Program Officer, Gender Equality Portfolio (GEP)

JOB DESCRIPTION

Position: Program Officer, GEP (Scale up PO)

Location: Hanoi/ HCMC

Employment: Full time

Expected starting day: 07/2026

Organizational Profile

Founded in 2000 on the belief that World Change Starts with Educated Children®, Room to Read is creating a world free from illiteracy and gender inequality through education. We are achieving this goal by helping children in historically low-income communities develop literacy skills and a habit of reading, and by supporting girls as they build life skills to succeed in secondary school and negotiate key life decisions. Room to Read collaborates with local communities, partner organizations 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 45 million children and has worked in 24 countries and in more than 213,000 communities, providing additional support through remote solutions that facilitate learning beyond the classroom. Learn more at www.roomtoread.org.

Room to Read’s Gender Equality Portfolio (GEP)

Room to Read’s Girls’ Education Program ensures that girls complete secondary school and have the skills to negotiate key life decisions, aims to Gender Equality as well. We collaborate with local communities, partner organizations and governments towards these goals. Our program reinforces girls’ commitment to their own education, works with girls to develop essential life skills and increases support for girls’ education among their parents, school staff, and communities. We ensure each girl gets the material and emotional support she needs to succeed in school and beyond through an enhanced approach that includes academic support, mentoring and life skills training. We set measurable goals and are committed to collecting action-oriented data to ensure our programs are run with quality and impact, while maximizing cost efficiencies.

Position Overview

The position is responsible for assisting the GEP Senior Program Manager in strengthening the program’s strategic partnership with National Government stakeholders to integrate the program components in the education system and increase program scale and sustainability. The Program Officer directly involves in program design and ensures the delivery of pilot projects or experimental programs or scale-up initiatives under the scope of GEP. The Program Officer facilitates the National Government’s engagement in GEP implementation at fields, implements scale up programs and provides technical inputs to the field staff and partners while implementing the GEP standard programs.

The incumbent will be based in Hanoi/ HCMC office with regular traveling to the project sites and will directly report to the GEP Senior Program Manager.

Roles & Responsibilities

Project Design, Training and Implementation

Design

Collaborative work in the technical team to map out the realization of GEP strategic initiatives: strengthening life skills education in the General Education Curriculum, school mentoring and gender equality.
Provide assistance to the GEP Senior Program Manager in developing staff and partners’ understanding of the project designs, transfer them to field practices.
Provide assistance to the GEP Senior Program Manager in coordination with RM&E and GEP technical team to design surveys and research to identify opportunities for new projects supporting GEP scale and integration in the education system in key areas.
Provides technical assistance to the GEP team and shares knowledge, experience and skills for developing manuals, training modules and documenting best practices.
Involve actively in the process of revising and designing the training materials, modules which will be delivered to partners and the target groups.
Work with consultant for translation, and develop materials (tools, handout…) as needed.

Training and Implementation

In collaboration with GEP Technical team, work with GEP Field Managers & field project teams to plan and deliver the trainings courses as planned to field relevant partners and school teachers, to ensure its technical quality implemented effectively.
Follows-up quality implementation of all related GEP programs & activities to make sure that the programs and scale up projects are implemented at fields in accordance with guidelines and the program/ project designs.
Provide technical guidance to core teachers and school teachers on program implementation in line with program design.
Help the GEP Senior Program Manager and Field Managers in charge of the area of assignment ensure overall program quality, including local adaptation of Room to Read’s worldwide program content, meets Room to Read’s GEP standards.
Plan and facilitate quarterly technical meetings with core teachers, school managers, teachers, and relevant stakeholders to discuss and identify solutions to improve program implementation.
Conduct regular site visits to schools to observe, monitor and support core teachers and teachers in implementation of program activities.
Collaborate with field staff when having an analysis study to identify gaps for developing teachers’ skills in implementing activities.

Management & Coordination

Managing and coordinating with partners at all levels, MOET, DOETs and schools to ensure the programs in either forms (pilot/experimental/scale up) technically effective implemented.
Support GEP Senior Program Manager in administration, budgeting and expenditure management, monitoring and evaluation of programs and scale-up initiatives.
Act as Room to Read representative/coordinator when working with governmental officers (DOETs, MOET) in the educational sector as required.

Planning, Monitoring, Reporting & Documentation

Closely coordinate, set up working plan with Room to Read Field managers, program partners, monitoring the delivering activities at field, provide technical coach and feedbacks to partners to improve quality of the program activities.
Have monthly workplan, monitoring schedule, regularly visiting the program sites for program implementation, technical assistance and monitoring the activities, report after the field visit.
Provide recommendations on improving the program impact with particular focus on maximizing quality.
Periodically collect and documentation of the program – related data, stories, information, photographs, best practices and case studies.
Periodically technical report to manager as the programs are being implemented, quarterly and as needed.

Others

Participate in regular trainings and meetings with Room to Read staff, as planned.
Participate in regular review meetings and any other activities that may be required to be undertaken to fulfill the objectives of the organization.
Work in collaboration with staff in GEP and other Departments.

External Coordination & Networking

Represents Room to Read by attending and speaking at relevant forums and advocates for the importance of GEP work at the provincial level and national level.
Liaises with other NGOs running similar programs to identify areas of knowledge sharing and possible collaboration.
Perform other duties as assigned by direct supervisor.

Qualifications

Required:

Bachelor’s degree at least in related fields (i.e., Education development, Psychology, Sociology, Social work or related field).
3 – 5 years of professional related experience, especially in education and community development.
Experience of working with governmental officers in educational sectors at all levels: MOET, DOETs and school levels.
Strong knowledge and skills in organizing, facilitation and training.
Prior experience in supervision, mentoring and coaching.
Ability to travel frequently and work with children and others in disadvantage groups.
Advanced computer skills: MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Educational Applications for virtual training/ workshop, Internet search for related materials.

Preferred:

Strong interpersonal skills and a team player.
Strong organizational and planning skills, including the ability to monitor progress of program implementation.
Work more effectively in problem solving.
Good knowledge and understanding of education issues including teaching methodologies and community empowerment and development.
Open attitude, capable at working under high pressure, and building a good teamwork.
High commitment and trustworthy person.
Good communication in English is an advantage.

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

Have passion for our mission and a strong desire to impact a dynamic nonprofit organization.
Be a proactive and innovative thinker who achieves results and creates positive change.
Have a very high level of personal and professional integrity and trustworthiness.
Embrace diversity and a commitment to collaboration.
Thrive in a fast-paced and fun environment.

Compensation:

Room to Read offers a competitive salary with excellent benefits. The non-monetary compensation includes a unique opportunity to be part of an innovative, meaningful, fun, and rapidly growing organization that is transforming the lives of millions of children in developing countries by focusing on literacy and gender equality in education.

Application Procedure:

Directly submit your application preferably with a cover letter to email address [email protected] with the email subject: “SCALE UP GEP PO 2026_CANDIDATE’s FULL NAME”
Or please submit your application preferably with a cover letter by visiting our website roomtoread.org (About > Careers > See current vacancies).

Due to the high applicant volume, we regret that we are not able to send personalized responses to all applicants. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Applications are accepted until the position is filled.

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.