Position Overview:

The Literacy Program Officer, Quality Reading Materials’ (“QRM”) primary responsibilities include managing and coordinating all aspects of Room to Read’s publishing initiatives including sourcing content, reviewing, and editing. S/he will also be required to research and form networks within the publishing industry to gauge local market trends and promote Room to Read as a key player in children’s book publishing. The position will require some travel and involves frequent interaction with authors, illustrators, publishers, printers, and officials. The position will report directly to the Literacy Program Manager, Quality Reading Materials.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Manuscript development
Assisting the Literacy Quality Reading Materials Manager to source writers and illustrators’ pre-workshop (preparation and implementation)
Assisting the Literacy Quality Reading Materials Manager with content preparation for workshops
Assisting the Literacy Quality Reading Materials Manager to conduct the writers’ and illustrators’ workshops
Assisting the Literacy Quality Reading Materials Manager in mentoring writers on story development
Monitoring story selection, story review, and approval
Monitoring development of sketches and illustrations
Mentoring illustrators during storyboard development
Assisting the Literacy Quality Reading Materials Manager in monitoring the review and approval of illustrations
Coordinating and monitoring the translation of Adaptation stories
Assisting the Literacy Quality Reading Materials Manager to prepare designers’ briefs
Assisting the Literacy Quality Reading Materials Manager to give feedback and edit layout and design
Assisting the Literacy Quality Reading Materials Manager prepare the manuscripts for language evaluations
Assisting the Literacy Quality Reading Materials Manager to coordinate the implementation of language evaluators’ comments
Assisting the Literacy Quality Reading Materials Manager to coordinate the submission of both new titles and adaptations for Government approval
Assisting the Literacy Quality Reading Materials Manager in working on all comments given at different stages by Government evaluators
Assisting the Literacy Quality Reading Materials Manager to coordinate the selection of re-prints
Assisting the Literacy Quality Reading Materials Manager to prepare re-print titles for printing
Will be responsible for translating English portions of published books, including dedication language, copyright information, story summaries, and author/illustrator biographies and submit them to the Literacy Quality Reading Materials Manager for review and approval.
Assisting the Literacy Quality Reading Materials Manager to translate QRM documents, agenda and to adapt content of GO titles
Assisting the Literacy Quality Reading Materials Manager to review and revise the layout of QRM books.
Distribution
Prepare the distribution plan and submit it to the Literacy Quality Reading Materials Manager for review and approval.
Assisting the Literacy Quality Reading Materials Manager to prepare technical documents and provide technical advice to publishing partners regarding printing specifications for QRM books
Supervise printing process with printing houses
Warehouse visits and quality checking books once delivered from printers.
Book list
In collaboration with Administration Team, keep contact with publishers and bookstores – keeping abreast with latest catalogues and pricelists
In collaboration with the IDTS team, take the lead in categorizing books by genre and reading level, and inputting the data
Conducting orientation and working with the Book Selection Committee to review and categorize books
Take the lead in dividing the books into main booklist, standby list, and into school list
Assisting the Literacy Quality Reading Materials Manager to prepare technical documents and providing technical support (contacting publishers, receiving feedback from publishers, finding, and replacing books on the booklist, checking packing process) to Admin-team regarding technical requirements for the booklist, and developing the booklist report.
Other Technical Tasks
Attend trainings/workshops/activities of other Literacy Program components
Conduct other operational tasks relevant to Literacy Program team
Visit book market and publishers to stay informed about the children’s book publishing industry
Assisting the Literacy Quality Reading Materials Manager to contextualize documents from GO
Coordinate meetings with publishers on co-publish and licensing
Organize research on book publishing land scape survey and publishing eco-system
Assisting the Literacy Quality Reading Materials Manager to support Literacy Cloud team on book selection and translation /versioning
Perform other technical tasks assigned by Literacy Director and GO
Assisting the Literacy Quality Reading Materials Manager on strategic planning for collaboration with the Ministry of Education Science and Technology (MoEst).
Operational Tasks
Assisting the Literacy Quality Reading Materials Manager to forecast budget monthly and quarterly, and reporting to Finance (12 forecast monthly, 4 forecasts quarterly)
Assisting the Literacy Quality Reading Materials Manager to prepare annual plan and budget for the QRM program including detailed cost estimation of each book title and ensuring cost efficiency
Assisting the Literacy Quality Reading Materials Manager to support GO Development team to provide technical information for obtaining donors’ grants
Collaborate with Communication Officer in compiling Fact Sheets about QRM.
Conduct warehouses visits, and providing audit assistance

Qualifications:

Required:

Bachelor’s degree (in education, languages, communications, or a related field)
A minimum of 3 years of related professional work experience
Knowledge and understanding of local book publishing industry
Experience managing a printing and publication process
Manuscript editing, design, and layout experience
Facilitation and training skills
Experience in developing and implementing programmatic improvements
Prior success working closely and building relationships with diverse groups of people and organizations
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
Proven track record of achieving results
Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English
Ability to juggle multiple priorities simultaneously.

Preferred:

A master’s degree in a related field of study
Prior experience in the book publishing field
Compensation:
Room to Read offers a competitive pay 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.