Program Officer for Literacy Program /Social Mobilier

Re-Vacancy Announcement 

Unification Nepal Gorkha (UN-Nepal), registered in the District Administration Office (DAO) Gorkha and Social Welfare Council (SWC) in the year 2009, is a non-profit making child-focused organization formed by a team of youth NGO professionals for sustainable development across the country. 

UN-Nepal has been implementing Room to Read funded Literacy Program and Girls Education Program in selected Schools of Gorkha district, Nepal. The primary goal of the project is to make an independent reader and ensure their SEE level education so that they can make their life long decision in their life. For this UN Nepal will closely working with teachers, SMC, PTA and local government along other stakeholders. Now, UN Nepal is seeking qualified and dynamic time staff for the following positions. 

A.     ORGANIZATION PROFILE

Founded in 2000 on the belief that World Change Starts with Educated Children®, Room to Read is creating a world free from illiteracy and gender inequality. We are achieving this goal by providing support during the two most critical time periods in a child’s education: primary school for literacy acquisition and secondary school for girls’ education. Our Literacy Program trains and coaches teachers, creates quality books and curricular materials and establishes libraries filled with diverse children’s books in local languages that can be enjoyed at school or home. Our Girls’ Education Program helps girls build skills to succeed in secondary school and make key life decisions by providing life skills curriculum, opportunities for mentorship and peer support, and family and community engagement. We deliver additional remote solutions that leverage local logistical infrastructure, broadcast media networks and internet-based technologies to facilitate learning beyond the classroom. Room to Read collaborates with local communities, partner organizations 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 39 million children and has worked in more than 182,000 communities and 23 countries, providing additional support through remote solutions that facilitate learning beyond the classroom. Room to Read plans to benefit 40 million children by 2025. Learn more at www.roomtoread.org.

B.     UN NEPAL ORGANIZATION PROFILE

Unification Nepal (UN-Nepal), Gorkha is registered in the District Administration Office (DAO) Gorkha and Social Welfare Council (SWC) in the year 2009, is a non-profit making, child-focused social organization formed by a team of youth NGO professionals for sustainable development across the country. It is an autonomous and apolitical organization governed by its constitution, financial and administrative policy, code of conduct, and other various policies. UN Nepal Gorkha has envisioned peace and prosperous Nepal and is currently focusing on six thematic priorities such as Education, Resilience Livelihood, Safer Migration, Gender and protection, DRR and CCA, and organizational development. To date, UN Nepal Gorkha has completed many projects with various national, international, and intergovernmental organizations in Nepal. Currently, UN Nepal is working with Room to Read for quality education and gender empowerment in Gorkha district of Nepal. For more details- www.unnnepal.org

C.     ROOM TO READ IN NEPAL

To date, Room to Read in Nepal has partnered with government schools to establish over 4,814 school libraries to encourage a habit of reading in primary school children, published 403 children’s books for quality materials to read, constructed over 1,249 schools, renovated 46 schools, and helped create an enabling learning environment through comprehensive Reading & Writing Instruction program in 1,642 primary classrooms. Room to Read in Nepal has supported over 11,608 girls from underprivileged families to complete secondary education and beyond by providing material, academic, and life skills education support through our Girls Education and Gender Equality Program. As per our global strategy, Vision 2025, our focus has been to scale our programs in a strategic partnership with the government to reach more needy children, schools, and communities in urgency. Room to Read works in two thematic areas: Literacy Program (LP) and Girls’ Education and Gender Equality Program (GEP). We are at a growing stage and working to expand our coverage more in the future.

