The National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) is a nonprofit organization that provides high-quality assessment products, services, and research for the benefit and protection of the public and the legal profession. We assist state courts and licensing authorities with fulfilling their responsibility to determine minimal competence for entry to the legal profession.

Diversity, fairness, and inclusion are central to NCBE’s mission and to our vision for a competent, ethical, and diverse legal profession. NCBE provides an inclusive and family-friendly environment, flexible schedules, and competitive salary and benefits. NCBE’s headquarters is located in Madison, Wisconsin, a vibrant community with excellent municipal services and educational opportunities.

The Director of Product Management plays a critical role in transforming an innovative vision into reality for the jurisdictions and candidates we serve. This position is responsible for establishing problem-solution-fit and product-market-fit for new products, developing roadmaps and breaking roadmaps down into value-delivering chunks to be constantly delivering value and always be shipping – and doing this all by galvanizing cross-functional product teams and coordinating efforts across specialized domains. The Director of Product Management will also serve as the key liaison between NCBE’s diverse user base—including jurisdictions, candidates, and law schools—and the product development teams, ensuring that customer needs are integrated into the product roadmap.

The immediate priority of the Director of Product Management will be to execute the critical path to launch of the NextGen Bar Exam going to market in July 2026, as well as support the management of associated platforms such as jurisdiction and candidate portals and ancillary products such as Study Aids. These responsibilities will include translating business requirements from stakeholders around the organization to comprehensive backlogs and managing execution in JIRA.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Product Management: In collaboration with the CPO, lead the cross-functional NextGen product development ensuring a successful launch of the core product and associated components, as well as the product lifecycle beyond launch. Product Innovation: Create business models and go-to-market strategies for the solutions that are innovated in the Department of Strategic Initiatives. Team Leadership: Lead a high-performing product area including project management, test operations, and jurisdiction liaison. Internal Collaboration: Work collaboratively with the leads of User Experience, Technology, Assessment Development, and Psychometrics to bring the NextGen vision to life. Stakeholder Collaboration: Act as the primary liaison between product teams and internal/external stakeholders, ensuring diverse perspectives are integrated into product development. Platform Innovation: Vision the platforms and systems that support the delivery of the NextGen Bar Exam, emphasizing scalability, security, and user experience. Translating business needs to product requirements that can be efficiently interpreted by UX and eventually iterated with Product Engineering. Data-Driven Decision-Making: Leverage data insights to evaluate product performance, inform decisions, and identify opportunities for improvement Change Management: Drive the adoption of new tools, technologies, and methodologies that enhance NCBE’s product offerings and operational efficiencies such as JIRA and Confluence Market Awareness: Stay abreast of trends in assessment, technology, and education to ensure NCBE remains at the forefront of innovation. Stakeholder Engagement: Communicate product goals, progress, and outcomes to senior leadership and key stakeholders, advocating for the value of user-centered design. Vendor Management: Oversee relationships with external vendors and consultants who provide product capabilities, ensuring alignment with NCBE's standards and goals. Cross-Functional Advocacy: Serve as a user advocate within the organization, promoting a user-centered mindset across all departments and levels.

Qualifications:

At least 10 years in product management with a track record of delivering complex, high stakes products, preferably in assessment, education, or technology sectors. At least 3 years of experience in a management role with a history of bringing successful products to market, growing customer bases, and developing new revenue streams. Experience in the assessment industry a substantial plus. Strategic thinker with a passion for innovation and a commitment to upholding NCBE’s mission of supporting a competent, ethical, and diverse legal profession. Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret data and translate it into actionable product improvements. Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across departments. Experience managing and developing high-performing teams, with a focus on professional growth and development. Proficiency in product management tools and software (e.g., JIRA, Confluence, Figma, Miro). Experience with Agile or Lean methodologies, and the ability to integrate product practices into fast-paced development environments. A degree in business, education, psychology, or a related field is preferred, but equivalent experience will be considered.

This position may include up to 10-15% travel. Travel may include meetings with NCBE committees, product team, and other functional groups throughout the organization.

The Director of Product Management may work remotely. NCBE will consider applicants from the following states: FL, IA, IL, IN, MA, MD, ME, MI, MO, MN, NC, NE, NJ, NM, NV, OK, PA, TX, WA, and WI.

Mission

NCBE promotes fairness, integrity, and best practices in admission to the legal profession for the benefit and protection of the public. We serve admission authorities, courts, the legal education community, and candidates by providing high-quality

assessment products, services, and research; character investigations; and informational and educational resources and programs.

EEO Statement

NCBE is proud to be an equal employment opportunity organization. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunity to all applicants and employees regardless of their race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability, military service, protected veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.

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