Teaching at the Right Level Africa (TaRL Africa) is a newly formalised partnership between Education NGO, Pratham, and research centre J-PAL, who have been working together developing cost-effective, scalable literacy and Numeracy interventions for more than 15 years. The fruits of these efforts have been the development of what we now refer to as the TaRL.
The TaRL approach, pioneered by Pratham, helps children develop basic reading and numeracy skills. In TaRL classroom: children are assessed on basic reading and numeracy using a simple tool; grouped by learning level, rather than by grade, for a dedicated time when they focus building foundational skills through activities and materials appropriate for each group. As children progress, they move to the next learning group and continue to grow.
We are recruiting to fill the position below
Job Title: Coordinator, Program
Location: Katsina (with potential travel to other states)
Reports to: Country Regional Manager - Kaduna Region
Department: Program Management & Partnerships (PMP)
Summary of the Role
TaRL Africa is supporting the Katsina State Government to implement the Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) program for Out-of-School Children (OOSC) and across conventional primary schools.
The Katsina Program Coordinator will lead and coordinate this implementation in close collaboration with the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), the Commission for Almajiri Education and Out-of-School Children, and other key stakeholders.
The coordinator will be responsible for programme planning, stakeholder engagement, and effective field execution, ensuring alignment with TaRL Africa’s strategic objectives and donor commitments.
Key responsibilities include overseeing teacher and mentor capacity building, facilitating state-level coordination and technical working groups, managing partnerships, and ensuring strong programme monitoring and reporting systems.
The Coordinator will supervise program assistants, serve as the primary liaison with Katsina State agencies and partners, and ensure high-quality delivery, continuous learning, and sustainability of TaRL implementation across the state.
Major roles and responsibilities
Programme Planning & Coordination (30%):
Lead state-level planning, ensuring programme objectives, timelines, and budgets are achieved.
Coordinate across TaRL Africa internal teams (Training, Pedagogy, PM&I, Finance/Admin) to deliver integrated support in Katsina.
Support Katsina SUBEB, Katsina Agency for Mass Education, Commission for Almajiri Education and Out-of-School to embed TaRL into state education systems and planning processes.
Stakeholder & Partnership Engagement (25%):
Serve as the primary liaison with Katsina SUBEB, Katsina Agency for Mass Education, Commission for Almajiri Education and Out-of-School and key partners in Katsina.
Facilitate joint planning and review meetings with government and Partners.
Strengthen government ownership by supporting institutionalization of TaRL in policies, budgets, and teacher management structures.
Teacher, Mentor & School Support (20%):
Oversee design and delivery of TaRL training for teachers, headteachers, mentors, LGEA officials and other stakeholders.
Provide technical guidance to Assistants in coaching/mentoring teachers and school visits.
Ensure challenges from the field are escalated and resolved within school terms.
Monitoring, Reporting & Learning (15%)
Ensure timely data collection and reporting in collaboration with PM&I colleagues.
Synthesize programme progress for donor and government reporting.
Document innovations, challenges, and lessons from Katsina for cross-state learning.
Team Management & Capacity Strengthening (10%):
Supervise and mentor assistants and field staff.
Support professional development of team members.
Ensure effective collaboration across PMP and other teams.
Education and Qualifications
Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in Education, Social Sciences, Development Studies, or related field. (Master’s degree preferred).
4–6 years of relevant experience, including programme management, education delivery, or NGO/government coordination.
Experience working with out-of-school-children and state governments in Nigeria, ideally in education.
Demonstrated experience in teacher training, capacity building, or programme delivery at scale.
Strong project management and organizational skills.
Excellent communication skills in English; proficiency in Hausa is Required.
Willingness to travel frequently within Katsina State and occasionally outside the state.
Working Relationships:
Internal:
Interacts with Nigeria programme team (Programme Management & Partnerships, PM&I, Pedagogy and Training, Finance & Admin).
Collaborates with Central TaRL Africa teams and Country Director.
Coordinates with Katsina based staff.
External:
Engages with Katsina SUBEB, Katsina Agency for Mass Education, Commission for Almajiri Education and Out-of-School and school-level officials (headteachers, mentors, teachers).
Maintains relationships with government partners, and implementing NGOs active in Katsina.
Represents TaRL Africa in state-level forums, technical working groups, and stakeholder meetings.
Key Competencies:
Leadership & Coordination: Ability to manage multiple stakeholders and guide teams towards shared goals.
Strategic Thinking: Ability to align programme implementation with broader policy and system goals.
Problem-Solving: Creative and adaptive in addressing implementation challenges.
Interpersonal Skills: Strong ability to build and sustain relationships with government, partners, and communities.
Results Orientation: Focused on delivering measurable improvements in teaching and learning.
TaRL Africa Values:
We put children’s learning first
We are always learning, improving, and innovating
We are locally rooted for high-quality delivery and sustainable impact
We are kind, respectful, and collaborative
We are proactive, committed to integrity, and doing our best each day.
Note:This job description covers the main tasks and conveys the spirit of the sort of tasks that are anticipated proactively from staff. Other tasks may be assigned as necessary according to organizational needs.