Position: Program Officer for Literacy Program 

Required No: 1

Job Description: 

Capacity building of Literacy Facilitators (LF) 

• Designs, develops, and prepares session plans, training resources, and training designs for the capacity building of Literacy Facilitators on Reading Instructions, Library Management, and Reading activities in close coordination with NGO/RtR officials.
• Organizes and facilitates capacity building events on Reading Instructions, Library Management, and Reading activities in close coordination with NGO/RtR officials.
• Identifies areas for capacity building of LFs and organizes events focusing on facilitation skills development, reporting, documentation, success story writing, data collection and analysis, and coordination and collaboration skills with local stakeholders such as SMC, PTA, and Headteachers.
• Incorporates principles of adult learning in the capacity building process of LFs and teachers to ensure effective skill development and knowledge retention.
• Evaluates and adjusts training methods and approaches based on feedback and outcomes to continuously improve the capacity building efforts for LFs involved in literacy programs.

Program Management, Implementation, and Training:

• Collaborates with Palika and RtR in selecting schools for LP implementation, ensuring alignment with program goals and criteria.
• Compiles a database of schools that have undergone selection surveys in coordination with the LEU, and recommends potential schools to the Program Manager/Coordinator/officer.
• Ensures the ongoing implementation of the LP for designated schools, overseeing activities to ensure they are carried out timely, efficiently, and in a well-coordinated manner.
• Leads as the technical focal point for project management of LP implementation, overseeing relationships with schools, communities, LEU, NGO and RtR.
• Provides constructive feedback to NGO/ RtR on the design and effectiveness of LP teaching-learning materials and training delivery, aiming for continuous improvement.

Planning, Reporting and Documentation:

• Initiates support in finalizing the annual plan and budget for conducting programmatic events.
• Guide in managing fund requests and reviews monthly financial expenses to ensure adherence to budgetary allocations.
• Develops assistance for the Program Manager/Coordinator in conducting financial audits, drafting management comments, and addressing audit observations for program accountability.
• Supports in collecting required data to compile monthly and quarterly reports, ensuring timely submission to Program Manager
• Monitors and evaluates the progress of the implementation calendar, budget, annual plan, periodic program reviews, and overall program implementation and spending, providing regular updates and recommendations from the technical perspectives.

External Coordination and Networking:

• Supports in building strong relationships with Education Development and Coordination Unit (EDCU), LEU, Education Training Centre (ETC), Palikas, and other local stakeholders, ensuring their support for RtR’s literacy program.
• Coordinates with Palikas and local governments to scale up the Literacy Program and integrate it into their School Improvement Plans (SIP), education policies, and plans.
• Represents RtR Literacy Program at various forums, advocating for the importance of reading and the necessity of libraries for children.
• Assists the program manager/coordinator in preparing documents, coordinating with government entities, and compiling databases to approach new Palikas for expanding the LP in alignment with RtR strategies.
• Ensures all program activities planned according to the Implementation Calendar are executed with high quality.

Qualification: 

• Hold a Bachelor's Degree in Education or related fields; prefer a Master’s degree in Education or related field.
• Demonstrate minimum of 2 years (for Master's Degree holders) or 3 years (for Bachelor's degree holders) of professional experience in implementing educational projects, including workshops, meetings, seminars, and teacher training.
• Possess thorough knowledge and understanding of teaching methodologies, curriculum, and teacher training at the primary level.
• Excel in planning, budgeting, supervision, and project implementation.
• Proficient in English and Nepali, both written and verbal; adept in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Preferred:

• Possess five years of professional experience in implementing educational projects in the field, holding a Master's degree in Education.
• Demonstrate proven effectiveness in working or volunteering with non-profit organizations, emphasizing high-quality work and efficient resource management.
• Have prior experience in fast-paced, growth-oriented national and international organizations.
• Bring experience in community development projects within rural communities.
• Show previous collaboration with schools, teachers, administrators, and government officials, ensuring effective partnership and project alignment.

