JOB DESCRIPTION
Advisor, Research Monitoring and Evaluation
Room to Read, New Delhi
 

1. POSITION VACANT: Advisor, Research Monitoring and Evaluation, Room to Read, New Delhi

2. ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND:

Room to Read India (RTR India) was established in 2003 and presently has programs in nine states across India, comprising Chhattisgarh, Delhi NCR, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Telangana, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh. The organization’s Literacy Program has been implemented in 15,642 government schools and 25,741 teachers trained in library management and reading activities. RTR India’s Girls’ Education & Gender Equality Program has benefitted over 62,457 girls during this period.

RTR is a global organization transforming the lives of millions of children in low-income communities by focusing on literacy and gender equality in education. Founded in 2000, on the belief that World Change Starts with Educated Children®, their innovative model focuses on deep, systemic transformation within schools during the two time periods that are most critical in a child’s schooling: early primary school for literacy acquisition and secondary school for girls’ education.

RTR works in collaboration with local communities, partner organizations, and governments to develop literacy skills and the habit of reading among primary school children and to ensure that girls complete secondary school with the skills necessary to negotiate key life decisions. By focusing on the quality of education provided within communities and ensuring that these outcomes are measured, RTR has created a model that can be replicated, localized and sustained by governments. With its, global headquarters in San Francisco, RTR has benefited 18 million children across over 30,000 communities in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Grenada, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Rwanda, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Vietnam, and Zambia.

RTR India has received several awards and recognition over the years, including recognition as one of the top 10 NGOs to work for during the past six years by the Great Places to Work Institute.

For more information please visit, https://www.roomtoread.org/

3. JOB DESCRIPTION/ RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Research, Monitoring and Evaluation (RM&E) Advisor, shall be part of RM&E Unit and be based at New Delhi, India Country Office (INCO). S/he will advise and report to the Director, RM&E and be responsible for designing, implementing, and managing program-specific research activities. The RM&E Advisor shall initially focus on the Literacy Instruction Program, specifically on qualitative research and surveys, and in the longer term, support the research needs of all programs. S/he will also focus on evolving the Research, Monitoring and Evaluation (RM&E) portfolio, to include indicators for scale-up projects and begin cost-effective analyses.

Key Roles and Responsibilities:
(1) Lead the development of methodology relating to country research studies (including instrumentation, data collection, implementation, and analysis plans), with a particular focus on the Literacy Instruction Program, with support from Literacy Instruction team members;
(2) In consultation with Country Office (CO) Program and M&E staff, develop and update the annual country research agenda for each program;
(3) Work with Global Office (GO) staff to review and finalize the research agenda and individual activities according to steps described in the M&E Strategy Document;
(4) Support the organization in the visioning of research, and support field teams in the conduct of action research;
(5) As a part of activities relating to literacy instruction, the RM&E Advisor will also:

(a) Identify program research needs in collaboration with the Program Director and Program Managers, through periodic discussions and review meetings;
(b) Support the CO Team in selecting and implementing appropriate research design, development/ modification of tools, collection, and analysis of data, and report writing, for enhancing literacy instruction in Literacy Instruction schools;
(c) Help coordinate cross-national research and evaluation under the guidance of Regional Office (RO)/ GO teams from M&E;
(d) Guide and support the RM&E team in planning, developing, and implementing program research, within the global strategy framework. This will include regular coordination with management and technical assistance in design, implementation, analysis, and report writing;
(e) Collaborate with the CO Team in identifying best practices (case studies) and documentation of literacy instruction programs;
(f) Support and guide the development and translation of tools to conduct quantitative and qualitative research to assess literacy instruction and teacher effectiveness/ beliefs, print-rich environment, and tracking students’ progress;
(g) Travel within the country to project sites to conduct and support research as visualized by RO and GO teams;
(h) Collaborate with and support the country and RO teams in regular capacity building of the country literacy team in research;

(6) Identify the platforms where RTR studies can be presented and submit the same as part of research advocacy;
(7) Develop networks with Research organizations and Government and support the Government to meet their research and evaluation needs;
(8) Be the focal person for constituting a research advisory group and developing a blueprint of the same;
(9) Collaborate with M&E colleagues in other countries, and with the RO/GO M&E Team, in carrying out the above roles and responsibilities;
(10) Other duties as necessary and assigned by Director, RM&E.

4. QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND COMPETENCIES:

Qualifications:

Master’s degree in education, or related fields, such as international development, program evaluation, research methods, or statistics.

Experience:
(1) Minimum eight years of related professional experience, including three years of conducting/ guiding research;
(2) Experience and/or technical competence in some or all of the following areas:
(a) Education, with a particular focus on reading instruction and gender studies;
(b) Experience in leading research studies in the domain of foundational literacy and gender equality;
(c) Experience in designing large scale assessments around foundational literacy and gender equality;
(d) Experience in managing research and assessment partners;
(e) Working closely and building relationships with diverse groups of people.

(3) Strong quantitative and qualitative analytical skills, including experience using software packages such as SPSS/ STATA;
(4) Prior experience in a fast-paced, growth-oriented global or regional organization.

Skills and Competencies:

(1) Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English;
(2) Ability and desire to travel in-country frequently, and occasionally internationally;
(3) Effectiveness in working or volunteering in a nonprofit organization that is focused on maintaining high-quality work and low overhead;
(4) Proven track record of juggling multiple priorities simultaneously and taking initiative;
(5) Have a passion for RTR India’s mission and a strong desire to impact an up-and-coming non-profit organization;
(6) Be an innovative and creative thinker, demonstrating ability and willingness to try something new and inspire others to do so;
(7) Have a very high level of personal and professional integrity and trustworthiness;
(8) Have a strong work ethic and require minimal direction;
(9) Be both self-confident and humble;
(10) Work well independently as well as part of a team;
(11) Thrive in a fast-paced and fun environment.

5. COMPENSATION OFFERED:

The gross compensation budgeted for the position is attractive. The offer made to the selected candidate shall be based on experience and salary history. Health benefits are also provided. The non-monetary compensation includes a unique opportunity to be part of an innovative, meaningful and rapidly growing organization that is changing the world through the lifelong gift of education.

6. LOCATION: New Delhi

7. REFERENCE: ARME-RTR

8. CONTACT INFORMATION:

Team SAMS
Strategic Alliance Management Services P Ltd.
1/1B, Choudhary Hetram House, Bharat Nagar
New Friends Colony, New Delhi 110 025
Phone Nos.: 011- 2684 2162; 4165 3612

9. APPLICATION PROCESS:

Eligible candidates interested in the position are requested to apply using the link https://recruitment.samshrm.com/jobs/RTR, by or before February 8, 2022.

Room to Read has zero tolerance of child abuse and exploitation and believes that all children have equal rights to protection. Selected candidates shall be expected to adhere to the organization’s child protection policy, code of conduct and standards and undergo rigorous reference and background check through third party, including employment history and criminal check. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information for this purpose.