Program manager - certification development

Job Title: Program Manager – Certification Development

Location: Remote

EC-Council is the world's largest cyber security technical certification body. We operate in 170 countries globally and we are the owner and developer of various world-famous cyber security programs. We are proud to have trained and certified over 400,000 information security professionals globally that have influenced the cyber security mindset of countless organizations worldwide.

Role Overview:

We are looking for an experienced Program Manager – Assessment & Certification Development to lead the end-to-end development and continuous improvement of professional certification assessments.

This role sits at the intersection of assessment strategy, certification development, subject-matter expertise, psychometrics, and program governance. The successful candidate will work closely with internal stakeholders, subject-matter experts, psychometricians, and certification governance committees to ensure that our assessments accurately measure the knowledge, skills, and competencies required for professionals in the field.

The role requires strong program management capability, assessment expertise, attention to detail, and the ability to operate effectively within a highly governed certification environment.

Key Responsibilities:

Lead the end-to-end assessment and certification development lifecycle, from JTA and competency analysis through exam blueprinting, item development, validation, launch, and continuous improvement. Lead Job Task Analysis (JTA) and ensure assessments are aligned to current industry roles, tasks, competencies, and professional practice. Develop and maintain exam blueprints, assessment specifications, competency models, and content domains in collaboration with SMEs and psychometric professionals. Lead item development, review, validation, and performance analysis, ensuring items meet quality, relevance, cognitive-level, and technical standards. Apply strong knowledge of psychometric principles, including validity, reliability, fairness, standard setting, item analysis, and assessment performance. Coordinate SME workshops, validation studies, and assessment reviews and translate findings into actionable assessment improvements. Ensure assessment development is well-documented, evidence-based, and aligned with certification governance and accreditation requirements. Manage multiple assessment-development programs, including timelines, SMEs, stakeholders, risks, and deliverables. Collaborate with Certification Operations, Exam Security, Product, Technology, and other teams to ensure assessments are ready for secure and effective delivery. Identify opportunities to improve the quality, scalability, efficiency, and defensibility of certification assessments.

What We're Looking For:

Ph D or master's degree in psychology, Assessment, Education, Technology, Cybersecurity, Business, or a related field. 8+ years of experience in professional certification, assessment/examination development, credentialing, or psychometrics. Proven experience managing high-stakes professional certification or assessment programs. Strong knowledge of Job Task Analysis (JTA), Role Delineation/Job Practice Analysis, exam blueprinting, item development, content validation, and assessment governance. Strong working knowledge of psychometric principles, including validity, reliability, item analysis, statistical evaluation, and standard setting. Experience working with SMEs, psychometricians, item writers, and cross-functional stakeholders to develop and validate assessments. Strong program management, analytical, communication, and documentation skills. Experience in an accredited or standards-driven certification environment preferred. ISO/IEC 17024 knowledge is a strong plus. Experience in cybersecurity, IT, technology, or professional certification is an advantage.

About Our Culture:

EC-Council is driven by a mission to strengthen global cybersecurity capability and advance the profession of ethical hacking and information security. Our teams operate across regions and cultures, united by integrity, professionalism, and a commitment to meaningful impact. Continuous learning and accountability are encouraged, empowering individuals to take ownership of their contributions. Respect, trust, and ethical conduct guide how we work with colleagues, partners, and the global cybersecurity community.

Additional Information:

EC-Council is an equal opportunity workplace and an affirmative action employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, or veteran status. We do not discriminate based on these or any other characteristics protected by applicable laws or regulations in the locations where we operate.

EC-Council is dedicated to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you have a medical condition or disability that limits your ability to complete any part of the application process and require reasonable accommodation, please contact us at ecchr@ and let us know how we can assist.

To be eligible for this position, candidates must be able to provide proof that they are either a citizen of the country or have legal authorization to work in the country where the position is posted and are currently residing there. EC-Council does not offer employment to ineligible candidates and reserves the right to revoke employment in case the candidate loses the authorization to work.

If, as part of the recruitment process, you are required to complete or submit any form of work, project, case study, or assignment, please note that such material will be considered the exclusive property of EC-Council. By submitting such work, you acknowledge that EC-Council retains all rights, title, and interest in the submitted content, including any intellectual property contained therein.

Candidates further waive any intellectual property or moral rights in such submissions, confirm that the work is original and free of third-party infringement, and acknowledge that it is provided solely for evaluation purposes, with no ownership or other rights retained.

Our Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal data during the recruitment process. This may include information such as your name, contact details, employment history, qualifications, and any other details you provide as part of your application. All data is handled in compliance with applicable data protection and privacy regulations.

Please review our policy here: EC-Council Privacy Policy- User & company | Data Protection. Submission of your application will be considered as your acceptance of the terms stated above.