Position: Social Mobilier

Required No: (Few)

Job Description: 

Program Management, Implementation, Training, and Coordination:

• Conducts LS/ group mentoring sessions with quality and ensures that the GEPP are well equipped with the knowledge as per the LS and mentoring curriculum. 
• Updates oneself through regular manual reading, doing research, and reading other resources on the topics of gender equality, adolescent development, life skills, and others. 
• Implements program activities related to school management, parents, ward offices, community leaders, and other stakeholders.
• Keeps updated information and documentation of GEPP including maintaining the database, regular attendance, activity participation record, home visit records and individual mentoring files. 
• Guides GEPP to improve their academic performance by identifying GEPP in need of exam preparation support and plans for the same.
• Supports schools to form/reform Child Clubs and engages them in life skills club activities.
• Engages families, schools, and the community through parent workshops, parent meetings, home visits, community programs, and other activities as needed to create a gender-friendly study environment for GEPP. 
• Organizes community and school level awareness-raising activities on early marriage, abuse prevention, the importance of girls' education, gender equality in education in the community through day celebrations and project work by GEPP. 
• Provides individual mentoring to identified GEPP who are at risk and does referrals for more critical cases to other service providers by mapping different services and maintaining a directory. 
• Actively participates in conducting material support surveys to identify needy GEPP for ranking them and providing them with material/academic support. 
• Supports Officer to conduct joint monitoring visits and conducts/attends meetings with local Government as needed.  
• Carries out activities mentioned in the annual work plan and implementation calendar.
• Conducts other tasks as assigned by the supervisor and as per the needs of the organization. 

Planning, Reporting and Documentation:

• Works together with Officer to prepare a month wise school-specific plan following the annual plan and implementation calendar. 
• Monitors and keeps records of GEPP’ school attendance and academic performances.
• Keeps GEP registers updated with accurate and timely data entries. 
• Tracks GEPP risks under the risk parameter and SM's observation to be able to conduct timely responses and support to retain GEPP at school and guides GEPP to solve their problems. 
• Keeps a record and manages appropriate distribution, storage, and proper use of any supplies provided to schools/GEPP. 
• Reports to Officer as needed to prepare reports, plans, or any other documentation on both technical and operational aspects. 
• Keeps appropriate and accurate records of home visits, individual mentoring, and any other activities. 
• Supports Officer to develop case/success stories and documents best practices and challenges.

External Coordination and Networking:

• Establishes and manages proper relationships with schools, focal point teachers, parents, ward-level local government, communities, and any other relevant local stakeholders. 
• Conducts/attends regular meetings with the School Management Committee, Parents Teachers Association, school staff, focal point teachers, child club, and subject teachers to build up trust with the school and its members. 
• Collaborates and coordinates with the other local development partners for a joint program. 
• Supports Officer to conduct program orientation and discussion for possible partnership with local government and other stakeholders. 

Qualification: 

• Bachelor’s degree in education/social science or equivalent (similar field).
• At least one year of working experience at the community level and related field. 
• Good understanding of the local scenario and secondary-level education system 
• Good command of written and verbal in Nepali and local languages (if required). 
• Have training and facilitation skills with a good understanding of the local environment and life skills. 
• Have skills to train and work with adolescent girls. 
• Have social mobilization skills to work with different communities and situations. 

Preferred:

• Candidates with work experience in the related field of teaching, gender equality, and education sector. 
• Comprehensive knowledge of current developments in gender issues, especially in government schools.
• Candidate proficient in using computer applications like; Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.  

UN Nepal/Room to Read has zero tolerance when it comes to child abuse and exploitation and believes that all children have equal protection rights. The colleague will be expected to adhere to the Room to Read’s Child Protection Policy, Code of Conduct and standards.

Application Procedures: 

Interested and qualified candidates shall send cover letter detailing their experience and motivation for the current position with an updated CV to hr.unnepalgorkha@gmail.com on 3 September 2024. Please mention the position you are applying in the subject line. Please mention your expected salary in your application letter. 

Only those shortlisted candidates who meet the criteria will be invited to a written test, interview and group discussion. No telephone calls will be entertained. UN Nepal encourages Women, Dalits, Marginalized Groups, People with Disability, sexual minority are highly encouraged to apply.

UN Nepal is Child Rights organizations, so we need to keep children safe. Our selection process reflects our commitment to the safeguarding and protection of children in all our programs. Therefore, the selected candidates will be subjected to background check.