Test Development Coordinator
Description
| Job Title: | Test Development Coordinator | Department: | Examinations |
| Reports To: | AVP, Examinations | FLSA Status: | Exempt |
Salary Range: $75,000-$85,000
*Salary is dependent upon experience*
Work Location
Washington DC Metro Area with a hybrid model (4 days per 2 week pay period in office)
About NCARB
The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) is a nonprofit organization made up of the architectural licensing boards of 55 U.S. states and territories. NCARB, in collaboration with licensing boards, facilitates the licensure and credentialing of architects to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public. Learn more about NCARB and how we achieve our mission by clicking here.
About the Position
About NCARB
The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) is a nonprofit organization made up of the architectural licensing boards of 55 U.S. states and territories. NCARB, in collaboration with licensing boards, facilitates the licensure and credentialing of architects to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public. Learn more about NCARB and how we achieve our mission by clicking here.
About the Position
NCARB’s Examination Department is looking for a Test Development Coordinator to join our team. We take great pride in developing, delivering, and maintaining a high-quality, high-stakes exam used by all U.S. licensing boards as a requirement for architectural licensure. We are a collaborative, results-driven group that enjoys working together to meet our department and organizational goals. If you are a detail-oriented person with excellent writing skills who’s equally comfortable working independently and with others while learning new things about architecture and testing, then this is the job for you.
This role is primarily responsible for reviewing architectural content written by outside subject matter experts (SMEs) and editing the content to ensure adherence to exam standards and common conventions of grammar and style. This role also facilitates content review sessions with SMEs and provides critical training at both in-person and remote workshops. This role has opportunities to participate in other departmental work as well as organizational initiatives outside the department in support of other NCARB programs.
This role is flexible based on your previous experience with editing, test development, meeting facilitation, or architecture.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.
Open
- Lead and support committee volunteers to implement goals, objectives, and priorities of the Council.
- Consult with and keep supervisor informed on the status of all projects.
- Build coalitions internally and externally (with peers, team members, Member Boards, volunteers, collateral, and associated organizations, etc.) to share best practices and achieve common goals.
- Facilitate cooperation and teamwork throughout the organization. Communicate and operate in an open manner so that information and actions are clear and visible.
Responsive
- Embrace ownership and take responsibility for the outcomes. Follow through on commitments.
- Be open to feedback and flexible to changing needs, priorities, and resources.
Restless
- Motivate and create a high-performing team of volunteers.
- Treat customers and colleagues in a fair and equitable manner.
- Reinforce organizational branding throughout the Council.
- Consistently exercise sound judgment; and, professional, expert, courteous, respectful, and responsive service to internal and external stakeholders.
Core Responsibilities – Department Specific
Strategic
- Participate in department research initiatives as needed.
- Assist in the implementation of policy and procedural changes as needed.
- Participate in strategic planning initiatives for the department as needed.
- Mid-level candidates will also participate in Council-wide research and strategic planning initiatives as needed, identify inefficiencies in current policy or procedures and potential changes to address inefficiencies, and assist in the development of annual workplans.
- High-level candidates will also continuously assess the efficiencies of exam development policies and procedures, recommend updates, and lead the implementation of changes.
Examination Development & Maintenance
- Understand the overall workplan and homework assignments for each committee responsibility.
- Provide support to volunteers throughout their item development efforts.
- Understand volunteer training materials covering all aspects of item development work.
- Provide training on item authoring standards and use of the content management system.
- Facilitate item review discussions with volunteers to identify existing deficiencies in items, determine required edits, and reach group consensus on whether to approve the item for future use on the ARE. Report meeting outcomes to subcommittee staff liaison(s).
- Provide support to volunteers throughout their form assembly efforts.
- Understand volunteer training materials covering all aspects of form assembly and review work.
- Provide training on form assembly and review procedures and use of the content management system.
- Interpret basic item statistics and use the concepts of reliability and validity to facilitate volunteer item review.
- Facilitate item-level statistical review discussions with volunteers to identify reasons and possible solutions for aberrant test item performance. Report meeting outcomes to subcommittee staff liaison(s).
- Edit newly authored items and committee-approved changes to ensure that form, structure, and style are consistent with psychometric and NCARB standards.
- Review newly authored images/exhibits and committee-approved changes against NCARB standards for image size, resolution, and quality. Edit images/exhibits as required and/or provide clear direction for edits by others.
- Document item editing conducted outside of meeting facilitation.
- Regularly monitor and maintain assigned areas of the item bank (e.g., the changing of item statuses, item cleanup, etc.) and ensure items move forward in the item development process.
