Reading Advisor

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 provide technical 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.     

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:

• Lead senior technical staff in country to develop and design instructional support and supplemental materials for early grade reading.   Specifically this includes: student activity books to accompany daily reading lessons for grades 1 and 2; decodable stories for emerging readers; leveled readers; and additional instructional support materials as needed.
• Train project staff to train and support teachers in early grade reading instruction.
• Work closely with local staff to train a pool of reading specialists selected from provincial and regional level education officials.
• Work in close coordination with senior project staff to strengthen the reading curricula of pre-service teacher training institutes.
• Provide technical input, alongside the PRP Research, Evaluation and Learning Advisor, into the development of an overall PRP learning agenda for reading and work with project staff to learn about some of the new and innovative approaches being implemented in improving students’ reading. 

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
• Strong knowledge and experience with education research and evaluations preferred
• 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
• Excellent communication skills, cultural sensitivity, flexibility, ability to improvise, team player.
• Fluency in  spoken and written English required; proficiency and/or fluency in Urdu preferred

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.