Entrepreneurship in the territories: is it the right time?
Position Overview
The Program Manager – Foundational Learning for Ethnic Minority Children will lead the design, coordinate implementation, and provide technical oversight of education program/projects focusing on ethnic minority students, with an emphasis on strengthening language and literacy development. As a member of the technical team, the Program Manager will provide expertise in program design, research, and innovation, while also overseeing implementation, monitoring, and capacity building across project sites.
The role requires close collaboration with the Instructional Design and Teacher Support, Quality Reading Materials, Program Operations, Research – Monitoring and Evaluation teams, and government education partners to ensure that program activities are effective, scalable, and aligned with Room to Read’s Literacy Program strategy. The Program Manager will also coordinate with the Global Office Development Team on program/projects design inputs, fundraising proposals, and donor reporting, ensuring that program/projects contribute to Room to Read’s global learning agenda. This position reports directly to the Literacy Director and may supervise technical staff, consultants, or field-based facilitators.
Responsibilities
Program Design and Technical Support (45%)
- Lead the design of education program/projects serving ethnic minority students, ensuring interventions are evidence-based, aligned with government curriculum, and responsive to the needs of diverse learners.
- Conduct and oversee pilot studies and assessments to inform program strategies, tools, and training materials.
- Continuously review and update knowledge of emerging research, global trends, and scientific developments in ethnic minority education and language acquisition, and apply these insights to strengthen program design and innovation.
- Provide technical advice, coaching, and mentoring to project staff, field facilitators, and partners to strengthen implementation quality.
- Proactively identify opportunities to integrate Room to Read’s approaches into government systems and curriculum, positioning program for scale and long-term sustainability.
- Proactively collaborate with the Global Office Development Team to contribute to fundraising proposals and global knowledge sharing.
- Contribute technical inputs to donor reports, publications, advocacy materials.
Program Management and Implementation (30%)
- Develop detailed annual program implementation plans and budgets, ensuring alignment with organizational strategy and donor requirements.
- Coordinate with provincial and national stakeholders to secure buy-in, align with government priorities, and support integration.
- Monitor financial utilization against approved budgets and prepare financial reports in collaboration with Operations and Finance.
- Lead and document regular review meetings with staff and partners to assess progress and resolve implementation challenges.
- Conduct regular field visits to verify activities, provide technical support, and follow up with action plans.
- Work with M&E staff to review program data, analyze trends, and prepare recommendations for program adjustments.
Planning, Reporting, and Documentation (15%)
- Develop annual and quarterly work plans and budgets for the program.
- Prepare high-quality reports for internal use, donors, and government partners.
- Ensure timely forecasting, tracking, and utilization of program resources.
- Document lessons learned, case studies, success stories, best practices, and innovations for internal learning and external sharing.
External Networking and Advocacy (5%)
- Build and maintain partnerships with government education authorities, research institutions, and NGOs working in the field of education for ethnic minorities.
- Represent Room to Read in technical working groups, conferences, and donor visits.
- Promote Room to Read as a thought leader in literacy and language development for minority students.
- Share findings with national and international stakeholders to influence practice and policy.
Other Responsibilities (5%)
- Perform other tasks as assigned by Line Manager.
