Career Opportunities: Lead Content Designer (19745)

NWEA® is a division of HMH that supports students and educators through research, assessment solutions, policy and advocacy services, professional learning and school improvement services that fight for equity, drive classroom impact and push for systemic change in our educational communities. For nearly 50 years, NWEA has developed innovative pre-K–12 assessments, including their flagship interim assessment, MAP® Growth™ and their reading fluency and comprehension assessment, MAP® Reading Fluency™. For more information, visit NWEA.org to learn more.

About the job

NWEA® is a division of HMH that supports students and educators through research, assessment solutions, policy and advocacy services, professional learning and school improvement services that fight for equity, drive classroom impact and push for systemic change in our educational communities. For nearly 50 years, NWEA has developed innovative pre-K–12 assessments, including their flagship interim assessment, MAP® Growth™ and their reading fluency and comprehension assessment, MAP® Reading Fluency™. For more information, visit NWEA.org to learn more.

HMH is a learning technology company committed to delivering connected solutions that engage learners, empower educators and improve student outcomes. As a leading provider of K–12 core curriculum, supplemental and intervention solutions, and professional learning services, HMH partners with educators and school districts to uncover solutions that unlock students’ potential and extend teachers’ capabilities. HMH serves more than 50 million students and 4 million educators in 150 countries. For more information, visit www.hmhco.com

Job Title: Lead Content Designer - ELA 

Location: Remote 

ROLE SUMMARY AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Responsible for providing subject matter expertise for the usage of NWEA assessment data in relation

to teaching and learning and for the development of content that promotes that usage. The Lead

Content Designer applies a high level of knowledge and skill to clarify appropriate and

consistent messaging about HMH/NWEA’s products and usage to promote defensible and

equitable use of NWEA data. This knowledge and skill will extend to reviewing, evaluating, and

revising materials for HMH and Heinemann products beyond the use of NWEA data (e.g., Into Math,

Into Reading, Waggle) to promote the highest quality assessments for students. This individual will

lead projects, tracking deliverables to ensure timeliness and quality and communicating progress and

concerns (with proposed solutions) to leadership.

The Lead Content Designer will also be expected to offer suggestions to improve processes

and quality and contribute to strategic opportunities (e.g., partner calls with existing or potential

clients, responses to RPFs).

Finally, the Lead Content Designer will serve as an example to colleagues, focusing on

commitment to creating high-quality products for both NWEA and the broader HMH that improve

student outcomes while staying aligned to HMH/NWEA mission statements and OKRs.

Responsibilities

Development Expertise, Assessment Quality, and Educational Measurement Expertise

• Applies research-based practice: Ensures that all product strategies and approaches reflect evidence-based and equitable practices and promote understanding of research-based best practices both internally and with for district partners.
• Provides Subject Matter Expertise: Support efforts for connecting assessment data from NWEA products to teaching and learning, ensuring data is understood and used appropriately as one point within a comprehensive assessment system. Educate partners about key topics related to MAP Growth and research backed educational practices via blogs and conference presentations
• Supports Other Teams: Collaborate with and support internal teams including Product, Marketing, Research, Psychometrics, Partner Accounts, and Professional Learning, to ensure consistent and accurate understanding, use, and messaging of MAP Growth data, including participating in partner calls, giving internal and external presentations on both product and content topics, and writing blogs. 
• Develops Documentation: Create and maintain process documentation (e.g., checklists for verifying alignment and quality, training materials) for programs to capture steps that lead to development of high-quality assessment content based on best practice in the industry, consistently reflecting on ways to be more efficient while creating those materials
• Reviews for Quality: Support large scale assessment projects along with products from across the broader HMH as needed, including process review, item review, and completion of other deliverables.

Project Management 

• Administration of Projects: Lead or supports projects not only within large- scale assessment but also across the broader organization, incorporating the scrum methodology while meeting client expectations for quality.
• Promoting Efficiencies: Lead efforts within content area and specific projects to promote process improvements, establishing metrics and measuring gains. Communications: Manage communications within their own team and with cross-functional stakeholders to understand and communicate direction and status of projects
• Risk Management and Problem Solving: Works to ensure that projects move smoothly according to workflow and communicates frequently with manager to report on efficiency and problems. Helps implement any changes agreed upon with manager and director if necessary. 
• Tracking: Tracks deliverables, and proposes possible solutions when process slows or needs adjustment. 
• Supports Scrum Work: Collaborate with other teams to ensure that scrum methodology is enabling successful work across the division, staffing large- scale assessment work as well as content connections work to the wider HMH organization.

Leadership 

• Overall Leadership: Models overall tone and vision of the department and works with staff to ensure understanding of concepts and processes and practical implications of varying from process.
• Job Expectations: Helps lead project teams, focusing on the deliverables of the project and the content specific to those deliverables.
• Change Implementation: Enacts change within projects, ensuring that direction is carried out. Reports back to manager if any additional intervention is needed. 
• Coaching: Works with manager to implement coaching and other formal training as necessary. Informally supports staff in completion of project tasks to ensure timeliness

Skills 

• Strong leadership skills and ability to facilitate functional and/or cross-functional teams; ability to build strong working relationships and work at all levels of the organization
• Well-developed communication skills, including the ability to transform complexities into clear, concise written communications
• Adept at presenting complex subject matter to a variety of audiences via presentations or interactive training
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to coordinate several projects simultaneously
• Ability to facilitate and influence meetings and discussions where disparate points of views need to be voiced and acknowledged while still reaching a viable decision
• Ability to work both independently and within a collaborative team.
• Must be able to perform the physical and intellectual requirements of the role, with or without accommodation

Education and Experience

• B.A. or B.S. in Education and/or specific content area of Math or ELA. 
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in item and/or assessment development
• Solid knowledge and experience working with curriculum materials and standards 
• Experience in item writing and assessment

Preferred

• Master’s or above in Education and/or specific content area of Math or ELA.
• Minimum of 7 years’ experience in item and/or assessment development 
• Minimum of two years’ experience training or managing a content team 
• Previously led projects related to curriculum or assessment
• Extensive experience in item writing and assessment, including understanding of educational measurement

Benefits And Salary Range

Salary Range: 105,000 - 120,000

Our Culture and Benefits - https://careers.hmhco.com/culture_benefits

Application Deadline

The application window for this position is anticipated to close on 2/10/25. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible. The posting may be available past this date but is not guaranteed.

HMH is fully committed to Equal Employment Opportunity and to attracting, retaining, developing and promoting the most qualified employees without regard to race, gender, color, religion, sexual orientation, family status, marital status, pregnancy, gender identity, ethnic/national origin, ancestry, age, disability, military status, genetic predisposition, citizenship status, status as a disabled veteran, recently separated veteran, Armed Forces service medal veteran, other covered veteran, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. We are dedicated to providing a work environment free from discrimination and harassment, and where employees are treated with respect and dignity. We actively participate in E-Verify.

HMH is fully committed to Equal Employment Opportunity and to attracting, retaining, developing and promoting the most qualified employees without regard to race, gender, color, religion, sexual orientation, family status, marital status, pregnancy, gender identity, ethnic/national origin, ancestry, age, disability, military status, genetic predisposition, citizenship status, status as a disabled veteran, recently separated veteran, Armed Forces service medal veteran, other covered veteran, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. We are dedicated to providing a work environment free from discrimination and harassment, and where employees are treated with respect and dignity. We actively participate in E-Verify.