Associate Director, Value Chain Analyst - AP Reading & Exam Production
Associate Director, Value Chain Analyst - AP Reading & Exam Production
College Board - AP Reading & Exam Production
Location: This is a remote role. Candidates who live near CB offices have the option of being fully remote or hybrid (Tuesday and Wednesday in office). This role also includes the ability to travel 3-5 times a year to College Board offices or on behalf of College Board business. Travel may range from 1-2 days to multi-week stays during peak operational periods supporting AP Reading activities in late May through June.
Type: This is a full-time position.
About the Team
The AP Program Planning team is responsible for the successful execution of the annual AP Reading event where millions of student exam responses are scored. The team supports strategic planning, workforce coordination, logistics, vendor alignment, and data-driven decision making to ensure accurate and timely scoring across 40+ AP subjects. This work sits within the broader AP Delivery organization, which manages the AP annual cycle from course setup through exam administration, scoring, and score reporting. Each year, millions of students generate tens of millions of constructed responses that must be scored accurately, on time, and at scale by a distributed Reader workforce operating both onsite and remotely.
About the Opportunity
This role sits at the center of AP Delivery operations, supporting both the annual AP Reading (January through June) and AP Exam Production (July through December). You will operate in a high-volume, fast-paced environment where accuracy, responsiveness, and strong judgment are essential to ensuring millions of student exams are processed and scored correctly and on time.
During the AP Reading cycle, you will function as part of a live operational command center, supporting a large-scale, distributed scoring event involving tens of thousands of Readers across onsite and remote environments. You will act as a first responder to real-time issues such as staffing gaps, scoring imbalances, and system challenges, working closely with Session Leads to translate decisions into immediate and accurate action. Success requires the ability to prioritize quickly, manage multiple simultaneous issues, and maintain precision under time pressure.
During AP Exam Production, you will support the technical build, validation, and delivery of exams by working across content and technical teams to ensure materials meet strict specifications. This includes managing large datasets, validating components, coordinating handoffs, and maintaining documentation that safeguards exam integrity. The role is dynamic and evolving, requiring adaptability, comfort with ambiguity, and a willingness to step in wherever needed while building broad operational expertise across the AP value chain over time.
In this role, you will:
Core Responsibilities – AP Reading (50%)
Real-Time Operational Execution During AP Reading (15%)
Act as a first responder to operational issues, executing fixes or escalating as appropriate
Embed with Chief Readers and subject leadership teams to support Reader selection, invitations, and event planning
Execute approved real-time adjustments to support scoring operations, including moving Readers from one question or prompt to another in line with Session Lead direction and scoring priorities
Respond quickly to live operational issues such as prompt imbalances, no-shows, access issues, staffing gaps, or session disruptions
Support Session Leads in implementing changes with speed and accuracy so operational decisions turn into action without delay
Handle high-volume, time-sensitive work during peak windows with strong attention to detail and reliable follow-through
Reader Monitoring and Workforce Support (15%)
Track Reader participation across onsite and at-home environments, including documenting no-shows, late starts, reassignment needs, and other exceptions
Contact Readers who do not appear as expected and maintain accurate records of outreach, disposition, and next steps
Assist with onsite personnel issues and other Reader support tasks, escalating when judgment or authority beyond the role is needed
Support attendance, scheduling validation, and subject-level workforce tracking so Session Leads have a current view of execution reality
Scoring Performance Monitoring and Analytical Support (10%)
Monitor subject- and prompt-level scoring data, including throughput, coverage, pacing, and other indicators relevant to live decision making
Build and maintain trackers, dashboards, logs, and reports that support Session Lead decision making and documentation
Flag anomalies, trend changes, or execution gaps early, while recognizing that analysts support rather than independently decide scoring strategy
Help connect operational observations with data patterns so the session has both visibility and practical context
Session, Site, and Reader Experience Support (35%)
Provide hands-on support for session execution, including logistical troubleshooting, setup help, transition support, and issue routing
Help maintain a productive and responsive environment for both onsite and at-home Readers by supporting fast communication and issue tracking
Document recurring Reader questions, pain points, or confusion that may inform process or communication improvements
