Director – Literacy & Education Programs

Job description – Director – Literacy & Education Programs

Room to Read Sri Lanka is seeking a visionary Director – Literacy & Education Programs to champion our mission of transforming lives through education. As a senior leader within our Country Management Team, you will steer the strategic direction of our literacy portfolio, ensuring that every initiative—from classroom instruction to the publishing of children’s books—resonates with national education priorities and delivers world-class learning outcomes for children across the island.

Responsibilities

1. Portfolio Leadership & Quality • Lead the design, implementation, and quality assurance of the Sri Lanka literacy portfolio (instruction, libraries, and book publishing). • Ensure global Room to Read literacy frameworks are well understood, appropriately adapted, and effectively implemented in Sri Lanka. • Use research, monitoring, and evaluation data to guide program improvements and decision-making. • Ensure alignment of literacy programs with Government of Sri Lanka priorities and systems, including accelerated or large-scale initiatives.

2. Team Management & Coordination • Recruit, manage, coach, and develop literacy staff; provide regular performance feedback. • Identify staff capacity-building needs and work with People Operations to address them. • Ensure strong coordination between literacy teams and Program Operations. • Contribute to overall country strategy and decision-making as a member of the Country Management Team.

3. Program Design, Implementation & Monitoring • Collaborate with global literacy teams to adapt and implement programs that influence Sri Lanka education and publishing systems. • Review curriculum materials, children’s books, and training content to ensure technical quality. • Conduct field visits to monitor program implementation, training effectiveness, and stakeholder engagement. • Recommend program improvements to strengthen efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability. • Support procurement and administrative processes related to literacy programming, including documentation and reporting.

4. Planning, Reporting & Documentation • Work with Program Operations on government agreements, budgets, planning, and reporting. • Oversee the collection, analysis, and use of program data to strengthen literacy outcomes. • Document effective practices, lessons learned, and success stories for internal and external use. • Propose and support studies or research activities to capture learning from program implementation. • Contribute to donor proposals, reports, and donor meetings in collaboration with Development and Communications teams.

5. External Engagement & Thought Leadership • Lead engagement with government counterparts, publishers, and education stakeholders. • Build partnerships that support system integration, advocacy, and sustainability of literacy initiatives. • Represent Room to Read at relevant forums, workshops, and conferences. • Coordinate with other NGOs and partners to promote learning, collaboration, and shared impact.

Qualifications

Required • Master’s degree in Education, International Development, Early Childhood Development, Public Administration, or a related field. • At least 10 years of professional experience in primary education, literacy, or children’s book publishing. • Minimum 3 years in a senior management or leadership role. • Strong knowledge of early grade reading pedagogy and literacy research. • Understanding of the role of books, libraries, and instructional materials in early literacy development. • Experience working with the Ministry of Education, government schools, and local communities in Sri Lanka. • Proven experience in program planning, design, and quality assurance. • Demonstrated people management skills, including coaching and mentoring. • Strong written and spoken communication skills in English and Sinhala and/or Tamil. • Ability to represent the organization with senior government officials, donors, and partners. • Willingness and ability to travel frequently within Sri Lanka.

Preferred • Background in linguistics or language education. • Experience teaching at the primary level. • Experience developing curriculum, instructional materials, or children’s books.

This Colombo-based executive role offers the chance to merge high-level advocacy with hands-on technical leadership. By joining Room to Read, you will not only manage a dedicated team and substantial program operations but also serve as a key thought leader in the Sri Lankan education sector, fostering the partnerships and systemic changes necessary to ensure every child becomes a lifelong learner.

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