The Program Manager (Alternate Assessment) will assist with managing all aspects of state testing projects for students with significant cognitive disabilities. They must be able to work collaboratively in a fast paced environment; anticipate problems and come up with creative methods of solving them; develop strong, positive, constructive relationships with clients; coordinate among the various project teams; and make sure that quality control procedures are adhered to in order to produce high quality assessments within deadline and budget. Successful candidates will create a proactive culture in which the efficient creation of high quality products is second nature.
The responsibilities of the Program Manager (Alternate Assessment) include:
• Develops processes, procedures, and schedules for meeting project deliverables and client needs.
• Working with state clients, ensures that all plans and schedules are viable, that the state understands their roles and deadlines, and that clear lines of communication are established.
• Develops meeting agendas, chairing meetings, and documenting decisions.
• Ensures that a master schedule is developed and maintained of deadlines and deliverables and making sure that all project staff are aware of the parts of the master schedule that affect them, and are aware of all changes that are made to the schedule.
• Provides information, support, direction, and problem-solving to the clients, as needed, in a manner that provides positive solutions, and if needed, adjusts current processes to improve the delivery, coordination, or quality of the product.
• Manages changes of scope so that all necessary changes to contracts, budgets, and activities, and schedules are in place.
• Ensures that other members of the project team are aware of any changes to the project scope.
• Coordinates among the senior staff members who manage the various project teams (item development, technical, reporting, website, databases, etc.) and making sure that each team receives what it needs from the other teams.
• Keeps AIR senior management informed of any potential project problems, including issues with a client or another stakeholder and any potential for missed deadlines or budget over-runs.
• Manages subcontractors.
• Monitors budgets.