Contribute to the overall professionalism and stability of the Reading by filling gaps wherever the session most needs support
Documentation and Continuous Improvement (25%)
Document operational issues, actions taken, exceptions, and lessons learned during both Exam Production and Reading phases
Support post-cycle analysis and retrospective work by keeping reliable records of what happened and where processes broke down
Identify opportunities to improve tools, trackers, communication approaches, and execution routines
Develop broad operational fluency that can serve as a pipeline into future Session Lead or other AP Delivery roles
Core Responsibilities – AP Exam Production (50%)
Oversee finalization, certification, and downstream delivery of AP Exams (60%)
Work with content and technical teams to certify that each AP Exam form has been developed and will be delivered according to defined processes and specifications
Develop and manage schedules that prioritize according to time-sensitive downstream hand-offs, escalating as needed to ensure deadlines are met while maintaining accuracy
Facilitate final content validation processes for digital AP Exams, as needed
Coordinate hand-off of finalized AP Exams to downstream delivery systems and print vendors, as appropriate
Oversee specifications for AP Exam authoring and key (20%)
Ensure accurate and timely set up of templates and data pathways for all AP courses and item types in relevant College Board exam authoring and delivery systems
Support documentation development and management (20%)
Collaborate with the broader team to revise and/or maintain certification processes and documentation, including job aides, checklists, and submission reports
Collaborate with the broader AP Assessment Production team to document and iterate on current work management practices and associated documentation, such as Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) documents
About You
Highly adaptable and resourceful, with the ability to thrive across analytical, operational, and stakeholder-facing work
Strong client service orientation with the ability to anticipate needs, resolve issues proactively, and deliver high-touch support
Strong problem solver who performs accurately and decisively in fast-paced environments
Detail-oriented with sound judgment, strong organizational skills, and the ability to prioritize and escalate effectively
Exceptional ability to audit, validate, and manage large datasets with accuracy under tight deadlines
Skilled at leveraging systems, technology platforms, automation tools, and advanced Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, Word, and Smartsheet, to drive efficiency and operational effectiveness
This role also includes the ability to travel 3-5 times a year to College Board offices or on behalf of College Board business. Travel may range from 1-2 days to multi-week stays during peak operational periods supporting AP Reading activities in late May through June.
All roles at College Board require:
A passion for expanding educational and career opportunities and mission-driven work
Authorization to work in the United States for any employer
Curiosity and enthusiasm for emerging technologies, with a willingness to experiment with and adopt new AI-driven solutions and comfort learning and applying new digital tools independently and proactively.
A learner's mindset and a commitment to growth: welcoming diverse perspectives, giving and receiving timely, respectful feedback, and continuously improving through iterative learning and user input.
A drive for impact and excellence: solving complex problems, making data-informed decisions, prioritizing what matters most, and continuously improving through learning, user input, and external benchmarking.
A collaborative and empathetic approach: working across differences, fostering trust, and contributing to a culture of shared success.
About Our Process
Application review will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. This role is expected to accept applications for a minimum of 5 business days.
While the hiring process may vary, it generally includes: resume and application submission, recruiter phone/video screen, hiring manager interview, performance exercise such as live coding, a panel interview, a conversation with leadership and reference checks.
What We Offer
At College Board, we offer more than just a paycheck—we provide a meaningful career, a supportive team, and a comprehensive package designed to help you thrive. We’re a self-sustaining nonprofit that believes in fair and competitive compensation, grounded in your qualifications, experience, impact, and the market.
A Thoughtful Approach to Compensation
The hiring range for this role is $56,000–$90,000
Your exact salary will depend on your location, experience, and how your background compares to others in similar roles at the College Board
We aim to make our best offer upfront, rooted in fairness, transparency, and market data
We adjust salaries by location to ensure fairness, no matter where you live
You’ll have open, transparent conversations about compensation, benefits, and what it’s like to work at College Board throughout your hiring process. Check out our careers page for more.
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