Advanced Specialist, Content Developer

Pearson; Frankfort (KY); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Pearson is hiring for an Advanced Specialist, Content Developer to lead certification exam development projects from initiation through launch. You will work with SMEs and assessment professionals to ensure content accuracy and alignment with competencies, standards, and objectives.

The role emphasizes project leadership, stakeholder communication, and governance, with compensation guidance and an annual incentive program. Strong planning and risk management are essential for success.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in education, business, project management, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• Significant experience managing complex projects, preferably in certification, assessment, or exam development environments.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams without direct authority.
• Strong organizational, communication, and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end delivery of certification exam development projects, including planning, execution, monitoring, and closeout.
• Develop and manage detailed project plans, schedules, risks, and dependencies across multiple concurrent exam initiatives.
• Coordinate exam development activities including job task analysis support, blueprinting, item development, review cycles, pilot testing, and exam refreshes.
• Partner with SMEs and assessment professionals to ensure exam content aligns with defined competencies, standards, and objectives.
• Ensure exam deliverables meet established criteria for accuracy, relevance, and consistency.
• Serve as primary point of contact for project stakeholders, providing regular status updates and managing expectations.
• Facilitate working sessions and review meetings with SMEs, vendors, and internal teams.
• Proactively identify and resolve project risks, issues, and resource constraints.
• Manage external vendors and partners involved in exam development activities, including content development, psychometric services, and exam delivery providers.
• Monitor vendor performance against contractual deliverables and timelines.
• Support adherence to recognized exam development best practices and internal governance standards.
• Maintain comprehensive project documentation and ensure audit-ready records for exam development initiatives.

Skills

Leadership without authority

Stakeholder management

Project management

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in education, business, project management, or related field

Job description

Advanced Specialist, Content Developer

Pearson is hiring a Certification Exam Developer (Advanced Specialist, Content Developer) to create high‑quality, defensible certification assessments. This role sits within our Enterprise Content & Training business where we design assessment experiences that credibly measure skills, validate proficiency, and deliver meaningful outcomes.

The Learning Scientist, Certification Exam Developer is responsible for leading and delivering high‑stakes certification exam development projects from initiation through launch. This role manages discrete exam development initiatives, including new exam builds, exam refreshes, and validation cycles, ensuring delivery on time, within scope, and in alignment with industry standards for exam quality, validity, and security.

Key Responsibilities

Project Delivery

• Lead end‑to‑end delivery of certification exam development projects, including planning, execution, monitoring, and closeout.
• Develop and manage detailed project plans, schedules, risks, and dependencies across multiple concurrent exam initiatives.
• Ensure projects remain within approved scope, timelines, and quality expectations.

Certification Exam Development

• Coordinate exam development activities including job task analysis support, blueprinting, item development, review cycles, pilot testing, and exam refreshes.
• Partner with SMEs and assessment professionals to ensure exam content aligns with defined competencies, standards, and objectives.
• Ensure exam deliverables meet established criteria for accuracy, relevance, and consistency.

Stakeholder & SME Management

• Serve as primary point of contact for project stakeholders, providing regular status updates and managing expectations.
• Facilitate working sessions and review meetings with SMEs, vendors, and internal teams.
• Proactively identify and resolve project risks, issues, and resource constraints.

Vendor & Partner Management

• Manage external vendors and partners involved in exam development activities, including content development, psychometric services, and exam delivery providers.
• Monitor vendor performance against contractual deliverables and timelines.

Quality, Compliance & Governance

• Support adherence to recognized exam development best practices and internal governance standards.
• Maintain comprehensive project documentation and ensure audit‑ready records for exam development initiatives.
• Escalate risks or deviations appropriately and recommend corrective actions.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in education, business, project management, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• Significant experience managing complex projects, preferably in certification, assessment, or exam development environments.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross‑functional teams without direct authority.
• Strong organizational, communication, and stakeholder management skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• 5+ years’ experience working with professional certification programs, credentialing bodies, or testing organizations
• Familiarity with exam development lifecycles and assessment terminology

Characteristics

• Highly detail‑oriented with strong execution discipline
• Comfortably operating in structured, standard-driven environments
• Able to balance multiple exam projects while maintaining quality and stakeholder confidence.
• Trusted partner to SMEs, vendors, and leadership teams.

Compensation

Compensation at Pearson is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, and specific location. As required by the California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York State, New York City, Vermont, Washington State, and Washington DC laws, the pay range for this position is as follows: The minimum full‑time salary range is between $90,000 to $130,000.

This position is eligible to participate in an annual incentive program, and information on benefits offered is here.

Applications will be accepted through July 20, 2026. This window may be extended depending on business needs.

Pearson is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a member of E-Verify. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit and business need. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status or any other group protected by law. We actively seek qualified candidates who are protected veterans and individuals with disabilities as defined under VEVRAA and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act.

If you are an individual with a disability and are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our career site as a result of your disability, you may request reasonable accommodations by emailing [e-mail].