Reading Coordinator – Solwezi - Zambia – USAID Let’s Read Project

  • Full-time

Company Description

Education Development Center (EDC) is a global nonprofit that advances lasting solutions to improve education, promote health, and expand economic opportunity. Since 1958, we have been a leader in designing, implementing, and evaluating powerful and innovative programs in more than 80 countries around the world.

EDC promotes equity and access to high quality education and health services and products that contribute to thriving communities where people from diverse backgrounds learn, live, and work together. We support an inclusive workplace culture that embraces many perspectives and broadens our understanding of the communities we serve, enhancing and enriching our work.    

Job Description

The USAID Let’s Read Project is a 5-year, $48.9 million project in the five target provinces of Eastern, Muchinga, Southern, Northwestern and Western Zambia that works to improve reading outcomes for approximately 1.4 million children attending pre-primary (kindergarten/ECE) through to Grades 3 and provide professional development for teachers to support reading interventions in Zambian public and community schools.

Position Description

The Reading Coordinator (RC) will be based in Solwezi, Northwestern Province (no relocation allowances are provided for this position), and provide technical direction and leadership for literacy strategies at the provincial level, including working with the Reading Specialist and Senior Reading Director to conduct trainings, oversee and organize the work of the District Reading Coaches, and work with the Community Outreach Specialist and District Field Officers to finalize key messages and roll-out training for PTAs/PSCS and Reading Corps volunteers.

Essential functions include, but are not limited to:

  • Contribute to the design and implementation of teacher training, coaching, and other technical materials to improve local language literacy from ECE to Grade 3;
  • Travel as necessary for training, coaching and monitoring of activities;
  • Support a diverse group of stakeholders for effective implementation of project activities;
  • Support the  effective utilization of technology for in-service teacher professional development and the use and input in to the Performance Tracking System; 
  • Support stakeholders to improve and expand access to instruction for learners with special needs;
  • Support selection and preparation of Supplementary Reading Materials in the Mother Tongue;
  • Collaborate effectively with Provincial, Zonal, and District education officials;
  • Ensure linkages and synergy around reading and writing instruction across project activities and objectives;
  • Contribute to quarterly and annual reports, success stories and other communications; 
  • Support ME&L staff in tracking, monitoring and evaluating activities in the assigned region; and
  • Other duties, as assigned.

Reporting and Organizational Relationships:

The Reading Coordinator reports to the Provincial Manager.

Qualifications

The candidate for the position of Reading Coordinator shall have at a minimum the following qualifications:

Education:

Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent experience) in a field relevant to education.

Skills and Experience:  

  • A minimum of 5 years of experience;
  • At least 4 years of experience in work specifically to improve education programming at the early primary grades;
  • Proven experience developing effective teacher professional development materials for reading and writing instruction in one or more Zambian official languages (Chinyanja, Chitonga, Silozi, Lunda, Luvale, Kiikaonde and Icibemba) and in English as a Second Language; and
  • Proven experience implementing teacher professional development activities.

Language:

Fluency in English and professional proficiency (written and spoken) in the language(s) of instruction in Northwestern province are required.

Additional Information

Please note: There will be no relocation allowance provided for this position.

Job Closing Date: January 28, 2020

Due to the volume of applications submitted, only finalists will be notified. No phone calls, please.

Applications submitted without a resume will not be considered.

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EDC is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to enhancing the diversity of its workforce and ensuring an equitable and highly inclusive work environment. EDC is a smoke-free workplace, and offers a supportive work environment, competitive salary, and excellent benefits. Women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.