Director of Certification, Exam, and Accreditation Programs

Company Description The National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA), founded in 1977, is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of trial advocacy in courtrooms across the United States and helping consumers identify experienced, highly qualified trial lawyers. Accredited by the American Bar Association, NBTA certifies lawyers in civil trial law, criminal trial law, family trial law, civil pretrial practice law, and social security disability advocacy law. The organization sets rigorous and meaningful standards for board certification in each specialty area, reflecting a strong commitment to professional excellence. NBTA certification is voluntary, signifying that certified lawyers have invested significant time and effort to achieve this credential. Consumers who select an NBTA-certified lawyer can be confident in receiving representation from a highly experienced and specialized practitioner.
POSITION DUTIES
1. Manage Specialty Program Commissions (SPCs)
• Work closely with SPC chairs and members to support commission operations and the timely completion of assigned responsibilities.
• Maintain accurate SPC records, including membership rosters, terms of service, contact information, assignments, and appointment and reappointment dates.
• Coordinate SPC appointments and reappointments, including preparing, issuing, and retaining related correspondence.
• Assign and track SPC projects, schedules, deadlines, and required deliverables.
• Ensure SPC chairs and members understand their roles, responsibilities, assignments, meeting schedules, and applicable policies and procedures.
• Coordinate and document SPC participation in examination grading, development and maintenance, waiver reviews, and other certification-program activities.
• Maintain relevant files and supporting documentation and update SPC information in applicable databases and tracking systems.
2. Manage the Specialization Examination Process
a. Examination Preparation and Administration
• Establish examination dates for all specialty areas, generally offering spring and fall administrations each year.
• Coordinate with the Exam Committee on the three-year ExamSoft contract, including contract terms, annual invoices, and related administrative requirements.
• Configure and maintain the ExamSoft remote-testing portal, including the master settings key, administration windows, mock-examination schedules, and time-zone-specific start and end times.
• Import and update examination questions, specifications, and multiple-choice answers in ExamSoft.
• Facilitate mock examinations to familiarize examinees with ExamSoft features and procedures.
• Implement the examination-destruction policy and other applicable security requirements.
• Develop and distribute post-examination questionnaires and compile results for review and action by SPCs and the Exam Committee.
b. Examination Development and Maintenance
• Collaborate with staff and founding boards to develop examinations for new specialty areas, including drafting correspondence and developing multiple-choice and essay templates.
• Work with SPCs, the NBTA Exam Committee, and a psychometrician, as needed, to develop, review, pretest, and update examination specifications, questions, and answers across all specialty areas.
• Edit and proofread examination materials for consistency, format, clarity, and factual accuracy.
• Coordinate the review and approval of reference materials authorized for use during examination administration.
• Develop and maintain Examination Information Packets for all specialty areas.
• Coordinate independent review of new specialty examinations before they are offered to applicants.
• Review examination specifications with SPCs and present the specifications for all specialty areas annually to the NBTA Board for adoption.
c. State Examination Waivers
• Manage initial and recurring waiver reviews for approved state examinations, including reviews associated with new specialty areas.
• Coordinate SPC review of approved state examinations at least every two years to confirm their continuing validity and eligibility for waiver treatment.
3. Manage Accreditation, Standards, and Regulatory Compliance
• Manage accreditation and reaccreditation requirements for individual states and the American Bar Association (ABA).
• Monitor and complete state-specific annual reports, filings, submissions, and other compliance requirements.
• Maintain an organized tracking and recordkeeping system for accreditation deadlines, submissions, correspondence, approvals, supporting documentation, and future reporting cycles.
• Follow up with regulatory authorities regarding accreditation applications, annual submissions, pending approvals, and other compliance matters.
• Review the reasons for withdrawals, denials, or other adverse decisions; identify appropriate corrective actions and coordinate resubmissions when applicable.
• Serve as the primary contact for state-related questions from applicants, members, consumers, regulatory representatives, and other stakeholders.
• Monitor state rule and regulatory changes, communicate significant updates to the Board and staff, and coordinate revisions to online content, forms, policies, and procedures.
• Assist with the development and maintenance of specialty-program specifications, standards, policies, and procedures.
• Create and update applications, forms, instructions, and supporting materials to align with current certification and regulatory requirements.
• Collect, review, and maintain state-required applicant and member documentation, including annual confirmation of state board certification and evidence of additional state-mandated continuing legal education.
• Communicate documentation requirements and deadlines to applicants and members and follow up on incomplete or missing submissions.
4. Other Duties
• Attend semiannual meetings of the Board of Directors and relevant subcommittees and present information as requested.
• Analyze examination results and prepare statistical reports and presentations for the Exam Committee and Board of Directors.
• Develop and maintain proficiency with the Access database and applicant and member records.
• As needed, review incoming applications, recertification submissions, and annual reporting forms, and credit them to the appropriate applicant or member files.
• Maintain a thorough understanding of applicant and member processes and procedures to provide accurate and timely assistance.
• Perform other duties consistent with the position and as assigned by the Executive Director.
QUALIFICATIONS
Required
• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, legal studies, education, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• Minimum of five years of experience in program management, credentialing or certification administration, association management, or a related operational role.
• Demonstrated experience managing committees, volunteer boards, or governance bodies, including correspondence, scheduling, and recordkeeping.
• Experience coordinating testing or examination programs, including administration logistics, security protocols, and vendor management.
• Working knowledge of regulatory compliance, accreditation, or licensing processes, including tracking deadlines and preparing filings.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple concurrent deadlines across several program areas.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to draft correspondence, edit technical materials, and present to boards or committees.
• Supervisory experience, with the ability to train, direct, and evaluate staff.
• Proficiency with database systems and standard office software (Word, Excel, Outlook).
• Ability to travel to attend semiannual Board meetings and related functions.
Preferred
• Direct experience with ExamSoft or comparable remote-testing/proctoring platforms.
• Experience working with the American Bar Association (ABA) accreditation standards or state bar/regulatory authorities.
• Familiarity with psychometric principles and standardized test development (item writing, pretesting, standard setting).
• Prior experience in a nonprofit or membership association environment.
• Experience presenting statistical or performance data to boards, committees, or other governing bodies.
SALARY RANGE
$67,000 – $70,500 annually, plus benefits, commensurate with experience and credentials. This is a work-from-home, remote position.

Work arrangement
Yes