Teaching and Learning Materials (TLM) Advisor – USAID Kenya Primary Literacy Program

EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT CENTER (EDC)

Education Development Center (EDC) is a global nonprofit that advances lasting solutions to improve education, promote health, and expand economic opportunity, with a focus on vulnerable and under-served populations. Since 1958, we have been a leader in designing, implementing, and evaluating powerful and innovative programs in more than 80 countries around the world.

EDC promotes equity and access to high quality education and health services and products that contribute to thriving communities where people from diverse backgrounds learn, live, and work together. We support an inclusive workplace culture that embraces many perspectives and broadens our understanding of the communities we serve, enhancing and enriching our work.

EDC is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace.

Project Description

The USAID Kenya Primary Literacy Program (USAID KPLP) is a five-year initiative that supports the Kenyan Ministry of Education to deliver interventions at scale as well as pilot and expand innovations that address the language and literacy needs of primary grade learners while building more inclusive, accountable, and resilient education institutions and systems.

USAID KPLP has three broad objectives:

1. Improving education services and student learning outcomes, including for vulnerable populations;
2. Strengthening education institutions and systems to become more accountable, self-sustaining, and resilient; and
3. Empowering local youth organizations to strengthen and sustain community and family support for student learning and wellbeing.

Position Description

The Teaching and Learning Materials (TLM) Advisor will be responsible for the development of literacy classroom and instructional materials as well as training and mentoring support materials, ensuring that the content and production of the materials developed is effective, user friendly, and compliant with quality standards. S/he will also be responsible for leading the production of classroom and instructional materials to ensure they adhere to the content developed by the Ministry of Education.

The TLM Advisor will report to the Deputy Chief of Party and will be based in Nairobi.

The TLM Advisor responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• In collaboration with counterparts, review and adapt or develop student learning and supplementary literacy texts and teacher instructional materials for English and Kiswahili.
• In collaboration with counterparts, review and adapt or develop continuous professional development in-service training and mentoring manuals and guides for English and Kiswahili.
• Support the review and development of online and digital materials to ensure alignment with classroom learning and teacher instructional materials.
• Ensure that all pedagogical materials align with government requirements, creating linkages between pre-service teacher education and continuing professional development, and build on existing classroom and training materials as recommended by the Ministry of Education.
• Develop and monitor production plans in coordination with other technical team members and procurement teams, to ensure timely, cost-efficient, high-quality materials printing and distribution.
• Ensure availability of inclusive, accessible materials available in innovative IT formats to support self-learning and continuity of learning.
• Collaborate with other partners to ensure linkages and shared approaches and materials.
• Act as a trusted and strategic advisor and member of the KPLP and government partner technical teams, establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with staff and partners.
• Work with the KPLP administration and finance team and counterparts to establish planning and budgeting procedures related to TLM activities.
• Collaborate in the development and implementation of the collaboration, learning, and adapting (CLA) agenda.
• Prepare data and information for project quarterly and annual reports, and other data as required.

The candidate for the position of Teaching and Learning Materials (TLM) Advisor shall have at a minimum the following qualifications:

Education:

Master’s degree in education, early grade reading, literacy and language instruction, curriculum development, instructional design, or related field.

Skills and Experience:

• 8 to 9 years of progressively responsible and directly relevant experience in content development and production of high-quality teaching and learning materials, including in the area of early grade literacy.
• Demonstrated knowledge of academic and cultural strengths and opportunities, as well as barriers related to education and to reading in Kenya.
• Demonstrated ability in effective team management and efficient planning and communications in fast-paced environments.
• Experience in working with government technical teams and other partners is required.
• Demonstrated experience with education sector development projects highly preferred.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a cross cultural setting, negotiate diplomatically, and function well under pressure.
• Excellent analytical skills and aptitude for details.
• Supervision experience required.
• Excellent verbal and writing skills in English and Kiswahili.

Language:

Fluency in oral and written English and Kiswahili is required.

Other:

Applicants must be Kenyan nationals or hold current work authorization.