Job Description:
About ETS:
For more than 75 years, we have amplified products and services based rigorous research and our belief in the power of learning. Driven by our mission to advance quality and equity in education, ETS provides learning solutions, pioneering research and trusted assessments that help guide learners around the world on their path to new possibilities.
Our portfolio of trusted measures include
TOEFL, TOEIC, GRE and Praxis. Along with research, development and innovation that explores new frontiers in learning and measurement our educational measurement solutions and research contribute to the development of new methods and tools, inform important dialogue with education policymakers, and shed light on critical issues and potential solutions - all with the aim of creating a world where all learners can improve their lives through education.
With new senior leadership at the helm, ETS aims to continue changing the lives of all learners as we expand our organization's global footprint. Our goal is to remain at the forefront of assessment and measurement efficacy within the education and ed tech space as it continues to grow and evolve.
Content Area: English Language Learning (ELL)
Position Summary
The Senior Manager of Assessment oversees the daily operations of a complex, multicomponent program or many separate programs in the Assessment Development division. This role performs planning and managing of the areas work on ongoing and new programs and oversees a group of assessment professionals. The Senior Manager of Assessment will need to be able to balance and oversee numerous projects within Assessment Development as well as with key stakeholders. Additionally, the Senior Manager provides intellectual and conceptual leadership in areas of responsibility to the division.
Basic Functions And Responsibilities
- Serve as main program contact regarding collaboration, leadership, direction, and expertise for internal clients
- Plan, schedule, monitor, and allocate resources for work that includes development of test items, construction of test forms, development of test blueprints and item specifications, and development of test ancillaries (e.g., directions for administration (DFAs), practice and training tests, and teacher guides)
- Prepare scopes of work and timelines for projects; develop cost estimates and budgets; monitor and approve program budgets, resolving budget inconsistencies with divisional financial staff
- Develop and implement new/improved processes, methods, and/or systems to enhance performance of the program or division
- Work directly with established and/or potential clients to implement new programs; ensure relationships between ETS assessment specialists and client staff are properly managed
- Assist in contract negotiations with external project officers and clients
- Direct a team of 8 to 15 assessment development staff members; evaluate the work of direct reports, conduct performance reviews, and develop succession plans
- Ensure staffing needs are met; interview and hire staff and develop/conduct ongoing training programs for new and experienced staff
- Provide content expertise, conceptual leadership, mentoring, and assessment quality oversight for staff
- Adhere to ethical standards and comply with the laws and regulations applicable to your job function
- This role oversees staff and program functions independently, with minimal supervision on a daily basis.
Leadership, Teamwork, and Flexibility
A successful person in this role has strong language arts content knowledge and understanding of English language learning that can be applied to add significant value to item writing, item review, test assembly, and discussions with clients and at committee meetings, and is knowledgeable about current standards and trends. They have a command of the assessment development process from item acquisition to hand-offs for administration and scoring. They understand the principles, conventions, terminology, and tools for stages within the test development process relevant to assigned work. When obstacles are presented, they can problem-solve and possess flexibility to adjust project plans and schedules and adapt existing processes and procedures to meet deliverables on time and with the expected quality without negatively impacting colleagues, processes, or other deliverables. They have a history of adding value to official or unofficial teams by actively participating with them and seeking to understand the various interests of team members, all while fostering respectful relationships with internal and external colleagues.
Additional keys to success in this role are:
- The ability to succeed at working on new assessments, on developing innovative task types, on doing the work in new ways, on dealing successfully with ambiguity
- Demonstrating the ability to quickly adapt previous work experiences and gain knowledge from others and to successfully provide recommendations or a course of action in new and ambiguous situations
- Adapting to changes in policies and processes and quickly applying new learnings in an expected or reasonable time frame
- Demonstrating professionalism by being customer-focused and sensitive to differing values, abilities, and needs of staff
- Maintaining a high level of productivity, with attention to quality and exhibit accountability for assigned work
- Possessing the skills to plan, organize, and manage tasks and resources to accomplish a well-defined objective, within constraints of time, resources, and cost
- The ability to learn and use new technologies facilely to develop test items and forms and to score student responses
Required Experience:
EDUCATION
Masters degree (in English, Education, or a related field) or an equivalent combination of education and experience from which comparable knowledge and abilities can be acquired.
Relevant Years Of Experience Required
- Six years of experience providing evidence of knowledge in administration, financial management, educational measurement, systems and research
- Four years of administrative and professional leadership experience is desired
Other Requirements
- K-12 classroom experience and experience with K-12 language standards and curricula
- Strong verbal and written communication skills and the ability to apply rules of grammar
- Superior Interpersonal and problem-solving skills
- Ability to excel in both a leadership and participatory position within a team environment
- Well-developed organizational skills, strong technical skills, and a willingness/adeptness with regards to learning new technology
- Proficient use of Microsoft Office products (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint) and Adobe products
!
ETS believes in a Total Rewards philosophy for our employees, and they include:
- Health, Vision, Dental insurance plans to choose from
- Generous continuous learning support, from individual learning grants to up to 6 classes a year for tuition reimbursement as well as on-line learning access!
- Generous PTO and vacation time to balance your work and life
- Additional 8 hours of PTO for volunteer work
- Retirement plan (401(a)) and traditional Roth (403b) with company contribution
- Commuter Benefits, Pet Insurance, 1 year subscription to Calm App
ETS is mission driven and action oriented
- Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging is at the forefront of the ETS employee's daily work. To further foster an inclusive environment ETS is home to a wide variety of Affinity groups that celebrate the diversity of our talented employees.
- How about cultivating growth, innovation, and continuous transformation for the next generation of rising professionals as leaders? ETS offers multiple Business Resource Groups (BRG) for you!
- Are you passionate about volunteering and being active in your career and community? ETS offers our Center for Advocacy & Philanthropy (CAAP) where we encourage ETS employees to become active volunteers in their communities and schools through the ETS Cares Giving Campaign. Our employees can support any 501c3 or eligible charity of their choice.
ETS is an Equal Opportunity Employer comprised of people with different experiences, strengths, and backgrounds who share a passion for advancing quality and equity in education. We are dedicated to building teams that reflect the various backgrounds, experiences, and identities of those we serve. The Talent Acquisition team strives to ensure candidates enjoy a fair and equitable hiring process. We believe our differences empower us to be a better team, making better decisions and delivering better results.
Keyword: administration, financial management, educational measurement, systems and research
