Program Officers

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Numeracy and Research Development (NRD)

Background

Rays of Hope Ministries is a local nonprofit organization based in Malawi collaborating with the government of Malawi in education and social interventions. One of its focuses in this new strategic period, 2026 – 2030, is foundational learning. To that end, the organization continues to grow its teacher training program with an emphasis on foundational learning, especially in numeracy. Rays of Hope Ministries will implement a three-year Numeracy Research and Development Programme (NRD) from 2026 to 2029. The programme is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, managed by the Genesis Analytics.

The NRD program is in six other African countries, pursuing the same agenda: to improve foundational numeracy outcomes for underserved learners in Grades 1 – 3 through evidence-based interventions in national education systems. In Malawi, it will be implemented in Blantyre Rural Education District, reaching approximately 50 – 70 public primary schools.

The NRD program in Malawi will focus on in-service teachers, with the structural design spilling over to pre-service teacher education. The program aims to strengthen teacher capacity, coaching, and communities of practice to drive early grade numeracy learning outcomes. The programme is designed to test whether evidence-based pedagogical research and development (R&D) can drive numeracy gains at scale within existing education systems. It aims to generate robust evidence that can be used to attribute changes in numeracy outcomes to the interventions. The program’s aspirational target is set for 80% of students to achieve all grade-level competencies within the same timeframe, as defined by the minimum global proficiency frameworks. To this end, the organization intends to recruit the project lead, and officers to successfully implement the program.

PROGRAM OFFICERS)

Role Purpose

To operationalize the NRD intervention design at field level, ensuring that the Theory of Change is translated into an effective early-grade numeracy instruction through the implementation of Continuous Professional Development (CPD), Communities of Practice (CoPs), Teacher Learning Circles (TLCs), and structured coaching systems. The role demands a technically grounded practitioner with strong foundational mathematics pedagogy, capable of supporting teachers to deliver instruction aligned to Critical Early Numeracy Outcomes (CENOs), including place value, number sense, representations, fluency, and problem-solving. The incumbent shall serve as the backbone of delivery, ensuring that all program components are implemented with fidelity, and that pedagogical approaches translate into improved learner understanding of mathematical concepts.

Key Areas of Accountability

I. Field Implementation, Instructional Support, and System Execution (Project Officer)

• Support the operationalization of the NRD intervention at field level, ensuring effective integration of teacher training, Communities of Practice (CoPs/TLCs), coaching, and classroom practice within a coherent delivery system.
• Ensure adherence to program sequencing, implementation plans, and dosage across all components, maintaining the integrity of the intervention design.
• Coordinate and support delivery of structured teacher training participation, cycles, ensuring effective appropriate use of materials, and capture of immediate feedback to inform continuous improvement.

II. Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Implementation

• Facilitate and support the delivery of CPD activities, including training workshops, Communities of Practice, and coaching, ensuring alignment with program standards and instructional goals.
• Support the establishment and strengthening of Communities of Practice (CoPs/TLCs) as active professional learning platforms, facilitating peer learning, classroom-based problem-solving, and collaborative reflection.
• Ensure that TLCs and CoPs are consistently
  implemented, with documented outputs, shared learning, and clear linkage to classroom practice.
• Support implementation coaching systems, ensuring that coaching cycles conducted regularly and contribute to sustained teacher development.

III. Instructional Practice and Coaching Support

• Support mentor-teachers and coaches in translating training content into effective classroom practice, with a focus on CENOs-aligned instruction, including place value, representations, fluency, and problem-solving.
• Facilitate and participate in structured coaching cycles (planning, observation and co-teaching, feedback, application, and follow-up), ensuring continuous improvement in instructional practice.
• Provide practical, evidence-based support to teachers on lesson routines, questioning techniques, formative assessment, and use of teaching and learning materials.
• Identify gaps in teacher content knowledge and pedagogical practice and support targeted improvement through coaching, TLC, and CoP engagement.

IV. Monitoring, Data Management, and Feedback Systems

• Collect, verify, and report program data, including training attendance, coaching activities, classroom observations, TLC and CoP outputs, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and timeliness.
• Support implementation of data quality assurance processes, including validation, spot checks, and follow-up on inconsistencies.
• Ensure that data collected at field level contributes to program learning, performance monitoring, and adaptive management.
• Identify underperformance or implementation gaps at school or teacher level and escalate appropriately for corrective action.

V. Stakeholder Coordination, Community Engagement, and System Alignment

• Maintain effective working relationships with headteachers, Primary Education Advisors (PEAs), District Education Managers (DEMs), and community leaders.
• Represent the program in local stakeholder engagements as required, ensuring clarity of program objectives and approaches.
• Support coordination of program activities at school, cluster, and district levels, ensuring alignment with education system structures and expectations.
• Strengthen linkages between schools and communities to ensure continuity of learning and reinforcement of classroom instruction.
• Promote consistent home practice routines among learners to support improved numeracy outcomes.
• Facilitate communication and information flow between field-level actors and the entire program actors

VI. Learning, Reflection, and Adaptive Implementation

• Support structured reflection and learning processes, contributing field insights to inform program adaptation and improvement.
• Provide real-time feedback on training effectiveness, coaching challenges, TLC and CoP functionality, and contextual implementation issues.
• Support continuous refinement of program approaches based on implementation experience and emerging evidence.
• Contribute to fostering a culture of learning, accountability, and continuous improvement at field level.

Accountability

The Program Officer will directly report to the Project Lead and will be accountable for the effective coordination, technical oversight, and quality assurance of program implementation across assigned components.

Education and Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in Education, preferably Mathematics Education, Curriculum Studies, or a related field from a recognized university.
• 5-7 years of progressively responsible experience in education programs, including coordination of multi-
• Demonstrated site or district-level interventions.
• Demonstrated experience in supporting and overseeing teacher professional development systems, including training delivery, coaching structures, and professional learning platforms (CoPs/TLCs).
• Strong understanding of foundational numeracy concepts, including number sense, place value, representations, operations, and problem-solving, with the ability to support instructional improvement at scale.
• Experience working with government education systems, including coordination with district officials, PEAs, and school leadership.
• Proven experience in program monitoring, data analysis, and use of evidence to inform implementation and adaptive management.

Other Essential Attributes

• Strong program coordination and management skills, with the ability to oversee multiple implementation sites and ensure alignment with program standards.
• Demonstrated instructional leadership, with the ability to support improvements in teaching practice, particularly in foundational mathematics.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret data and inform program decisions.
• Excellent facilitation and mentoring skills, including the ability to support professional development.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, particularly in planning, reporting, and performance tracking.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with government stakeholders, partners, and communities.
• Ability to balance technical oversight with operational demands in dynamic field environments.
• Demonstrated commitment to learning, reflection, and continuous program improvement.
• Proficiency in information and communication technology, including use of digital tools for data management, reporting, and coordination.

MODE OF APPLICATION

If you are interested in serving as the NRD Project Lead or Program Officers) and meet the requirements as described above, please submit your application and motivation letters, demonstrating why you qualify for the positions, together with your current Curriculum vitae and names of three traceable referees, some of whom should be your most current supervisors, to nrd.recruitment@raysofhopemalawi.org addressing:

The Human Resource Administration Officer
Rays of Hope Ministries
P. O. Box E365, Post Dot Net,
Blantyre,
Malawi.

Closing date for the receipt of applications is Sunday, 10th May, 2026. Rays of Hope appreciates all candidates, but please note that it will only enter into correspondence with shortlisted candidates. If you have not received a response by 20th May, 2026, then it means that your application has been unsuccessful.