Protocols & Metrics Specialist – Reading Program

University Research Co., LLC (URC)

URC is a global company dedicated to improving the quality of health care, social services, and health education worldwide. With a non-profit affiliate, the Center for Human Services (CHS), URC manages projects in over 45 countries, including the United States.

Established in 1965, URC offers a range of technical assistance to strengthen health and social systems and service quality by empowering communities and health workers to identify and scale up locally appropriate solutions to critical problems. Internationally, we expand access to and improve the quality of services addressing maternal, newborn, and child health; infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria; reproductive health and family planning; food and nutrition; and vulnerable children and families. In the US, we focus on improving communication related to issues like substance abuse, with a particular focus on reaching underserved populations.

URC’s mission is to provide innovative, evidence-based solutions to health and social challenges worldwide. Please join us in carrying out our mission (http://www.urc-chs.com/).

Division & Project Overview

Global Reading Network – Reading within Reach Project -The aim of this 5-year initiative is to build a Community of Practice, a professional network focused on improving reading outcomes in the primary grades. This network will bring together governments, practitioners, civil society organizations, academics, funders, UN agencies, and other stakeholders invested to work collaboratively to improve quality and expand the reach of reading interventions around the world. A sub goal is to assist the global partners in the development of indicators and metrics that relate to the monitoring and assessment of the reading skills of children in a reliable manner.

Roles and Responsibilities:

URC-CHS seeks a Protocols & Metrics Specialist to support the Global Reading Network USAID, and URC to develop, defined and standardize to the extent possible metrics, measurement, and intervention protocols, making the core activities of primary reading programs more transparent and making “uptake” easier for a broad range of partners.

The Protocols & Metrics Specialist reports to the Project Director. The Protocols and Metrics Specialist will work with the Global Reading Network, USAID, URC’s project team, and other education stakeholders. Primary responsibilities for the Protocols & Metrics Specialist include but are not limited to the following:

· Support the Global Reading Network to develop decision trees and easy-to-use operational guidance (based on evidence reviews, academic and operational research, and cost analysis) guidance and metrics for effective reading programs in the early and later grades.

· Support the consolidation of evidence on learning metrics and identification of related research priorities that address the knowledge-practice gap.

· Assist network members, USAID, URC and representatives of other agencies in the development of metrics and measures related to reading outcomes. This would require close coordination with global initiatives in the development of metrics and measures.

· Work with the Global Reading Network and USAID to develop best practice frameworks and instruments for assessing teacher practice, measuring effects of parental involvement, determining impact of communications programs and more.

· Work with the Global Reading Network and USAID to develop, test, and disseminate instruments and tools, toolkits and videos and training packages to allow for large scale, global uptake to support the sector.

· Assist with the effective use of data (whenever required), to ensure quality of program design and implementation at all levels to improve student learning outcomes.

· Provide technical support in the development of reports, studies, and policy briefs related to metrics and measures and the scalability and sustainability of reading programs.

· Coordinate with other external groups and agencies undertaking efforts on reading-related protocols and metrics, sharing information widely to maximize uptake and efficiency and minimize redundancy.

· Advise network members about taking into account adaptations that may be required to address local conditions and barriers to education. This may include gender issues and issues related to geographic location, post-conflict conditions, and disability that must be kept in mind while designing models, protocols, and metrics.

· Provide technical guidance whenever required for training and wider communications.

Minimum Qualifications:

Required Experience & Qualifications

· Minimum of 10 years experience in education research, involving a range of research activities and products.

· Five years experience conducting qualitative and quantitative, in reading, or a closely related technical area of education in developing countries required.

· Qualitative and quantitative experience required, in reading or related fields.

· Master's degree in a related field required; Ph.D. preferred.

· Demonstrated high-quality writing, editing, and proofreading skills.

· Professional judgment demonstrated through a work and education history that supports the ability to multi-task and meet demanding assignments under tight deadlines in a team-oriented environment.

Desired Experience & Qualifications

· Strong interpersonal and presentation skills.

· Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.

· High comfort level with writing reports, analyzing and summarizing data from diverse sources, interviews, meetings, surveys and focus groups, and ability to deliver work on a timeline.

· Candidates with a wide range of publications and conference presentations preferred.

· Candidates speaking French, Spanish or Arabic in addition to English preferred.

Please note: Only candidates who are eligible to work in the United States long-term without a need for sponsorship will be considered for this position.

How to apply:

To Apply:

For immediate consideration, please visit URC’s Career Opportunities page at www.urc-chs.com/careers.

You must upload your CV/Résumé and your Cover Letter where indicated. Also, please complete your application form and attach a completedUSAID Form 1420 Contractor Employee Biographical Data Sheet as well.

Due to the large number of inquiries we receive, only candidates who have met the required experience & qualifications for this position will be contacted. No phone calls please. However, since we are active around the world in the field of public health, we may wish to retain your CV in our database for other/future opportunities, unless you direct us otherwise. Thank you very much for your interest.

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URC is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.

We value and seek diversity in our workforce.