Are you passionate about shaping the future of education and skills-based hiring? Join our small but dynamic team as a Product Design & Development Manager and play a pivotal role in creating impactful assessments that drive learning and success. At our company, innovation and collaboration are at the core of everything we do. As a Product Design and Development Manager, you will have the opportunity to lead and inspire a team of talented professionals, working together to develop cutting-edge assessments that meet industry standards and exceed expectations. Your ideas and creativity will be valued, and your contributions will directly impact the growth and success of our organization. If you're ready to make a difference and be part of a close-knit team where your talents are recognized and appreciated, we invite you to join us on this exciting journey!
The Product Design and Development Manager is responsible for directing the development, implementation, and evaluation of assessment strategies within the organization, playing a pivotal role in ensuring alignment with organizational goals, adherence to quality standards, and fostering continuous improvement. This role entails providing leadership to the product development team, overseeing their efforts to maintain the organization's assessment offerings. Additionally, the Product Design and Development Manager collaborates closely with the leadership team and Quality Assurance Analyst to prioritize initiatives aimed at product growth.
Assessment Planning: Develop assessment strategies and development and implementation plans that align with organizational goals, objectives, and performance standards.
Product Strategy: Collaborate with cross-functional teams to prioritize features and enhancements that contribute to product growth, based on customer feedback, research, and the target markets.
Assessment Evaluation and Feedback: Evaluate the effectiveness of assessment processes and make recommendations for improvements based on feedback from stakeholders and analysis of assessment outcomes.
Reporting and Communication: Communicate assessment-related information and findings to stakeholders, such as educators, administrators, policymakers, employers, or learners, in a clear and actionable manner. This could involve preparing reports, presentations, or visualizations of assessment results.
Collaboration and Coordination: Collaborate with other departments and teams to coordinate assessment efforts, integrate assessment data into decision-making processes, and support seamless and continuous improvement initiatives.
Record-Keeping and Documentation: Maintain accurate maintenance of records, files, and other pertinent assessment-related information to ensure thorough documentation, assessment status, and an appropriate version control system.
Subject Matter Expert Oversight: Supervisethe recruitment, management, training, and performance of high-quality subject matter experts to ensure the successful completion of projects.
Facilitation: Oversee and perform all steps of the development process to ensure a high-quality assessment. This process includes communicating with subject matter experts, preparing development/revision materials, facilitating online and face-to-face meetings, ensuring alignment to content standards, adhering to item selection and item development guidelines, coordinating reviews, implementing edits, and preparing the assessment for implementation.
Psychometric Basics: Have a basic understanding or familiarity of the principles of psychometrics and assessment theory and the ability to stay current with trends in assessment practices.
Continuous Improvement: Working with various team members, identify opportunities to streamline administrative processes, consider alternate assessment development and management practices, improve efficiency, explore technological enhancements, and enhance productivity.
Supervision and Leadership: Provide guidance, mentorship, and supervision to team members as necessary; onboard new employees in collaboration with human resources, and manage employee documentation such as timesheets, leave requests, and performance evaluations.
Professional Development: Keep abreast of best practices, research findings, and technological advancements in assessment methods and tools. Provide training or support to staff involved in assessment activities.
Budgeting and Expense Management: Assist with budget preparation for the assessment development activities, monitor expenses, and reconcile financial records as needed.
Policy Compliance: Ensure compliance with organizational policies, procedures, and regulations, as well as implementing measures to maintain data security and confidentiality.
Problem-Solving and Decision-Making: Address any assessment-related issues identified by leadership, directors, and the Quality Assurance Analyst to resolve conflicts as they arise, while exercising sound judgment and discretion in decision-making.
Ad-Hoc Tasks: Handle additional tasks or projects as assigned by senior leadership, demonstrating flexibility and adaptability in managing changing priorities.
Requirements
Master's degree preferred; however, a combination of relevant education and experience will be considered
A minimum of two to three years of experience in assessment development, assessment delivery, and psychometric principles is required.
This position is hybrid, with the majority of work conducted remotely. There will be occasional travel required for onsite assessment-related activities and travel to the Big Rapids, Michigan Headquarters for specific dates or events.
Please submit a cover letter, a current resume, and three references to hr@nocti.org by May 15, 2024.