supervision to Room to Read’s (RtR’s) Social Mobilizers, Program Officers and Program Associate. This includes facilitating training’s for Social Mobilizers on program contents and delivery, providing technical guidance to ensure Social Mobilizers are conducting activities in line with global program design, conducting weekly 1-on-1 meetings and annual performance reviews for all direct reports, and regularly observing Social Mobilizers performance in the field to help them be more effective in their roles. The Senior Program Officer is also responsible for coordinating the preparation of work plan and allocating assignments to Program Officers, reviewing and analyzing program data collected by Social Mobilizers and Program Associates, overseeing needs assessments and delivery of material support for program participants, leading the facilitation of meetings with parents, teachers, and government officials, and supporting GEP annual planning anad budgeting process. The Senior Program Officer reports to the Field Operations Manager (FOM).

Duties and Responsibilities:

Program Implementation and Training

• Lead the overall implementation of the Girls Education Program activities and budget in selected areas, ensuring program activities including Life skills education, Mentoring, Material support, School, Family and Community Engagement, as well as other related program activities are implemented efficiently and effectively.
• Assist Senior Girls Education Program Manager and the Field Operations Manager in ensuring quality of the program implementation in the area of assignment. Strengthen partnership with government and local partners to ensure the program quality in the respective area.
• Plan and conduct training’s for Social Mobilizers and Program Associates on Girls’ Education program content and activities. This may include co-facilitating training sessions with the Senior Girls Education Program Manager.
• Provide technical guidance to Social Mobilizers on program implementation in line with global program design.
• Conduct regular site visits to schools to observe and monitor performance of Social Mobilizers in relation to the implementation of program activities.
• Coordinate, coach and mentor Program Officers and Social Mobilizers.
• Coordinate the work plan in collaboration with Program Officers/Social Mobilizers, efficiently assigning tasks/work areas to Program Officers in order to ensure effective implementation of the GEP activities in the area of assignment.
• Coach and mentor Program Officers on working with and managing Social Mobilizers as well as engaging other stakeholders.
• Assist Field Operation Manager in annual performance appraisal, providing essential feedback on the work of Program Officers.
• Plan and facilitate training’s and meetings for government officials, school officials, and parents.
• Ensure school authorities and communities are supportive of the program and following agreements.
• Help the Senior Girls Education Program Manager and Field Operations Manager ensure that overall program quality, including local adaptation of RtR’s worldwide program
• Participate in regular training’s and meetings with Room to Read staff, as planned.
• Participate in regular review meetings 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 Room to Read’s Girls Education program as needed.

Manage Social Mobilizers

• Support Social Mobilizers in planning and facilitating Room to Read’s life skills activities (sessions and clubs) for girls and parent workshop sessions for the girls’ and parents. Support may include helping a Social Mobilizer set her schedule of workshops, observing a session and providing feedback, or other activities needed to help Social Mobilizers succeed in their core responsibilities.
• Support Social Mobilizers in the planning of parents’ meetings.
• Support Social Mobilizers to mentor girls. This may include providing ideas for group discussion topics and coaching the Social Mobilizers on how to handle difficult topics.
• Ensure Social Mobilizers know how to identify and support girls at risk of dropping or failing out of school using RtR’s risk and response protocol.
• Conduct weekly 1-on-1 meetings with Social Mobilizers and provide constructive feedback for improvements
• Conduct annual Social Mobilizer performance reviews.
• Support Social Mobilizers to develop their individual performance goals to guide their work throughout the year.
• Plan and facilitate monthly Social Mobilizer review meetings to discuss and identify solutions to challenges Social Mobilizers are facing in program implementation and in working with girls and communities.
• Plan and facilitate monthly and quarterly program review meetings to discuss and identify solutions to challenges Social Mobilizers are facing in program implementation and in working with girls and communities 

Manage Program Associates

• Ensure Program Associates enter all program data into RtR’s online database accurately and on time. 
• Ensure Program Associates distribute material support according to global program design. Oversee planning for all workshops and training’s. 
• Conduct weekly 1-on-1 meetings with Program Associates. 
• Conduct annual Program Associate performance reviews.

Planning, Reporting and Documentation

• Manage the overall program expenses with the support of the Program Officers and Program Associates. Provide complete and accurate financial reports in project areas of assignment per RtR’s Accounting and Finance policies.
• Develop monthly, quarterly and annual reports on program activities for the Management and local government partners.
• Coordinate with the Research, Monitoring and Evaluation team to ensure program data/information are updated to Room to Read’s Global Statistics Data (GSD), PIM tool on time and with quality.
• Work with Program Associates, Program Officers and Social Mobilizers for documenting best practices, case studies, and lessons learned and share with the Girls Education Program Team, as needed.
• Ensure Social Mobilizers and Program Associates collect and record Girls Education Program data including girls’ school attendance, academic performance, and participation in Girls Education Program activities as required per the program design. Review and analyze the data as needed.
• Prepare and review regular staff reports.
• Conduct annual planning and budgeting for project areas of assignment with support of Program Officers.

Qualifications and Experience

• University degree in a related field (e.g. education, social work, community development).
• 5 years of relevant work experience.
• Prior experience in planning and facilitating training’s.
• Prior experience coaching or supervising others.
• Prior experience in project management (planning, implementation, budgeting and coordinating the team)
• Good interpersonal skills and a team player.
• 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.
• Desire and ability to spend a quarter or more time traveling and providing direct support to Social Mobilizers in the schools and communities in which they work.
• Experience working with and or counseling adolescent girls.
• Strong computer skills including Microsoft Office and Outlook.
• Fluency in language spoken by girls is an advantage.
• English fluency strongly preferred.

Location: Pwani Region.
Location(s) Tanzania – Remote 

To be successful at Room to Read, you will also:

• Have passion for our mission and a strong desire to impact a dynamic nonprofit organization
• Be a proactive and innovative thinker who achieves results and creates positive change
• Have a very high level of personal and professional integrity and trustworthiness
• Embrace diversity and a commitment to collaboration
• Thrive in a fast-paced and fun environment

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. EOE/M/F/Vet/Disabled

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