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 GEP Manager is responsible for providing strategic leadership and ensuring the technical quality of Room to Read Sri Lanka’s Gender Equality and Girls’ Education Program (GEP) across both direct and accelerated implementation models. The role ensures the GEP team is equipped to deliver high-quality program content aligned with Vision 2025 and the country strategy. The Manager leads the development of partnerships to integrate proven gender portfolio components into government systems and drives scalable, gender-transformative interventions designed for sustainable integration within the national education system. Working closely with the Global Office (GO) Regional GEP Representative, the Manager serves as the Country Office’s technical lead, developing strategies that support Room to Read’s organizational goals and country priorities. The role is responsible for strengthening the capacity of the GEP team through training, coaching, technical guidance, and ongoing performance monitoring. Additionally, the Manager provides leadership and technical support to Country Office and field staff to ensure effective implementation of contextualized Girls’ Education Program resources in line with Vision 2025 and the country strategy. The position also supports the review, adaptation, and implementation of global program resources and implementation packages. The GEP Manager directly supervises Program Officers at the Country Office and provides technical oversight to field-based teams. As a member of the Country Management Team (CMT), the Manager reports directly to the Country Director (CD).

Responsibilities

Program Management, Contextualization, Training and Coordination

• Develop, design and lead gender-transformative interventions that are scalable and designed for integration into the country education system in both direct and accelerated approaches
• Lead government collaboration to integrate and mainstream core elements of our girls’ education and gender equality portfolio into government school systems.
• Review and revise worldwide Gender Equality Program content and professional learning materials for Sri Lanka, in collaboration with the regional GEP representative (PDTA).
• Build capacity of GEP core team staff in the use of contextualized program content and professional learning materials, in collaboration with the PDTA team, including delivering necessary orientations and trainings.
• Provide technical oversight of Core GEP staff and Social Mobilizers (SMs); including providing ongoing capacity building, on-site coaching, and technical support as required to address issues of program implementation quality in content areas.
• Provide general technical support to Core GEP staff in program content areas where contextualized worldwide content and professional development are not yet available.
• Provide input into performance evaluations of core GEP staff as needed.
• Monitor and collect feedback/best practices on the use of contextualized program content and professional learning materials, including conducting regular field visits.
• Provide regular feedback to the Global PDTA team on the use and effectiveness of contextualized program content and professional learning materials to improve design and content.
• Revise contextualized program content and professional learning materials as needed based on learnings from field implementation, in collaboration with the GO PDTA team.
• Serve as a member of the CMT, which provides overall support and direction for the work of RtR in country.
• Travel frequently to the field and schools to monitor and provide on-site support to the GEP team and field leaders.
• Design and implement different types of life skills and other customized programs depending on the needs of the girls and make sure that the programs are operating satisfactorily, and the girls benefit from the program.
• Develop and help support Program Officers to conduct mentoring to the sponsored girls as per their needs.

Planning, Reporting, and Documentation

• Develop department strategies and goals in consultation with the core GEP team and field leadership to meet the country goals. Prepare milestones and activities on the same working closely with the country team and GO PDTA team.
• Support country leadership to explore possible partnerships, fundraising possibilities, and through preparation of documentation including concept notes and proposals.
• Provide technical expertise with the Country Research, Monitoring & Evaluation (RM&E) team to support design, implementation, and refinement of monitoring and evaluation systems and procedures used to track progress against planned program outcomes and undertake required studies/surveys
• Provide technical input to the Program Operations Director(POD) to analyze annual program goals and budgets to ensure alignment with organizational strategies and priorities, as needed.
• Provide technical input to the POD on developing and providing oversight of the implementation calendar, PIC, budget, annual planning, procurement plan, quarterly reporting, and overall tracking of program implementation and spending, as needed.
• Prepare and review program reports as necessary.
• Support the communications manager to capture success stories and other relevant documentation.
• Carry out other activities as and when required, in the guidance of CD.

Government Coordination and External Networking

• Develop and implement a mechanism in coordination with field leaders and POD for building stronger relationships with the government at all levels in relation to girls’ education and gender equality portfolio.
• Develop and maintain relationships with community and school members, local educational authorities, government officials at national and sub-national levels, and other NGOs as needed for program mobilization and possibilities of partnership leading to scale up and integration.
• Represent RtR internally and externally by attending and speaking at relevant forums, and advocate for the importance of girls’ education and gender equality program work.
• Liaise with and explore opportunities for knowledge sharing with NGOs, experts, and institutions involved with girls’ education.
• Recommend schools and/or Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) partners to work with in supporting the program recipients in line with the RTR policy.
• Develop and maintain good working relationships with school and/or NGO partners’ management team, education department, local authorities, and the parents. Schedule and conduct regular meetings with them to monitor the girls’ progress and address issues as they arise and take remedial action.
• Represent Room to Read at relevant meetings and occasionally assist in hosting key donor visits as directed by POD / CD.

Qualifications

Required:

• Master’s degree in a related field of study, e.g: education, social work, Gender
• A minimum of 7 years of relevant professional experience in a similar capacity in the field of gender equality, education, life skills education, and/or community-and youth-development, and /or Girls education.
• Strong and proven records of planning, supervising, program development, and program monitoring & evaluation skills (Skills in having developed a Logical Framework for a program will be an added value)
• Good knowledge and understanding of education issues, including teaching methodologies, life skills, bridge course development, implementation, and monitoring process.
• Ability to travel frequently to RTR working areas throughout the country and to prospective areas of operation.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills in English
• Proven track record of achieving results, prior success working and building relationships with diverse groups of people and understanding of monitoring, evaluation, and process documentation
• Proven track record in developing and implementing program improvements that achieve results.
• Knowledge, understanding, and experience in conducting training for adults and adolescents.
• Experience adapting program and/or training content to fit different contexts and strong computer skills and proficiency with Microsoft Office programs

Preferred:

• Significant experience working in Sri Lanka with government agencies, government schools, teachers, youth workers, and school-going adolescents.
• Experience with mentoring, coaching, and/or providing capacity building support and effectiveness in working in a non-governmental organization that is focused on maintaining high-quality work and low overhead.
• Prior experience in a fast-paced, growth-oriented global/regional organization and ability to handle multiple priorities simultaneously and take initiative.

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.