VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT ROOM TO READ

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT
ROOM TO READ
Room to Read - Sri Lanka is an INGO registered under the NGO Secretariat and works in liaison with the Ministry
of Education, Ministry of Child Development & Women’s Empowerment, Ministry of Social Services and Social
Welfare. Our mission is to provide under-privileged children with an opportunity to gain the lifelong gift of
education. The organization was founded on the belief that education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty and
taking control of one's own life. A results-driven organization registered in San Francisco, California, USA, Room
to Read currently works in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Laos, Nepal, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Vietnam and
Zambia. We provide educational opportunities through 5 different programs involving library construction and
establishment, primary and pre-school construction, children's book publishing, girls' scholarships and computer and
language lab establishment. For more information, visit www.roomtoread.org
We are on the lookout for smart, dynamic and result oriented professionals to fill in the following positions at Room
to Read;
1. COUNTRY DIRECTOR
Job Profile:
• Assume overall management, development and implementation activities of all programs and country
administrative responsibilities
• Direct the management team and supervise appropriate staff, providing them with all the necessary
assistance to ensure that program activities are carried out in alliance with headquarter requirements and in
a timely manner with attention to quality
• Communicate all program-related activities, issues, and updates to headquarters and seek approval for
budget activities and any related program developments
• Visit project sites as needed to supervise the site and organize discussions with the school management
team and local authorities. Gather feedback and ensure that they deliver on their portion of the challenge
grant and on all terms of agreement with Room to Read.
• Oversee annual monitoring and evaluation projects
• Develop ideas that address organizational priorities and conduct strategic and operational planning
exercises, work with relevant in-country and headquarter staff to strengthen and improve program impact
and sustainability.
• Work with Director Operations to manage the organization’s legal compliance in Sri Lanka
• Explore opportunities for partnerships and knowledge sharing with NGOs, experts and institutions
involved in related education initiatives
• Develop and manage relationships with other NGO’s, government officials and appropriate educational
facilities/authorities; schedule and attend meetings with them as needed to coordinate planning and
implementation of projects
Personal/Skill Profile:
Required:
• Related B.S/B.A. or equivalent degree, master’s degree preferred
• A minimum of ten years of professional experience in the related field
• Good knowledge and understanding of education issues, including teaching methodologies and community
involvement in schools
• Strong planning, budgetary, supervising, and program development skills
• Ability to travel frequently to provinces throughout Sri Lanka
• Strong verbal and written communication skills in English
• Proven track record of achieving results
• Strong leadership skills
• Strong organization and people management skills
Preferred:

• Advanced degree in a related field, (ie. education, development) and prior experience living and/or working
in rural areas, prior experience working with schools, teachers, administrators and government officials
• Experience in successful implementation of a wide range of tasks as well as developing and implementing
improvements in a prior position, experience developing and/or implementing large-scale literacy
initiatives
2. PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Job Profile:
• Direct and ensure the overall management of all designated program development, design, implementation,
budgeting, and internal controls and implementation activities
• Supervise and mentor all program staff providing them with all the necessary assistance to ensure that
program activities are carried out in a timely manner and with attention to quality; conduct regular
meetings with them to assess progress
• Coordinate program plans and budget process and visit project sites at least 40% of the time to support and
supervise program implementation
• As part of the Senior Management Team, develop and implement ideas that address program priorities and
provide input into strategic and operational planning exercises
• Work with Senior/Program Officers to ensure high quality, effective and efficient management of programs
and successful achievement of annual goals and collaborate with the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)
team to support M&E of all programs
• Develop and manage relationships with other NGO’s, government officials and appropriate educational
facilities/authorities; schedule and attend meetings with them as needed to coordinate planning and
implementation of projects
• Represent Room to Read at relevant meetings and assist in planning and hosting donor visits
Personal & Skill Profile:
• A Master’s degree in a related field, i.e. education, development.
• A minimum of five years of professional experience in the related field.
• Good knowledge and understanding of education issues, including teaching methodologies and community
involvement in schools.
• Strong planning, budgetary, supervising, and program development skills.
• Ability to travel frequently to provinces throughout the country.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills in English.
• Prior experience working with schools, teachers, administrators and government officials.
Compensation: The salary range for the above positions will be determined based upon the experience of the
candidate hired. EPF, ETF, health and accident insurance as well as eligibility to participate in Room to Read's
performance bonus program are also provided. The non-monetary compensation includes a unique opportunity to be
part of an innovative, meaningful, fun, and rapidly growing organization that is changing the world through the
lifelong gift of education.
Application Procedure: Please email your cover letter and CV together with names of three non-related referees
to lk.hiring@roomtoread.org or mail to Human Resources Officer, Room to Read Sri Lanka, No. 38,
Dr.E.A.Cooray Mawatha, Colombo 6 on or before 8 th April 2011. Please mention the Post applied on the subject
line of the e-mail or top left side of the envelop.
Room to Read is an equal opportunity employer committed to identifying and developing
the skills and leadership of people from diverse backgrounds.
-Only short listed candidates will be notified-