JOB DESCRIPTION
Senior Program OFFICER, Quality Reading Materials

Organization Profile

Founded in 2000 on the belief that World Change Starts with Educated Children®, Room to Read develops children’s foundational literacy skills, as well as life-skills that promote gender equality in 29 countries. As a leading implementer, we nurture these essential skills in children by strengthening education systems – all while honoring the dignity of every child.

Our ‘Literacy Portfolio’ supports children in developing literacy skills and a love of reading by training and coaching educators, creating quality curriculum and children’s book content in local languages, and enriching learning spaces that enable children to become independent readers.
Our ‘Gender Equality Portfolio’ supports all adolescents, particularly girls, to develop life skills that promote gender equality with curriculum that focuses on collaboration, resilience, leadership, decision-making and critical thinking.

Room to Read envisions a world free from illiteracy and gender inequality, where all children have room to read, learn and grow. Visit us at www.roomtoread.org.bd.  

Since 2009 in Bangladesh, Room to Read is implementing education support Programs in low-income and remote communities in Natore, Cox’s Bazar, Dhaka, Moulvibazar, Narail and Jhalokathi districts. Till 2024, we have supported the education of more than 2.4 million children in Primary and 3.1 million girls in Secondary schools in various capacities. We are proud to have worked with DPE, NCTB, NAPE, DSHE, a2i as well as national radio and TV in executing scalable and systemic initiatives to eradicate illiteracy and embed life-skills.

Position Overview

The Senior Program Officer, Quality Reading Materials (QRM)’s primary responsibilities include providing technical support in all aspects of QRM publishing initiatives including sourcing story manuscripts from local emerging writers; organizing story writing and illustrations workshops; carryout the graphics design work of storybooks, pupil books and other QRM and Instruction Design & Teacher Support (IDTS) materials;  layout and design of RtR reissue, adapted and new titles of storybooks; correcting and editing stories and artworks as per guidance from the  Senior Program Manager, Quality Reading Materials (Sr. PM, QRM) and Global Office (GO); filing and archiving all QRM works; and take part in ideal book collection work and reviewing stories and artworks. The person should have clear understanding of children’s publications, local publishing industry, educational materials and country-context of the use of educational materials in primary grades. The position will require some travel and involves frequent interaction with authors, illustrators, publishers, printers and officials. The position will report directly to the Senior Program Manager, Quality Reading Materials.

Duties & Responsibilities

[QRM Program Support and Coordination]

  • Initiate and circulate annual call for manuscripts and sample illustrations from local writers and illustrators
  • Organize annual Writers and Illustrators Workshops as per implementation calendar through coordinating with other departments 
  • Facilitating sessions of the writers’ and illustrators’ workshops to produce storybooks that fill the identified gaps as well conduct identified sessions suggested by the Sr. PM, QRM
  • Coordinate with selected writers and illustrators to ensure participation in the writers’ and illustrators’ workshops and follow up with them for post workshop activities
  • Developing, reviewing and finalizing manuscripts and illustrations of the selected storybooks
  • Finalizing the layouts, pre-press works and preparing final outputs of the storybooks including reissues and new titles
  • Coordinate with writers and illustrators for fine-tuning and developing stories and illustrations as per comments and feedback from the Sr. PM, QRM and Global Office counterparts.
  • Prepare printing plan and specifications of the story books and other RtR materials to submit to Administration and the Procurement Committee.
  • Visit printers to oversee printing works and provide necessary technical support during bulk printing, as required
  • Checking machine-proofs to ensure quality print of the storybooks and other RtR materials.
  • Preparing and finalizing the QRM Input-chart and Implementation Calendar prior to the Annual Plans and Budget
  • Support Sr. PM, QRM in preparing QRM budget, monthly cash forecast and expense tracking
  • Work with other departments at Country Office and Field Office as required and suggested by the Sr. PM, QRM

[Layout and Graphics Design]

