CFP Board seeks a seasoned credentialing leader with deep expertise in psychometrics, exam development, and exam administration operations to direct the high-stakes CFP® Examination program. This role ensures full compliance with NCCA accreditation standards, oversees outsourced exam delivery partners, leads psychometric practices, and manages a team responsible for registration, accommodations, audits, and corrective actions. The position is accountable for modernizing and stabilizing exam-related processes, strengthening volunteer items development engagement structures, and improving cross-departmental collaboration across Professional Practice.
Essential Functions- Psychometrics, Exam Design, and Assessment Integrity: Leads the design, psychometric analysis, and continuous improvement of CFP Board's high-stakes examination program in alignment with industry best practices and NCCA standards.
- Oversees the exam development cycle, including job task analysis inputs, blueprint maintenance, item development, form assembly, standard setting, equating, and scoring.
- Ensures validity, reliability, fairness, and security of all exam forms using contemporary psychometric methodologies.
- Identifies and implements improvements to exam development workflows; establishes rigorous documentation standards and reproducible, policy-driven processes.
- Modernizes volunteer engagement structures-item writers, reviewers, technical advisors-to ensure sustainable, high-quality contributions and appropriate training, mentoring, and evaluation.
- Monitors performance trends, industry benchmarks, and advances in assessment science to proactively adjust practices.
- Ensures exam-related activities support Accreditation compliance and withstand internal and external audits.
- Exam Delivery, Vendor Management, and Accreditation Compliance: Oversees CFP Board's outsourced exam delivery vendor(s) to ensure seamless administration of the CFP® exam.
- Manages the full vendor relationship, ensuring contract compliance, service-level performance, test security, and accurate results reporting.
- Implements practice-based oversight, dashboards, and monitoring of operational KPIs (capacity, disruptions, incidents, score processing timelines, etc.).
- Ensures all exam administration practices comply with NCCA requirements, including policy alignment, traceability, documentation, and corrective-action frameworks.
- Collaborates with Legal and Professional Practice leadership to ensure risk mitigation, quality assurance, and contractual governance.
- Manages accommodations processes, maintaining consistency, timeliness, and compliance with ADA-aligned policies while meeting NCCA expectations for fairness and transparency.
- Conducts periodic audits of vendors, internal processes, accommodations, and exam security with evidence-based corrective action plans.
- Leadership of Examination Operations, Registration, Accommodations, and Corrective Actions. Leads a team of exam operations administrators responsible for all candidate-facing and compliance-driven functions
- Supervises and develops staff who manage exam registration, eligibility verification, accommodations intake and evaluation, exception requests, audit documentation, and corrective-action follow-up.
- Establishes a performance culture grounded in professionalism, accountability, and team dynamic.
- Implements customer-service standards for candidate interactions, particularly during high-stress or escalated situations.
- Ensures timely resolution of inquiries, accurate processing, and consistent application of policies across all exam cycles.
- Strengthens team cohesion and communication while modeling leadership behaviors that rebuild trust and elevate morale.
- Cross-Functional and Organizational Collaboration. This role works closely with peer directors across Professional Practice, including:
- Registered Programs (curriculum alignment, student preparedness, exam readiness guidance).
- Continuing Education & Experience (policy alignment, NCCA compliance, corrective actions, sponsor/experience team interactions).
- Call Center & Customer Experience (accurate candidate information, escalations, and communications).
- Other internal & external stakeholders.
- Collective collaboration is required to strengthen the entire certification lifecycle and ensure organizational excellence.
Background/Skills/Abilities Preferred- Preferred Education: Terminal degree (Ph.D., Ed.D.) in psychometrics, educational measurement, quantitative psychology, assessment, or a closely related field strongly preferred.
- Credentials:
- Board of Certified Psychometrists (BCP) or obtain within one year
- The I.C.E. Certified Credentialing Professional® (ICE-CCP®) or obtain within one year
- CFP® certification is a plus.
- Minimum 10 years of progressive responsibility in certification, credentialing, licensure testing, or high-stakes assessment.
- Leadership experience with exam development, psychometric analysis, and vendor-managed testing programs.
- Proven success in implementing improvements in credentialing assessment, operations and accreditation compliance.
- Experience building and improving team's culture.
- Technical & Leadership Competencies
- Deep understanding of NCCA's Standards for the Accreditation of Certification Programs.
- Demonstrated expertise in psychometric methods.
- Strong ability to manage outsourced vendors and complex contractual relationships.
- Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to speak up constructively and influence change.
- Proven analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
- Commitment to professionalism and cross-functional collaboration.
- Experience with measurement software and data systems.
- Experience with database management (NetForum experience a plus).
This position is part of the 501(c)(6).
This position is based in the Washington, D.C. office and works a hybrid schedule, which may change at any time.
CFP Board believes that diversity of experience and perspective are strengths and seeks to continue to grow a highly committed, skilled, and collaborative staff.
The applicable starting annual base salary is anticipated to be in the range of $145,000.00 to $175,000.00. In addition to base salary, total compensation includes incentive compensation for which employees are eligible based on completion of individual goals.
