Lead Consultant for Literacy Instruction Development - Indiana

Contract Period: · March 2026 to December 2026 · Reporting To: · Technical Lead, Room to Read (with close collaboration with ITA Program Associate) · Engagement Type: · Short-Term Consultancy · Location: · Karachi, Pakistan · Job Nature: · Hybrid (Full time) · Position Overview · ...

Job description

Contract Period:
March 2026 to December 2026

Reporting To:
Technical Lead, Room to Read (with close collaboration with ITA Program Associate)

Engagement Type:
Short-Term Consultancy

Location:
Karachi, Pakistan

Job Nature:
Hybrid (Full time)

Position Overview
Room to Read, in collaboration with Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA), is undertaking the development of a structured literacy instruction package for Grade 1 Urdu as part of the Pakistan Literacy Project. We are seeking a highly qualified
Lead Consultant
to oversee and guide this process, working in close partnership with the ITA Program Associate and the Curriculum Development Committee (CDC).

This role requires a strong understanding of early grade reading instruction, experience with curriculum and materials development, and the ability to coordinate a diverse team of experts. The consultant will be responsible for leading the CDC's workstreams toward the timely completion of deliverables, ensuring alignment with national curriculum standards and Room to Read's evidence-based literacy framework.

The materials developed under this initiative will be informed by a draft Scope and Sequence (S&S), outlining the logical progression of foundational reading and writing skills—including phonological awareness, phonics, oral language, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, and writing. The S&S will serve as the backbone for aligning instructional content, teaching materials, and assessment tools.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the overall formulation, planning, coordination, and execution of the Curriculum Development Committee (CDC) activities from inception to finalization.
• To promote early institutional buy-in and facilitate future scalability of the initiative across the country, it is recommended that government representatives from all provinces be included in the core committee and consulted during the engagement period. Their participation will help ensure alignment with provincial priorities and strengthen long-term ownership of the intervention.

• Support and guide CDC members in the development of:

• A structured Scope and Sequence (S&S) for Grade 1 literacy instruction.

• Instructional materials including decodable student books, teacher guides, and supplementary tools.
• Contextualized teacher training and coaching materials.

• Student assessment tools aligned with the instruction model.

• Collaborate closely with the ITA Program Associate to ensure smooth coordination, documentation, and follow-up on CDC outputs and timelines.

• Facilitate CDC meetings and workshops (virtual/in-person), ensure clarity of goals, and document key decisions and action points.
• Provide technical reviews of draft materials, ensuring alignment with the science of reading, child-centered pedagogy, and Urdu language literacy practices.
• Ensure the integration of government input, and Room to Read's technical guidance into the final instructional package.
• Prepare regular progress updates for Room to Read and ITA teams, and contribute to reports as needed.
• Act as RtR's representative in government meetings with ITA, serving as the primary technical communicator while collaborating with government institutions.

Qualifications And Experience

• Master's degree (or higher) in Education, Curriculum Development, Literacy, or a related field.
• At least 10 years of experience in early grade reading/literacy, especially in Urdu or other multilingual contexts.
• Demonstrated experience in leading curriculum or instructional design teams, ideally in a government or donor-funded setting.
• Strong technical understanding of foundational reading skills, phonics-based instruction, and structured literacy approaches.
• Excellent facilitation and coordination skills with experience managing cross-functional teams or committees.
• Familiarity with Pakistan's national and provincial curricula and language policies.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in both Urdu and English.
• Experience collaborating with government education stakeholders is highly desirable.
• Ability to meet deadlines and manage competing priorities in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

Level of Effort and Deliverables
The Consultant Is Expected To Engage Flexibly Based On Project Needs, Including Participating In Scheduled Workshops, Supporting Material Development, And Reviewing CDC Outputs. Specific Deliverables Will Include

• Detailed CDC work plan
• Technical guidance notes and annotated reviews
• Draft and finalized versions of scope and sequence, instructional materials, and training tools
• Summary reports and documentation of key CDC activities

Consultancy Duration
The consultancy will run from
March 2026
to
December 2026
, aligned with the overall timeline for the development and finalization of the Urdu literacy instruction package.

Safeguarding and PSEA Compliance
ITA is committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults, and maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward harassment, safeguarding violations, and sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA). The selected consultant must strictly comply with ITA's Safeguarding, PSEA policies, and Code of Conduct.

How To Apply
Interested candidates are invited to submit their resume, two references and two samples of previous work via email to

Deadline: Feb 28, 2026
How to apply?
If you are interested in joining our team, please submit your updated Resume along with a Cover Letter clearly stating the position name, your current and expected salary. Applications can be sent via email to or by post to Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi, 12-Sharif Colony, Iftikhar Ahmad Malik Road, Canal Park Gulberg 2, Lahore, Pakistan.

Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA) maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards harassment, violations of safeguarding principles, and sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA).