Associate Director of Assessment, Early Literacy
At Curriculum Associates (CA), we believe a diverse team leads to diversity in thinking, making our products better for teachers and students. If you read this job description, feel energized by what you see here, and believe you could bring passion and commitment to the role, but you aren't sure you meet every qualification, please apply! Above all, we are looking for the right person!

Our goal is to make classrooms better places for students and teachers. By providing high-quality, research-based, engaging, culturally sustaining, and anti-racist content to the schools we serve, along with assessment tools for setting high expectations, we believe that we can help schools create a learning environment where every student succeeds. 
This role is part of the Assessment Programs team and reports to the Senior Director of Assessment Programs. The Assessment Programs team and the Assessment Editorial team together make up the Assessment Design team, which is led by the Associate Vice President of Assessment. In this role, you will work with the Senior Director to lead the strategy and design of our literacy assessments, with a focus on the early elementary grades. You'll work with a dynamic, hard-working team of directors, project managers, and editors focused on improving how we assess students' literacy knowledge and skills.
The impact you'll have:

• Work with the Assessment Programs team to define continuous improvement initiatives for our literacy assessment programs and conceptualize assessment products based on competitive analysis, market research, culturally and linguistically responsive assessment principles, and academic research
• Your expert leadership and proven ability to communicate with senior leadership and cross-functional teams will play a central role in the company's assessment positioning and prioritization in the literacy education field
• Work closely with internal and external stakeholders and with cross-functional teams on marketing, implementation guidance, and sales proposals, making decisions to ensure assessment quality while meeting business needs
• Work with Assessment Directors on assessment project strategy and scope, making decisions and recommendations for short- and long-term planning and prioritization that aligns with the company product roadmap
• Become an expert in and leader of our literacy assessment products, deeply aware of the latest industry trends, the assessment needs of our district customers, and issues faced by teachers in the classroom
• Given the increased focus and demand on literacy instruction and assessment based on reading science, your deep knowledge of foundational literacy and pre-literacy skills will guide the design and priorities for our literacy assessments
• You'll work with Assessment Directors on organizational and personnel initiatives such as professional development, vendor quality assurance, and balancing team morale and work/life balance with business needs
• You'll work with subject matter experts on the Assessment Editorial team and serve as an internal stakeholder and advisor to that team once assessment products you have designed become active projects
• Your contacts in the literacy and assessment fields may serve to contribute as academic advisors, expert practitioner advisors, and/or assessment development contractors, and you may take on personnel management responsibilities in the future

Who we're looking for:

• Proven ability to lead collaborative efforts with multiple team members and stakeholders, communicate effectively, and inspire innovation in teams
• Proven ability to synthesize data and feedback from stakeholders, literacy assessment research and best practices, and market and business priorities to strategize assessment solutions
• Adaptable and accountable in setting, meeting, and communicating deadlines and project goals 
• Proven ability to conduct, document, and report research, and lead initiatives as an expert on early literacy assessment
• Passion for ensuring diverse, equitable, and inclusive assessment experiences for students of all backgrounds
• Strong analytical/critical and creative thinking skills
• Ability to work in a self-directed way
• Comfort working with new technologies such as content management systems, Microsoft Office products, and virtual meeting spaces 
• Open and responsive to feedback and review 

Experience:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in literacy education or related field, or equivalent experience.
• A minimum of 10 years of assessment development experience
• A minimum of 10 years of professional experience in literacy research, instruction, and/or assessment.
• Understanding of statistics and statistical inference with respect to assessment measurement
• Teaching experience strongly preferred

Location: We encourage folks from across the U.S. to apply to this role! 

Compensation and Benefits: Equitable pay and great benefits including health, dental, and vision insurance, employer contributed 401K.