Job Opportunity at Room to Read Tanzania, Material Development Coordinator

MATERIAL DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR

Organization Profile Room to Read seeks to transform the lives of millions of children in developing countries by focusing on literacy and gender equality in education. Working in collaboration with local communities, partner organizations and governments, we develop literacy skills and a habit of reading among primary school children, and support girls to complete secondary school with the relevant life skills to succeed in school and' beyond.

We are non-governmental, non-religious and work with .many local NGOs and community based organizations to implement our programs. We currently work in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Laos, Nepal. South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and Vietnam - countries with a desperate lack of resources to educate their children. Since our inception, Room to Read's worldwide team has impacted over 7.8 million children by constructing more than 1,600 schools, establishing over 15,000 libraries, publishing 874 new children's book titles in 27 local languages, and reaching over 20,000 girls through our Girls' Education program.

With funding from USAID, and in partnership with Research Triangle Institute (RTI), Room to Read is working with government to implement Reading and Writing material development for Tusome Pamoja Project. The project is contributing to the national effort to improve learning outcomes by focusing investments in four regions of Tanzania Mainland (Ruvuma, Mtwara, Moroqoro and Iringa) and all regions in Zanzibar, consisting of 34 districts; and reaching 1.4 million Tanzanian children in Standards (Stds) 1-4. Room to Read is providing technical assistance to the project to develop instructional and learning materials for reading and writing for standards 1- 4 to implement the 3Rs strategy for improving reading, writing, and arithmetic learning in early grades. It develops, design and publish Kiswahili teaching and learning materials for early grade reading and writing. The Tusome Pamoja continues the US Government's (USG's) support to the Government of Tanzania's (GOT's) efforts to implement this educational reform on a national scale. To ensure that project materials are of high quality and contextualized, we are looking for competent, self- driven, knowledgeable individuals to fill the "Materials Development Specialist position, to drive mission of Tusome Pamoja Project.

Materials Development Coordinator Position Overview
Primary responsibilities of the Materials Development Coordinator include assisting in various processes of the operationalization of the development of instructional and learning materials that include the existing early grade reading and writing curricula and in the development of new various reading and arithmetic materials in Kiswahili for students from pre-primary to grade 4, student writing journals, and the accompanying teachers' reading and writing guides. The position will be based in the USAID Tusome Pamoja Project office in Dar es Salaam and will be reporting directly to the Senior Reading Specialist with matrix reporting to the 'Room to Red Tanzania Country Director. The length of contract for this positlon will be twelve months. The incumbent will work approximately 260 days in a year.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Coordinating the process of curriculum and material review as well as revision when needed, in collaboration with project and project personnel.
• Provide day to day support to illustrators, graphic designers and curriculum developers to ensure high quality of the materials developed. 
• Work with RtR admin staff in the .preparation of task orders and submit task orders for review.
• Provide technical support in development of new decodable and leveled texts for grades 1 and 2, student readers for grades 3 and 4, teachers guides and student writing journals.
• Assist in development of pre-primary teaching and learning and arithmetic materials and accompanying teachers guide for arithmetic
• Timely and accurate submission of time sheet to the Senior Literacy Specialist
• Participate in all required Tusome Pamoja meetings, workshops and reviews.
• Provide reports and necessary data required that will contribute to the quarterly and annual reports
• Work closely with printers duril1g the production of book dummies
• Submit materials to Tanzania Institute of Education (TIE) that requires government approval
• Receive contractors' invoices and prepare certificate of completion for approval.
• Participate in all meetings with Room to Read staff on a regular basis to share project experiences.

Qualifications Required

• Bachelor's degree in Education, curriculum development or related field.
• In depth understanding of education system in Tanzania
• Adept at using computer software such as Excel, Word and PowerPoint.
• Good command of written and spoken English
• Knowledge and understanding of local book publishing industry. Understanding of international material development practices will be added advantage.
• Knowledge and Experience of printing and publication process.
• Manuscript editing, design and layout experience (Ability to use Adobe CC is an added advantage)
• Workshop Facilitation and training skills
• Multi-tasking skills
• Willing and able to work in a fast-paced, growth-oriented environment
• Flexible attitude towards changing priorities and ability to multi task.
• Takes initiative and is a team player
• Excellent interpersonal skills

Preferred
3 to 4 years of experience in educational material development, preferably in an international NGO environment or publishing house

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

please send a cover letter and resume by email with matrials development coordinator in the subject line to tz.info@roomtoread.org or send by post to the

HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER,
ROOM TO READ TANZANIA,
PLOT NO 14, SENGA STREET, ROSE GARDEN RD,
MIKOCHENI A

Deadline is 14 th August 2017
source Mwananchi 11 Augus, 2017