  • Deciding the layout of the Storybooks and other RtR materials
  • Finalize the graphics designs of the new storybooks in consultation with Sr. PM, QRM
  • Deciding in consultation with Sr. PM, QRM and GO the required changes of the layout and graphics design of the reissues of the storybooks of the previous years
  • Contextualize the layout and design of the storybooks to be adopted from other RtR countries as per consultation and agreement with Sr. PM, QRM and GO
  • Carry out the graphics designing of the Pupil Books of Grade 1 and Grade 2 of Bangla Language for the students of RtR supported schools
  • Carryout design and layout in InDesign, edit illustrations in Photoshop and conduct pre-press works of both RtR reissues and RtR new titles.
  • Visualize, plan, design, and produce a required graphics and illustrative material other than storybooks
  • Maintain files, naming conventions, templates, samples inventory, and stock art
  • Ensure all graphics and art are designed to meet color palette criteria
  • Ensure RtR branding guidelines are adhered in all designs and layouts

[Library Books and Leveling]

  • Communicate with local publishers to collect newly published children’s books for reviewing and selecting to distribute to the RtR libraries
  • Organize internal Ideal Book Collection workshop as directed by Sr. PM, QRM to review the storybooks collected to from local publishers
  • Calculate print runs of LLP titles and determine number of books to be purchased for distribution to RtR libraries
  • Coordinate with RtR Administration, field offices and Sr. PM, QRM and carryout book leveling and labeling of the RtR published and purchased books with level color strips and orient field staff for delivery of books to schools, as required
  • Visit libraries at RtR supported schools to learn about use of RtR published books and purchased books supplied to the libraries and get readers’ feedback about reading
  • Provide support to the Research and Monitoring department regarding research related to books and usage of books by the children in libraries

[Warehouse Management]

  • Provide services from start-end service for warehouse management
  • Controlling all books in the warehouses (in-out)
  • Daily inventory books record and update in both PC and Stock Card
  • Maintain an inventory of GINKI and LLP books and Track distribution to schools and partners
  • Planning/Support LP program on distribution books in the district and target schools  
  • Work with LP program to implementation the program books distribution plan
  • Play an important role to implementation physical count of books process

[Collaboration with other Units]

  • Provide design and publishing support to IDTS unit for the different teaching learning- and supplementary reading materials
  • Provide support to IDTS, GEP, and Communication Unit and for overall RtR publishing works for design and pre-press works as per instruction by Sr. PM, QRM
  • Work with Administration department to coordinate purchase request, publishing specifications and negotiate deadlines of printing and ensure the distribution of the printed materials to the respective destinations
  • Archive all the design files in the right formats as well as the packaged design files for the different Units and the overall RtR publishing works

Qualifications

Required:

  • Master’s degree in education, language, communication, fine arts (master’s preferred)
  • A minimum of 7 years of related professional work experience with NGOs, INGOs or Publishing Companies
  • Knowledge and understanding of local book publishing industry and children’s literature
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English
  • Managing printing and publication process
  • Knowledge and understanding of book leveling
  • Experience in manuscript editing, graphics design and layout of books (experience in Photoshop and InDesign preferred)
  • Report writing and documentation skills
  • Proven track record of achieving results

Preferred:

  • Facilitation and Training Skills
  • Prior experience in the field of book publishing
  • Ability to juggle multiple priorities simultaneously
  • Experience of working with writers and illustrators
  • Experience of working with government schools
  • Experience in translating excerpts from English into Bengali and vice versa.

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 on a dynamic non-profit organization
  • Be an innovative and creative thinker – 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
Room to Read is committed to the education and welfare of children and protecting them from abuse and exploitation (Child Protection Principles)
Room to Read Representatives must create and maintain an environment that prevents sexual exploitation and sexual abuse. (PSEA Principles)
  • 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.
  • 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-centred approach, putting the survivor’s rights and dignity at the forefront.
  • Survivors referred to available professional assistance (e.g. mental health counselling), upon consent.

Compensation:

We offer a competitive salary. The benefits include:

  • Provident Fund
  • 13th Month Allowance
  • Gratuity
  • Health coverage for staff and dependents
  • Insurances
  • Professional Development opportunities. The most significant benefit is the opportunity to work with one of the fastest growing international organizations, which has sole focus on education & continuously innovating efficient & effective social entrepreneurship.

Application Procedure:

Interested candidates meeting the above requirements should apply online https://osv-rtr.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/RoomToRead/job/Bangladesh---Main---Dhaka/Senior-Program-Officer--QRM_R-03253 on or before 10 May 2026. Any persuasion attempt will disqualify your candidacy. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

“Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply”