World Change Starts with Educated Children® 

IMPORTANT: All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the country where the position is located. Room to Read is not able to provide sponsorship.

Position Overview:

The Government of Jharkhand, in partnership with Room to Read and Jharkhand Education Project Council (JEPC), is establishing a State Project Management Unit (SPMU) to enhance the quality of education in the state, with a specific focus on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN). As part of this initiative, Balvatika will focus on early childhood learning interventions for children in the 3–6 age group. The Associate will report directly to Officer, Literacy at State and will support the planning, implementation, and monitoring of Balvatika-related interventions across the state.

Responsibilities:

• Support the design and rollout of Balvatika interventions aligned with NCERT guidelines and NIPUN Bharat mission.
• Contribute to creating developmentally appropriate, contextualized curriculum and other instructional material with the adaptation of the National Early Childhood Education Curriculum, ‘Adhaarshila’, to the Jharkhand context.
• Coordinate with JEPC, SCERT, and DIETs to align early learning goals with the state’s academic calendar and training plans.
• Assist in developing the Training content, including framework, training modules.
• Organize and support training programs for teachers, Anganwadi workers, and master trainers at state, district, and block levels.
• Participate in classroom observations and learning assessments at selected sites.
• Provide feedback to improve ECE delivery and the learning environment based on the observation findings.
• Monitor implementation progress of Balvatika components in identified schools and Anganwadi-linked Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) centers.
• Conduct field visits and collect qualitative and quantitative data on early learning indicators.
• Prepare documentation, progress reports, and case studies highlighting best practices and challenges.
• Provide administrative and technical support to the SPMU team related to early childhood education.
• Liaise with stakeholders including government bodies, partners, and academic institutions.

Qualifications:

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Education, Child Development, Social Work, or relevant field. Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum 2-3 years of experience in early childhood education, FLN projects, or related development sector roles.
• Strong understanding of pedagogy in Early childhood years. Effective learning ways for children, the role of the classroom environment in learning.
• Understanding of ECCE curriculum and NIPUN Bharat guidelines.
• Proficient in data collection, analysis, and report writing.
• Experience working with government systems, particularly in Jharkhand or similar contexts.
• Strong communication skills in Hindi and English.
• Willingness to travel extensively within the state.

Compensation:

Room to Read offers a competitive salary with excellent benefits. Benefits include thirteenth month bonus, health insurance and a retirement plan. The non-monetary compensation includes a unique opportunity to be part of an innovative, meaningful, and rapidly growing organization that is changing transforming the lives of millions of children in developing countries on literacy and gender equality in education.

Room to Read is a child-safe organization.

Read is a child-safe organization; all personnel must adhere to Room to Read’s Child Protection Policy, Child Protection Code of Conduct and Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) Policy.

Room to Read is an equal opportunity employer committed to identifying and developing the skills and leadership of people from diverse backgrounds.

Child Protection Principles

• Room to Read is committed to the education and welfare of children and protecting them from abuse and exploitation
• Room to Read has zero tolerance for child abuse and exploitation.
• All children have the right to be free from abuse and exploitation, including neglect, maltreatment, and physical, mental or sexual violence, injury or abuse.
• All children should be treated with respect and dignity.
• The well-being of the child is Room to Read’s first priority when dealing with all identified or suspected cases of child abuse.
• Room to Read shall integrate child protection into all its organizational strategies, structures and work practices.

Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) Principles

• Room to Read Representatives must create and maintain an environment that prevents sexual exploitation and sexual abuse.
• Room to Read has zero tolerance for adult sexual exploitation and abuse. 
• Sexual exploitation and abuse are serious violations of fundamental human rights and will not be accepted or tolerated.
• All adults should be treated with respect and dignity.
• Room to Read implements a survivor-centered approach, putting the survivor’s rights and dignity at the forefront.
• Survivors referred to available professional assistance (e.g. mental health counselling), upon consent.

About Room to Read:   

Founded in 2000 on the belief that World Change Starts with Educated Children®, Room to Read envisions a world free from illiteracy and gender inequality, where all children have room to read, learn and grow – creating lasting change. Through our Literacy Portfolio, we train and coach teachers of the early grades in literacy instruction; create and publish quality books and curricular materials in local languages; and establish children’s libraries filled with diverse children’s books that can be enjoyed at school and home. Our Gender Equality Portfolio supports adolescents, particularly girls, in developing life skills that promote gender equality, helping them to pursue lifelong learning and make informed decisions.

We support young people of all genders to overcome gender biases and build the knowledge and skills to create a gender-equal world. Room to Read collaborates with local communities, partner organizations, publishers, and governments to test and implement innovative models that can be integrated into the education system to deliver positive outcomes for children at scale. To date, Room to Read has benefited more than 50 million children in 28 countries.

Learn more at www.roomtoread.org.