Pakistan: Reading Advisor

Background/ IRC Summary

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC delivers education programs in 22 conflict-affected or post-conflict countries around the world. The IRC’s educational interventions strive to help children and youth gain valuable skills and knowledge that will increase their opportunities and life chances, and contribute to their well-being and livelihood. The IRC supports formal and non-formal learning activities that lead to tangible learning outcomes and promotes the protection and psychosocial well-being of conflict-affected children and youth.

Job Overview/Summary

The IRC seeks a seasoned reading expert to providetechnical advice and leadership for its largest reading project, the Pakistan Reading Project (PRP). The Pakistan Reading Project (PRP), is a five-year, United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded project that supports Pakistani-led efforts to introduce and institutionalize improvements in reading instruction and reading assessment for 850,000 children in grades one and two in public schools throughout Pakistan. The Reading Advisor will identify, marshal, coordinate, and directly provide the appropriate and quality technical assistance needed to ensure the overall quality of the technical design and implementation as it relates to improved reading instruction for children in grades 1 and 2. The Advisor will ensure that PRP benefits from lessons learned, promising practices, and resources developed globally in similar education programs as well as ensuring that IRC captures and applies globally what is learned and developed within the PRP.

IRC prefers that the Reading Advisor be based in Islamabad, Pakistan but in some exceptional cases would consider having the position be based elsewhere with frequent travel to Islamabad, Pakistan.

Responsibilities

General:

· Provide overall technical assistance and oversight to the project approaches and materials that are aimed at improving the instruction of reading in grades 1 and 2.

· Build the capacity of local staff and government counterparts in the teaching and assessment of early grade reading.

· Assess technical assistance needs in promoting early grade reading skills and identify the appropriate IRC or external consultant/service contract agency for the provision of assistance. Coordinate and ensure overall quality of a comprehensive technical assistance package that helps senior technical staff achieve PRP teacher and student reading outcomes and targets.

· Help the DCOP and Technical Directors to troubleshoot complex problems related to the projects’ technical approach or technical deliverables and coordinate HQ technical, regional and support resources that can contribute to the solution

· Ensure that the Pakistan project benefits from lessons learned, promising practices, and resources developed globally in similar reading programs as well as ensuring that IRC captures and applies globally what is learned and developed within the PRP.

· Work with senior project staff to help project staff analyze and reflect on monitoring and evaluation data to continually inform and refine the overall project design

Specific:

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: Senior Technical Advisor for Education, Child and Youth Protection and Development

Position directly supervises: Not Applicable

Other Internal and/or external contacts:

Internal:The position includes close liaison and work with colleagues across all IRC departments, especially the other technical units, advocacy and communications teams; and the International Programs Department. The Advisor will also work closely with in country Senior Staff (Deputy Chief of Party and Technical Directors) to monitor and ensure the overall quality of the technical approach and its implementation across projects

External:The position includes relationship-building with partner organizations, oversight of vendors and consultants for special projects

Job Requirements:

· Master’s degree or PhD in Education or related field.

· At least five years of experience managing and/or advising on large scale early grade reading programs, ideally in conflict or post-conflict contexts; preferably USAID funded early grade reading projects.

· Strong knowledge of policy issues and technical experience in areas of primary education, early grade reading and teacher training..

· Experience in the development of supplementary early grade reading materials such as decodable readers, student activity books, and leveled readers

· Experience in and strong knowledge of Pakistan preferred

· Experience with large USAID cooperative agreements.

· Ability to be work as part of a remote team across many time zones

Working Environment:Individual housing will be provided as will a standard office work environment. Internet, electricity and amenities provided. Regular travel to provinces will be required.