Director, Certification & Exam Products

About the role

Want to work for a great Organization? The American Bankers Association is the banking industry's champion. Joining ABA makes you part of a team that: - has Extraordinary People - ABA experts are the "go to" sources for bankers, policy makers and the media for credible information and insights for the banking industry. - has Unmatched Scope and Scale - ABA's unparalleled information and services keep members current, knowledgeable and prepared. - is Impact-Driven - ABA has a proven record of bringing about positive change for our members and the industry. We take action and achieve results. Plus competitive pay, an outstanding benefits package, a convenient DC location, a professional collegial work environment and an opportunity to work on issues of national significance equals a winning combination! Click Here to review ABA's holistic approach to Benefits and Total Rewards. Employer of Choice: ABA is recognized with a 2025 Great Company Culture Award and 2025 Great Place to Work designation! Job Description: This position leads the development, management, and continuous improvement of ABA's certification exam products, including high-stakes certification exams and practice exam offerings. This role is responsible for ensuring the quality, relevance, and scalability of exam development and delivery across the certification portfolio. The position serves as a liaison between ABA, advisory boards, and external testing partners (e.g., Meazure Learning), ensuring effective execution of exam development and maintenance processes. This role also plays a key part in ensuring certification programs remain aligned with evolving industry needs. This includes monitoring market trends, identifying gaps in knowledge and skills, and recommending updates to exam content, structure, and related products (e.g., CISP, CFMP). The position leads the expansion of practice exam offerings and helps identify growth opportunities through enhancements to existing programs and exam-related products. This position will also be partnered with existing exam leadership to support knowledge transfer and the continued evolution and modernization of exam program operations over time. Practice Exam Product Development (Core Responsibility) Work with the VP of Certifications and VP of Online Training & Delivery to develop a practice exam framework for all ABA certifications. Oversee development of practice exams in partnership with advisory boards and SMEs, ensuring alignment with certification exam content and candidate preparation needs. Establish and manage AI-assisted item development workflows, combining technology-enabled drafting with structured SME and board review. Facilitate board validation and approval of practice exam content, including item selection, refinement, and finalization. Establish standards for practice exam design, including scoring methodologies, answer rationales, and candidate feedback. Partner with Online Learning and Product teams to integrate practice exams into exam preparation offerings and bundled products. Monitor utilization, candidate performance, and feedback to continuously improve practice exam effectiveness and value. Certification Exam Product Management & Vendor Oversight Lead the development and lifecycle management of certification exam products, including exam forms, item banks, and refresh cycles. Serve as the primary point of contact for external testing partners, ensuring effective execution of exam development, delivery, and maintenance. Manage timelines and deliverables for job task analyses (JTAs), item writing, exam assembly, and ongoing exam updates. Monitor vendor performance and ensure alignment with contractual requirements, quality standards, and service expectations. Ensure consistency across certification programs by standardizing exam development processes and best practices. Advisory Board & SME Engagement Lead advisory board engagement related to exam product development and maintenance. Recruit, onboard, and maintain a strong pipeline of subject matter experts (SMEs) and item writers. Facilitate item writing workshops and working sessions in collaboration with external partners. Ensure effective governance, participation, and quality contributions from SMEs and advisory boards. Assessment Oversight & Quality Assurance Ensure exam development processes align with high-stakes testing standards and certification best practices. Review exam outlines, item bank composition, and development outputs to ensure alignment with program blueprints and content coverage. Coordinate review and implementation of psychometric analyses and recommendations provided by external partners. Maintain exam integrity through secure item development, rotation, and refresh practices. Program Operations & Continuous Improvement Support the transition and ongoing evolution of exam program processes, including modernization of workflows, board engagement models, and development practices. Identify