Administrator - Office of Assessment

State of Ohio • Columbus, OH

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce is a diverse team of passionate, education-focused professionals responsible for overseeing and enhancing the quality of education for each of Ohio’s 1.7 million students. The Department provides the resources and supports essential to raising student achievement and accelerating learning opportunities, advancing the connectivity between K-12 and postsecondary learning, creating programs to support and expand workforce experiences, and ensuring students have the necessary supports to be ready each day to learn. As the governing body responsible for overseeing and enhancing the quality of education within the State of Ohio, the Department of Education and Workforce is dedicated to promoting educational excellence and ensuring equal access to learning opportunities for all students. The Department is committed to collaborating with schools, districts, educators, students, families, businesses, nonprofits and all stakeholders to achieve our educational goals. Ohio is a Disability Inclusion State and strives to be a model employer of individuals with disabilities. The State of Ohio is committed to providing access and inclusion and reasonable accommodation in its services, activities, programs and employment opportunities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws. The final candidate selected for this position will be required to undergo a criminal background check as well as other investigative reviews. Criminal convictions do not necessarily preclude an applicant from consideration for a position, unless restricted under state or federal law or federal restrictions. An individual assessment of an applicant's prior criminal convictions will be made before excluding an applicant from consideration. The final applicant for this position will be required to submit urinalysis to test for illegal drug use prior to an appointment. The State will decline to extend a final offer of employment to any applicant with a verified positive test result. Also, an applicant with a positive test result will not be considered for any position with the State of Ohio for a period of one year. The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer that values diversity and seeks talented individuals from diverse backgrounds. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any other legally protected class. Questions or concerns about this should be directed to the Office of Human Resources ([email protected]). The State of Ohio is a drug-free workplace which prohibits the use of marijuana (recreational marijuana/non-medical cannabis). Please note, this position may be subject to additional restrictions pursuant to the State of Ohio Drug-Free Workplace Policy (HR-39), and as outlined in the posting.

Requirements

• Completion of a master’s degree in education, public policy, business, or related field and 5 years of experience in program oversight (supervision), leadership or educational administration which included strategic planning, policy analysis and implementation, data and financial analysis, and managing cross-functional teams.
• OR Completion of a bachelor’s degree in education, public policy, business, or a related field and 10+ years of experience in program oversight (supervision), leadership or educational administration which included strategic planning, policy analysis and implementation, data and financial analysis, and managing cross-functional teams.
• AND Understanding and experience implementing statewide, large-scale assessments including alternate assessments and EL assessments
• Understanding of basic psychometric principles
• Strong project management skills for projects with complex pieces
• Experience with budgeting for large contracts, projects, and grants
• Experience developing and implementing policy
• Strong organizational skills with demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex roles and responsibilities
• Systems thinker with creativity and strong problem-solving skills
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills and a proven ability to build productive relationships with, and communicate complex messages to, a wide variety of stakeholders
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and team-building skills
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, particularly related to evaluating educational policy and complex data

Nice To Haves

• Political acumen with various stakeholders and constituent groups
• Demonstrated ability to foster a positive customer- and employee-focused work environment
• Demonstrated ability to support and develop leaders and leadership competencies
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills related to educational policy, resource allocation, and program design
• A strong understanding of Ohio’s educational policy and landscape
• Unwavering belief that all students can learn and achieve success in school
• Experience developing and creating professional development aligned to state policy implementation
• Knowledge and application of relevant technological innovations in assessment, (e.g., AI in test development)

Responsibilities

• Directs the Office of Assessment in providing leadership and support for schools and districts in the implementation of Ohio’s assessment system.
• Serves as both leader of all current state assessment work and as a thought and policy leader on the future of state assessment systems.
• Collaborates with all relevant offices in DEW to ensure that Ohio’s assessment system is coherent, aligned and modern.
• Leads all aspects of statewide K-12 assessment system including fiscal management of assessment contracts (e.g., OST contractor, ACT, SAT) and contract monitoring (e.g., vendor relation management, deliverables).
• Coordination with DAS to develop requests for proposal (RFPs).
• Coordination of a variety of tests for multiple purposes (e.g., computer-based test, ACT, SAT, Work Keys, Alternative Tests).
• Coordination of data files from vendors for use by multiple DEW offices (e.g., Data Quality and Governance, Accountability, Nonpublic Education Options).
• Development of assessments to meet career-technical education assessments in coordination with relevant offices.
• Ensures assessments and results meet technical requirements (e.g., reliability, validity, fairness).
• Develops high quality, user-friendly tools for stakeholders including educators and families to use data from assessment systems.
• Serves as state lead for the Technical Advisors.
• Leads and directs assignments or deliverables for assessment vendor teams.
• Coordinates agency process for list of approved assessments (e.g., diagnostic screeners, gifted identification).
• Oversees the implementation of professional development and technical assistance emphasizing innovative practices to support districts in using assessment information to help students become college and career ready.

Benefits

• Medical Coverage
• Free Dental, Vision and Basic Life Insurance premiums after completion of eligibility period
• Paid time off, including vacation, personal, sick leave and 11 paid holidays per year
• Childbirth, Adoption, and Foster Care leave
• Education and Development Opportunities (Employee Development Funds, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and more)
• Public Retirement Systems ( such as OPERS, STRS, SERS, and HPRS ) & Optional Deferred Compensation ( Ohio Deferred Compensation )

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager