Officer, Gender Equality Portfolio

Room to read; Jharkhand; On-site; INR 900,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Thirteenth month bonus

Health insurance

Retirement plan

Job summary

Room to Read is seeking a Program Officer to support Project Sampoorna at state and district levels, coordinating with government stakeholders, NGOs, schools and communities. The role involves capacity-building, teacher training, and donor reporting, with extensive field travel and collaboration across teams.

The ideal candidate has a Master’s in a relevant field and 5–8 years of experience in girls’ education, gender issues, and government engagement, with strong planning and interpersonal

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in education, social work, development, or gender studies.
• Minimum 5–8 years of relevant work experience in girls’ education, gender, life skills, socio-emotional learning and government engagement.
• Experience living/working in rural or semi-urban areas, Jharkhand preferred.
• Experience working closely with teachers and government.
• Willingness to travel extensively to other states and districts.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain partnerships with NGOs, CBOs, and local institutions for Project Sampoorna.
• Coordinate regular partner check-ins, meetings, and progress updates.
• Prepare program reports, case studies, and success stories for donors.
• Lead curriculum development and co-creation with partners and national teams.
• Manage logistics for state-level events, trainings, and stakeholder meetings.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Organizational skills

Stakeholder engagement

Hindi language

English language

Education

Master’s degree in education/social work/development/Gender Studies

Job description

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 Program Officer will play a key role in supporting the design and delivery of the Project Sampoorna at the state and district levels as well as will render technical support to the state and the Country Office team on the gender mainstreaming initiative of the organization. The position involves close coordination with government stakeholders, partner NGOs, schools, and communities. The Program Officer will support partnership management, organize events and capacity‑building workshops and teacher training, identify and mentor local champions, and ensure timely documentation and reporting of activities. The role requires extensive field engagement, relationship management, and strong organizational skills. The position will report to the State Head of Jharkhand and will have reporting as well. The position will also work closely with the Country Office Gender Portfolio, Program Ops, RM&E and other teams as and when needed.

Responsibilities

Partnership & Program Management

• Build and maintain strong partnerships with NGOs, CBOs, and local institutions involved in Project Sampoorna's implementation.
• Coordinate regular partner check-ins, meetings, and follow-ups to ensure alignment with program goals.
• Track partnership deliverables and share updates with the State Lead bi-weekly.
• Prepare monthly and quarterly program progress reports, case studies, and success stories.
• Maintain systematic documentation of meetings, events, and field visits.
• Support donor and internal reporting requirements.
• Support Program Assistants in the implementation of the Sampoorna 2.o activities in the implementation districts.
• Conduct monthly one on one and quarterly performance review of the team members.
• Provide technical oversight to the program assistants and support them in their coaching and communication with government officials and schools.
• Identify areas of improvement and learning in their capabilities and plan capacity‑building activities in discussion with the national team.

Curriculum Development and Training/ Event Management

• Lead and support content creation/cocreation at the state level in collaboration with other partners.
• Lead and represent RTR in all the Community of Design & Practices Plan and organise offline/online workshops, consultations and meetings with partners and the National team.
• Manage logistics including invitations, venues, materials, and documentation, briefs, presentations, and program updates for stakeholders.
• Ensure events are effectively executed with visibility for Project Sampoorna.
• Conduct interviews, focus group discussions, and regular feedback sessions with students, teachers, and stakeholders.
• Capture field insights and share learnings with the program team to inform planning.

Government & Stakeholder Management

• Liaise with district and state-level education officials to ensure alignment with government priorities.
• Represent RtR in meetings, consultations, and policy discussions and all other Sampoorna related meetings/ calls.
• Plan and organise trainings for internal staff as well as external stakeholders, workshops, consultations, and state/district-level events including the event with govt. representation.
• Rendering technical support to the state team toward building the gender mainstreaming narrative in the overall work of the state including the work around SPMU etc.

Other Key Assignment

• Participate in the annual planning and budgeting process, ensuring accurate forecasting and timely submission of expenses to the state office.
• Support annual planning and budgeting processes, including expense forecasting and timely submissions.
• Undertake additional responsibilities aligned with organizational objectives in consultation with the State and National Teams.
• Build a strong understanding of Room to Read’s Girls’ Education Program, theory of change, frameworks, and tools, and orient the team accordingly.
• Any other responsibilities assigned by the state heads.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in education/social work/development/Gender Studies or equivalent.
• Minimum 5-8 years of relevant work experience in areas of girls' education, gender, life skills, Social Emotional Learning and govt engagement.
• Prior experience of living and/or working in rural and semi-urban areas.
• Prior experience of working in Jharkhand would be beneficial especially in life skills and gender space.
• Previous experience working closely with schoolteachers and government.
• This position requires extensive travel to other states, district/block levels.
• Good interpersonal skills and a team player.
• Strong organizational and planning skills, including the ability to monitor program implementation progress.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously and take initiative.
• Previous experience working closely with diverse groups of people.
• Good knowledge of Hindi and English.

Compensation and Benefits

Room to Read offers a competitive salary with excellent benefits. 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.

• Benefits include thirteenth month bonus, health insurance and a retirement plan.

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

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.

Founded in 2000 on the belief that World Change Starts with Educated Children®, Room to Read is creating a world free from illiteracy and gender inequality through education.

Thank you for considering a career with Room to Read. I was first attracted to Room to Read because of the mission to create a world free from illiteracy and gender inequality. What I have found here is the joy in working with a group of extraordinary people towards this bold goal. In my work, I aim to shape an inclusive and supportive organizational culture where everyone feels valued and respected, and where we each thrive. Our team members are our greatest asset, and I am personally committed to creating an environment that supports both personal and professional growth and empowers individuals from everywhere in the world to contribute their best. I hope you will join us in creating a better, more equal world. Cynthia Orme Chief People and Technology Officer