Literacy Director, Program Operations

• locations
• Sri Lanka - Main - Colombo

• time type
• Full time

• posted on
• Posted Today

• time left to apply
• End Date: June 30, 2026 (30+ days left to apply)

• job requisition id
• R-03197

World Change Starts with Educated Children® 

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

This position is responsible for overseeing the overall design, technical quality, and program outcomes of Room to Read’s literacy portfolio. The literacy director manages the literacy team, which includes the instruction, school libraries, and book publishing portfolio. The position will closely collaborate with program operations, and is a member of the country management team, reporting to the country director. This position will be based in Colombo, Sri Lanka and will require regular travel to project sites and district offices.

Duties & Responsibilities

 Portfolio Leadership & Quality

• Responsible for quality and outcomes of country-wide literacy portfolio (instruction, libraries, and book publishing), utilizing research, monitoring and evaluation data.

• Ensures global literacy portfolio guidelines are understood, adapted as needed, and implemented in line with strategic vision.

• Leads literacy team in strategic vision, thought leadership, work planning, and collaboration to achieve literacy portfolio objectives.

• Initiate advocacy and network for new national-level partnerships that lead to more integration and image building of Room to Read (RtR).

• Responsible for countrywide and national level accelerated program activities and ensuring all planned activities are aligned with the Government and Room to Read priorities and ensuring quality outcomes that ensure system integration.

Management and Coordination

• Provides technical expertise with the recruitment, training, and development of literacy staff, and shares regular feedback on their performance.

• Identifies literacy staff capacity-building and professional development needs and collaborates with the people operations team to address the needs.

• Ensures strong coordination and collaboration between literacy staff and program operations.

• Serves as a member of the country management team, which provides overall support and direction for the work of Room to Read in country.

Program Design, Implementation, Training, and Monitoring

• Collaborates with the global literacy portfolio team members in developing, adapting, and implementing program to influence government education and publishing systems.

• Reviews key program materials (curriculum

  andstorybooks) and trainings to ensure quality.

• Visits program sites to assess effectiveness of program design and implementation, training, workshops, and relationship-building with stakeholders and field staff.

• Researches and recommends improvements to the Room to Read literacy program for a more efficient and effective country program

• Provides support to administrative team in purchase and procurement for literacy programming, including documentation and reporting of procurements.

Planning, Reporting and Documentation

• Collaborates with program operations in government agreements, periodic budget development, reviews and reporting processes.

• Oversees the collection, documentation and sharing of effective practices from the literacy portfolio with global program team members and marketing/communications, as appropriate.

• Oversees the collection and usage of program metrics that can be analyzed by research, monitoring, and evaluation to enhance the effectiveness of the literacy portfolio.

• Suggest studies/research for program learnings to capture success stories, understand the processes and document accelerated program activities.

• Collaborates with Development and Communications teams to write program-specific portions of funding proposals, giving input into fundraising strategies for the program, prepare reports, and meet with donors, as required.

Networking and Thought Leadership

• Leads external engagement with key government and book publishing leaders within the country to promote Room to Read’s work and build relationships to influence systems.

• Explores opportunities with government to obtain support (for example, financial support, public acknowledgment of Room to Read’s work, advocacy for successful Room to Read literacy portfolio), as well as replicate Room to Read’s ideas and innovations into the mainstream education and publishing systems in the country.

• Represents Room to Read by attending and speaking at relevant forums and advocates for the importance of literacy portfolio work and publishing thought leadership locally or globally.

• Liaises with other Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) running similar programs to identify areas of knowledge sharing and possible collaboration.

Qualifications

Required:

• Master’s degree required in a related field of study (e.g. MA, MSS, MPA, or MSc in International Education, Development Studies, Education, or Early Childhood Development)

• Minimum of 10 years of work experience in a field focused on primary education and/or book publishing, with a minimum of three years in a senior management capacity

• Knowledge of early grade reading pedagogy, approaches and research, and the government early grades literacy curriculum

• Understanding of the role of books and materials in development of early grade reading skills

• Experience working with the ministry of education, government schools, and with local communities

• Demonstrated leadership in program planning and design

• Excellent managerial and interpersonal skills, including skills of coaching and mentoring people

• Knowledge of organizations in the field of early grade reading/literacy in Sri Lanka and abroad.

• Effective English and Sinhala/ Tamil communication skills (oral and written) and capability to relate and interact with multicultural teams and represent the organization in professional forums

• A proven ability to establish effective working relationships and partnerships with diverse stakeholders, including donors and ability to travel frequently and occasionally on short notice

Preferred

• Knowledge of linguistics or experience in language education at the primary level

• Experience teaching at the primary level

• Experience developing curriculum, children’s books, or instruction materials for children

Compensation

Room to Read offers competitive pay with excellent benefits. Benefits include health, dental, vision, long-term disability insurance, Personal Accident cover and other statutory benefits. The non-monetary compensation includes a unique opportunity to be part of an innovative, meaningful, fun, and rapidly growing organization that is changing transforming the lives of millions of children by focusing on literacy and gender equality in education.

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.

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