Sr Manager, Assessment Design

Employment Type: Full-time

Position Overview

At Instructure, we believe in the power of people to grow and succeed throughout their lives. Our goal is to amplify that power by creating intuitive products that simplify learning and personal development, facilitate meaningful relationships, and inspire people to go further in their education and careers. We do this by giving smart, creative, passionate people opportunities to create awesome.

As a Sr Manager, Assessment Design, at Instructure, you will lead the instructional design strategy and execution for our innovative assessment products. As a senior leader with deep expertise in the assessment landscape and proven management capabilities, you will guide a team of talented Assessment Designers, ensuring our products meet rigorous standards and drive student success at scale. You will be instrumental in streamlining processes for optimal efficiency and scalability, fostering a collaborative environment, and working closely with cross-functional teams to bring cutting-edge assessment solutions to life. You’ll leverage your deep understanding of assessment design, content vendors, and management systems to guide your team and collaborate with Product Management and other stakeholders to ensure our assessment products are best-in-class.

Responsibilities

• Drive the instructional design vision and strategy for Instructure's assessment products, with a strong focus on scalability and innovation.
• Lead and mentor a team of Assessment Designers, fostering their professional growth and ensuring high-quality output.
• Maintain deep and current knowledge of the assessment field and competitors, including state/regional/partner guidelines, standards updates, blueprints, sample items, and test specifications. Identify trends to inform assessment designs.
• Oversee the development of designs for assessment products, ensuring alignment with strategic goals and market needs.
• Apply expert industry knowledge in collaborative, cross-functional spaces such as product discovery, prototyping, and experimentation, contributing valuable insights to product development.
• Pilot and champion new ways of working with a focus on efficiency and scalability, proactively identifying and implementing innovative solutions.
• Contribute to strategic planning and thinking by understanding organizational objectives and aligning team goals to broader departmental and company-wide initiatives.
• Engage and influence effectively with a range of stakeholders, from team members to executive leadership, building trust and credibility.
• Hire and grow talent within the Assessment Design team through training, feedback, coaching, and guidance, ensuring the team has the skills and knowledge to excel.

Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s degree required, advanced degree (Masters or Doctorate) in education, instructional design, or related field is preferred.
• Experience:
  • 10+ years of relevant experience in assessment design and/or product development within the education industry.
  • Minimum of 4 years of management experience, leading and developing high-performing teams.
• Skills and Knowledge:
  • Deep familiarity with assessment products, vendors, and management systems.
  • Expert-level knowledge of test construction principles and best practices, demonstrated through a thorough understanding of state/regional guidelines, blueprints, and item specifications.
  • Demonstrated ability to develop and implement process improvements that enhance efficiency and scalability.
  • Strong strategic thinking skills with the ability to understand organizational objectives and align team goals accordingly.
  • Excellent communication skills (written, verbal, and visual) with the ability to effectively present complex information to various audiences.
  • Proven ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including Product Management, Engineering, and Operations.
  • A proactive and results-oriented mindset with a demonstrated ability to take initiative and drive projects forward.

Company Information

At Instructure, we believe in the power of people to grow and succeed throughout their lives. Our goal is to amplify that power by creating intuitive products that simplify learning and personal development, facilitate meaningful relationships, and inspire people to go further in their education and careers. We do this by giving smart, creative, passionate people opportunities to create awesome.