RTI International Vacancy for Teacher Training Specialist and District Coordinators

RTI International Vacancy for Teacher Training Specialist and District Coordinators:

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VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

The International Education Division is currently accepting applications for a number of full-time positions for a USAID-funded two-year project the Early Grade Reading Transition Support (EGRTS), to support improving early grade reading in Nepal. The program works closely with and supports the Government of Nepal's design and implementation of a national education model that standardizes early grade reading in public schools.

Positions:

1. Teacher Training Specialist - Kathmandu

The Teacher Training Specialist (TTS) will, under the supervision of the Curriculum and Instruction Advisor / Team Lead, and provide support and technical assistance to develop Early Grade Reading (EGR) teacher training materials/manuals under the new integrated curriculum and in support of the National Early Grade Reading Program (NEGRP). The TTS will work closely as part of the Curriculum and Instruction team, as well as with other technical experts, in order to support Centre for Education and Human Resource Development (CEHRD) / Human Resource Development Division (HRDD) in assessing training needs, developing training curricula and programs, developing training materials, overseeing printing and distribution of training materials, co-facilitating pieces of training for master trainers in TPD, and overseeing the technical quality of pieces of training.

The TTS will, as a teacher training technical point person, also support rolling out of district and cluster level teacher training and monitoring and providing technical backstopping as needed. He/she will also provide technical guidance on Local Education Unit (LEU) and local government (LG) capacity building in TPS, as well as integrated curriculum operational research design, implementation, reporting, and dissemination. Finally, the TTS will provide technical guidance for teacher training activities related to the COVID-19 response as needed, and will support work on revising the TPS guidance and development and roll-out of TPS training.

This position directly supports the following Objectives.

Objective 1: Support development and rollout of the new IC and continue to scale up EGR

• Support integrated curriculum rollout and implementation, particularly for teacher training
• Support Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology (MOEST) policy and planning for NEGRP

Supplemental Objective 4: COVID-19 response

• EGR learning engagement for students during extended school closures
• Preparing for EGR instruction upon schools' reopening
• Planning for possible school re-closures

This position contributes to the following Objective.

Objective 3: Improve LGs' ability to improve TPS, coaching, mentorship, and supervision

• Support CEHRD/HRDD to revise TPS guidance and to incorporate a menu of options
• Support LGs to develop and roll-out plans for TPS implementation
• Conduct joint monitoring and coaching

Essential Duties: Main purpose of the job (The primary duties)

Under the supervision of the Curriculum and Instruction Team Lead, the TTS will be responsible for providing Technical Assistance for all EGR training development, implementation, and quality monitoring. (S)he will:

• Work closely with and support CEHRD/HRDD to:

1. Carry out revision and/or development of MTOT and teacher training materials/manuals for teacher professional development (TPD) in early grade reading. It is expected that this will include contributing to the revision of the early grade reading aspects of the integrated curriculum TPD module, and the development of a special 5-day early grade reading training.
2. Plan effective master teacher training for EGR TPD under the integrated curriculum.

• Co-facilitate, with CEHRD / HRDD colleagues, Training of Master Trainers for EGR TPD under the integrated curriculum.
• Work closely with and support CEHRD/HRDD, as well as Education Training Centre (ETCs), to plan and coordinate the rollout of the EGR teacher training across target districts.
• Oversee the development, printing, and distribution of TPD training materials.
• Coordinate with the LEU Capacity Development Team on developing and rolling out LEU capacity development training related to TPD under NEGRP.
• Work closely with the Curriculum and Instruction team and Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) team to develop, roll out and report on a system of teacher training quality monitoring.
• Coordinate with the Teacher Professional Support Specialist and MEL team to develop, roll out and report on TPS activities, including joint monitoring visits by LEU staff and EGRTS District Coordinators.
• Undertake monitoring, in collaboration with CEHRD/HRDD, on a sample basis to determine if teachers are applying the intervention and lessons as planned, and provide structured support to district and LEU-level officials in rolling out instructional best practices.
• Support the Curriculum and Instruction Team Lead in developing master training and teacher training responses under Supplemental Objective 4 on COVID-19 response.
• Provide regular support to the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology (MOEST) identified teacher training experts with respect to the experience and lessons learned.
• Design and facilitate TPD-related capacity building for EGRTS regional/district staff.
• Provide technical guidance on, and collaborate with the MEL team for the design, implementation, reporting, and dissemination of operational research on the rollout of the new integrated curriculum.
• Contribute to routine program management functions, including annual work planning and progress reporting.

Minimum Required Education & Experience for TTS:

• A master's degree in education or a related field with 6 years of relevant experience or Bachelor's Degree and 10 years of experience in developing teacher training curricula and coordinating teacher training activities and inputs.
• Significant experience in education development for reading and/or literacy in early grades.
• Established working relationships with education government counterparts in order to reach a national scale with improved reading performance.
• Experience in meaningful collaboration with government and ministry counterparts, and local capacity development.
• Proven ability as a facilitator/trainer and manager.

2. District Coordinators

for Taplejung, Bhojpur, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Bara, Mustang, Manang, Rashuwa, Sindhuli districts (9 positions).

Based in one of the Early Grade Reading Transition Support (EGRTS) project's 38 target districts, the District Coordinator will be responsible for the implementation of district and local education unit (LEU)-level activities including coordination with the Education Development Coordination Unit (EDCU) and the LEUs within

the target district, the leadership of LEU capacity development efforts, support for teacher professional development and support efforts, and joint monitoring to schools along with LEU staff. H/She will also support LEUs with planning, budgeting, monitoring, and reporting on their National Early Grade Reading Program (NEGRP) activities. H/She also will play a support role in regional-level program planning and budgeting, ensuring a timely, complete, and high-quality implementation of activities within budget parameters.

Overall

1. Coordinate activities with the Regional Technical Coordinator (RTC) and the Regional MEL Coordinator (RMC) under the overall guidance of the Regional Manager (RM) and the Central technical and operations teams.
2. Coordinate with EDCUs, LEUs, and other district and local government structures for planning and rollout of NEGRP activities.
3. Contribute to Annual Work Planning, quarterly reporting, monitoring and evaluation, and other reporting needs as requested.
4. Prepare/compile activity reports and submit it to the RM.

Objective 1 Related

5. Support ETCs, EDCUs, and LEUs for the roll-out of teacher professional development (TPD) training at cluster levels and monitor and report on the quality of those training.
6. Lead dissemination of EGRTS endline results at district/local levels.
7. Support implementation of operational research on integrated curriculum rollout.
8. Advise LEUs in rolling out classroom-based early grade reading assessment (CB-EGRA) and other learning assessments.

Objective 2 Related

9. Facilitate implementation of a rapid assessment of LEU Internet connectivity in all target LEUs.
10. Contribute to activities related to setting up and use of LEU profiles and other data collection efforts at local levels in coordination with RMCs.
11. Monitor and report on the timely, quality delivery of supplementary reading materials to districts and schools and monitoring of book corner establishment in coordination with RMCs.
12. Lead capacity development workshops with clusters of LEUs in NEGRP policy, planning, budget allocation, and reporting.
13. Support implementation of EGRTS-implemented assessments and studies, such as CB-EGRA.
14. Conduct monitoring visits to schools in coordination with LEU staff.

Objective 3 Related

15. Support implementation of operational research on teacher professional support (TPS) activities in coordination with RMCs.
16. Support ETCs, EDCUs, and LEUs for the roll-out of TPD training at cluster levels and monitor and report on the quality of those training.
17. Work with LEUs on implementation and reporting on TPS activities at LEU level.

COVID-19 Related

Support EDCUs and LEUs with activities related to COVID-19 response as needed, potentially including:

18. EGR learning engagement for students during extended school closures.
19. Preparing for EGR instruction upon schools' reopening.
20. Planning for possible school re-closures.

Minimum Required Education & Experience for DC:

Master's degree in Education, public administration, or social science with 1 year of experience or Bachelor's Degree in Education, public administration, or social science with 3 years of experience.

• At least 1 year of experience managing budgets, and logistics to coordinate a large-scale program, preferably in the education sector.
• Experience managing international donor programs and USAID experience highly desirable.
• Extensive field experience in targeted districts and a solid understanding of the realities and complexities of working in hard-to-reach villages with marginalized and disadvantaged groups and integrating crosscutting GESI strategies.
• Demonstrated success in providing hands-on capacity building and technical assistance to partners and stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to develop effective working relationships with government counterparts, local organizations, and other programs and partners.
• Knowledge and experience in providing technical assistance to LEU staff and other government officials in implementing TPS activities.
• Strong oral and written communication skills in Nepali and English.
• Valid motorbike license holder preferred.

To Apply:

Qualified candidates are invited to apply via email to [email protected] by Friday, August 7, 2020. Please clearly mark "Application for - name of the post and district" as a subject of the email. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted. RTI is proud to be an EEO/AA employer M/F/DN.

Females and candidates from disadvantaged and socially excluded groups are highly encouraged to apply.