- Confirm that complete and accurate information about items has been recorded in the item bank.
- Remediate incomplete or incorrect information about items when necessary and appropriate.
- Inform subcommittee staff liaisons of the needs and limitations of meeting facilitation efforts and of homework completion by volunteers.
- Evaluate volunteer performance within the volunteer management system. Assist with volunteer selection for the future fiscal year as needed.
- Maintain the security of confidential exam, candidate, and vendor information.
- Assist with the review of new forms prior to launch as needed.
- Mid-level candidates will also assist in the development of committee workplans and homework assignments, support development of volunteer training materials, review and edit items for alignment with architectural standards, identify possible challenges for volunteers, and evaluate item authoring software applications.
- High-level candidates will also collaborate with staff liaisons on the development of committee workplans and homework assignments, lead the development of volunteer training materials, recommend solutions for misaligned test items, establish best practices for creating images/exhibits, and propose alternate approaches to address volunteer challenges.
Stakeholder Support
- Develop and maintain a proficient level of understanding of Examination programs, rules, requirements, and service standards. Maintain a basic level of understanding of these and the technologies used in this position’s general areas of responsibility.
- Support efforts of stakeholders using the content management system as needed.
- Assist subcommittee staff liaisons in addressing volunteer requests and questions as needed.
- Support revisions to examination documentation (e.g., ARE Guidelines, FAQs, blogs, etc.) as needed.
- Mid-level candidates will also maintain an intermediate level of understanding of the programs, technologies and so forth used in this position’s general areas of responsibility, identify areas of improvement within the content management system, and identify additional communications to enhance stakeholder support.
- High-level candidates will also maintain an expert level of understanding of the programs, technologies and so forth used in this position’s general areas of responsibility, lead necessary revisions to exam documentation, and support development of communications to inform stakeholders of exam structure and development process.
Research
- Support research of new exam development methodologies as needed.
- Study technology, best practices, and other trends in the testing industry.
- Mid-level candidates will also collaborate with staff, consultants, and others on research initiatives.
- High-level candidates will also identify and recommend new areas of research within exam content development, investigate technology and best practices within the profession of architecture, and recommend changes to technology and processes based on investigation and research.
Qualifications
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the education, experience, knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- Bachelor’s degree in industrial/organizational psychology, English, education, or psychometrics or related fields; or, a combination of substantial related experience, training, and education may substitute.
- 2 or more years of relevant experience in a test development and/or education environment, or related field with emphasis on working with people and/or volunteers, coordinating activities, writing, editing, and supporting projects.
- Excellent understanding and command of English grammar, style, and the principles of effective written expression to edit and evaluate volunteer item writing.
- Excellent oral communication skills and presentation ability to communicate test development concepts, basic statistical data and concepts, progress, and goals to volunteers, and the ability to self-assess and improve presentation methods when needed.
- Strong organizational skills to work effectively in a team setting on concurrent processes and projects to meet established goals, deadlines, and quality standards.
- Strong interpersonal and facilitation skills to work effectively with staff, volunteers, and stakeholders to accomplish NCARB’s goals and objectives.
- Excellent attention to detail and accuracy.
- Excellent organizational skills and ability to prioritize and coordinate multiple projects.
- Demonstrated proficiency using technology and a wide variety of software applications to include Microsoft Office Suite to include Word, Outlook, Excel, and Power Point, Bluebeam PDF software, image editing software, and item authoring and banking applications.
- Ability to travel up to 25% including weekends.
Benefits
NCARB's employees enjoy a comprehensive set of benefits that include strong support for health and wellness, some nice perks, and professional development.
NCARB's employees enjoy a comprehensive set of benefits that include strong support for health and wellness, some nice perks, and professional development.
Some highlights include:
- NCARB is a family-friendly organization
- Competitive pay
- Medical, vision, and dental Benefits
- Paid parental leave
- Annual Leave
- Three Personal days
- Wellness leave (aka “sick” leave)
- Volunteer leave
- Employee Assistance Program
- Life and disability insurance
- 401k
- Tuition assistance
- All-staff outings and retreats
- Full access to LinkedIn Learning, supporting self- directed/curated professional development
- ASAE (American Society of Association Executives Membership)
- Paid Professional Development
- Paid professional association and membership dues
COVID-19 Vaccination Policy
As of November 1, 2021, all employees must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19. NCARB will provide an exception to this vaccination requirement only for employees with an approved medical or religious exemption.
As of November 1, 2021, all employees must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19. NCARB will provide an exception to this vaccination requirement only for employees with an approved medical or religious exemption.