Program Operations Director, Tanzania

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, Vietnam, and Zambia – countries with a desperate lack of resources to educate their children. Since our inception, Room to Read’s worldwide team has impacted over 7 million children by constructing more than 1,600 schools, establishing over 15,000 libraries, publishing 800 new children’s book titles in 11 local languages, and rewarding over 20,000 girls with long-term, holistic scholarships.

Room to Read has an annual budget of approximately US$43.7 million and our global staff numbers over 500. Our global headquarters is located in San Francisco, and we have smaller fundraising offices in Delhi, New York, Hong Kong, London, Mumbai, Sydney, and Tokyo. We have an Asia Regional Office located in New Delhi and program offices in Colombo, Dar es Salaam, Dhaka, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Kathmandu, Lusaka, New Delhi, Pretoria, Phnom Penh, and Vientiane. 

Position Overview:

This position is part of the Country Management team. This is a senior management Country position primarily responsible for leadership with the strategic and tactical execution on all work related to implementing Room to Read’s Literacy Programs and Girls’ Education Program. The Program Operations Director will oversee the implementation, coordination, development, reporting and expansion of our current and prospective Program and Administrative work. The position will report directly to the Country Director and will directly supervise the programs implementation teams.  The incumbent will also work closely with the country Literacy Director who provides technical expertise. Regular travel to all geographical areas where Room to Read works will be required.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Direct and ensure efficient, effective and timely management of all designated program development, implementation, budgeting and internal controls per the design created by the technical programs staff.
• Supervise, coach and mentor the Field Operation Managers who are responsible for overseeing the implementation of program activities in specified geographical areas, including budgeting, scheduling, reporting and other project implementation related tasks for their assigned schools.
• Responsible for overseeing and facilitating the completion of donor reporting and timely and accurate data entry in Room to Read’s Global Solutions Database.
• Responsible for timely reporting on the status of implementation to the Country Management Team and Regional and Global Office.
• Responsible for the coordination and leadership on procurement, inventory management, and distribution.
• Facilitates communication between the technical team at the Country Office level and the field level implementation team, and ensure utilization of research, monitoring and evaluation data to inform implementation.
• Develop Country Office program implementation calendar and budgeting processes in coordination with the Country Office Field Operations Managers and Programs staff.
• Collaborate with Human Resources to handle recruitment and training of staff according to need.
• Conduct Field Operations Managers appraisals.
• Prepare terms of agreement for outside program consultants and oversee the non-technical aspects of their work.
• Visit project sites to support and supervise program implementation.
• Develop and implement ideas that address program priorities in collaboration the technical program staff, provide input into strategic and operational planning exercises. 
• Collaborate with relevant in-country, regional, and global office staff to strengthen and improve program impact and sustainability.
• Ensure high quality achievement of annual goals.
• Collaborate with the Programs, and Research, Monitoring and Evaluation (RM&E) team to support RM&E of all programs.
• Prepare the annual project permission and fund release documents and persuasion to obtain such permission from the NGO affairs bureau, Directorate of Primary Education and with the other government bodies both at the national and district level.
• Identify, track and document program trends, lessons learned and best practices and report to Country Office Program technical staff to consider in improving program designs.
• Ensure that organizational, governmental and donor reports are high quality and provided on a timely basis.
• Explore shared-learning and networking opportunities.
• Ensure government approval and legal compliance of the programs implemented directly or through Room to Read partners.
• Develop and manage relationships with government, NGOs and appropriate educational bodies as related to program implementation.
• Represent Room to Read at relevant meetings and assist in planning and hosting donor visits.
• Provide regular updates on program implementation and plans to the Country Director.
• Participate in any other activities as required to fulfill the objectives of the organization.
• Manages Admin team and Field Manager(s). 

Qualifications:

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Management or other related field
• A minimum 10 years of professional experience, including 3 years working in a senior managerial role
• Working knowledge and understanding of project management methodology and software
• Experience in working or volunteering in a non-profit organization
• Strong planning, budgetary, supervising, and project implementation skills
• Ability to travel regularly to project sites and Province or District offices throughout the Country
• Strong English verbal and written communication skills
• Proven track record of achieving results

Preferred:

• Prior success working closely and building relationships with diverse groups of people
• Effectiveness in working or volunteering in a non-profit organization that is focused on maintaining high quality work and low overhead
• Prior experience in a fast-paced, growth-oriented global or regional organization
• Ability to juggle multiple priorities simultaneously and take initiative
• Prior experience living and/or working in rural areas,
• Prior experience working with schools, teachers, administrators and government officials
• Experience in successful implementation of a wide range of tasks as well as developing and implementing improvements in a prior position

To be successful as a member of the Room to Read team, you will also:

• Have a passion for our mission and a strong desire to impact an up-and-coming non-profit organization
• Be an innovative and creative thinker – you are not afraid to try something new and inspire others to do so
• Have a very high level of personal and professional integrity and trustworthiness
• Have a strong work ethic and require minimal direction
• Work well independently as well as part of a team
• Thrive in a fast-paced and fun environment

Compensation:

Room to Read offers a competitive salary with excellent benefits. Benefits including 13^th month bonus, provident fund, medical allowance and check-up, health and accidental insurances for staff and their family; leaves and staff professional development. 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 in developing countries by focusing on literacy and gender equality in education.

Application Procedure:

Please send a cover letter and resume by email, with “[POD TZ ]” in the subject line, to tz.hiring@roomtoread.org or send by post to Associate Director Africa, Room to Read Tanzania, Post Box 105459, Ileje Street, Mikocheni B, Plot No 36, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

If you do not hear from Room to Read within one month of the closing date, please accept that your application was unsuccessful. Please note that late applications will not be considered and correspondence will be limited to short-listed candidates only. 

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

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