Description
We are seeking a Senior Certification Operations Manager to support the planning, development, launch, maintenance, and retirement of professional certification programs.
The successful candidate will manage certification operations, vendor relationships, program schedules, and cross-functional activities to support consistent program delivery and candidate experience.
Key Responsibilities
- Manage certification programs throughout the lifecycle, including planning, development, launch, maintenance, recertification, and retirement.
- Develop and maintain certification roadmaps, release schedules, project plans, and operational processes.
- Coordinate certification activities across internal teams, subject matter experts, and external service providers.
- Monitor program milestones, deliverables, risks, dependencies, and operational performance.
- Identify and implement process improvements to support program efficiency and consistency.
- Partner with stakeholders to align certification programs with product, business, and market requirements.
Vendor and Partner Management
- Manage relationships with vendors supporting certification development, exam delivery, psychometrics, certification platforms, digital credentials, localization, and content development.
- Manage vendor contracts, Statements of Work (SOWs), budgets, service-level agreements (SLAs), deliverables, and performance metrics.
- Coordinate activities across multiple vendors to support project timelines, quality requirements, and program objectives.
- Track vendor performance and address operational issues, risks, and escalations as needed.
Certification Operations
- Oversee certification management systems, credentialing platforms, and related operational processes.
- Ensure certification requirements, policies, and program updates are accurately implemented across applicable systems and processes.
- Support certification launches, updates, recertification programs, and program changes.
- Maintain operational documentation, procedures, and process requirements.
- Support audits, appeals, exception requests, and certification policy inquiries.
Candidate Support
- Serve as an escalation point for candidate inquiries related to exam registration, scheduling, testing accommodations, score reporting, certification status, digital credentials, recertification, and program policies.
- Coordinate with testing providers, certification platforms, and internal support teams to investigate and resolve candidate issues.
- Monitor candidate support trends and identify opportunities to improve processes and the candidate experience.
- Develop and maintain candidate-facing procedures, FAQs, and other support documentation.
- Ensure candidate support processes are aligned with applicable certification policies and accessibility requirements.
- Analyze candidate feedback and operational data to identify opportunities for process improvements.
Basic Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Business, Operations, Education, Information Technology, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.
- 5+ years of experience in certification operations, credentialing programs, technical training, learning program management, or a related field.
- Experience working with certification tools and testing providers, preferably Pearson VUE, Credly and Alpine Cert Metrics.
- Experience managing external vendors or service providers.
- Experience managing multiple projects, programs, or operational initiatives.
- Experience coordinating activities across cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
- Experience developing and maintaining project plans, schedules, processes, and documentation.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
- Proficiency with Microsoft 365 and project or program management tools.
Benefits
- Comprehensive suite of benefits that supports physical, financial, and emotional wellbeing.
- Investment in career development and growth.
- Unconditional inclusion and flexible work arrangements.