Advanced Specialist, Project Manager at Pearson
United States
$120k - $135k
<p><span lang="EN-GB"><strong>About Pearson</strong></span> </p><p><span lang="EN-GB">At Pearson, we add life to a lifetime of learning so everyone can realise the life they imagine. As the world's lifelong learning company, we help people build skills, make progress and transform their lives. In English Language Learning, our assessments — including PTE Academic, PTE Core and our Versant AI-scored tests — are trusted by governments, universities, employers and US state education agencies to make decisions that shape learners' futures.</span> </p><p><span lang="EN-GB"><strong>The role</strong></span> </p><p><span lang="EN-GB">This project manager role underpins Pearson's US State Programs work within the ELL portfolio — specifically, the TELPAS and MOWR statewide English language assessments in Texas and Arizona, both underpinned by Versant automated spoken-scoring services. You'll drive delivery, governance and contractual control across these high-stakes programmes, working with experts in test development, automated scoring, psychometrics and technical development. You’ll also coordinate the managed exit from the AZELLA contract, and - as that work winds down - grow into the wider PTE portfolio and other government recognition initiatives. In summary, it's a delivery-led role, US-focussed, but within a global, matrixed environment, turning complex technical and scoring workflows into clear, manageable, deliverable plans.</span> </p><p><span lang="EN-GB"><strong>What you'll do</strong></span> </p><ul style="list-style-type: disc;"><li><span lang="EN-GB">Lead delivery, governance and operational control across the TELPAS and MOWR statewide assessment programmes — managing contractual milestones, SOW deliverables, scoring-service dependencies, risk, budget and reporting obligations.</span> </li><li><span lang="EN-GB">Maintain delivery cadence across recurring annual cycles, live administrations, Versant AI engine-training windows and validation reporting.</span> </li><li><span lang="EN-GB">Own programme and project control: governance, RAID logs, dashboards and KPIs, with clear escalation of risks and issues.</span> </li><li><span lang="EN-GB">Coordinate across Versant AI Scoring Services, R&D, Test Development, Psychometrics, Engineering, Scoring Operations and Finance, plus external delivery partners.</span> </li><li><span lang="EN-GB">Coordinate the managed exit from the AZELLA contract — document archiving, lessons-learned and controlled data-deletion — while keeping ongoing programmes on track.</span> </li><li><span lang="EN-GB">Choose and adapt the right delivery approach (waterfall, Agile or hybrid), run retrospectives and lessons-learned, and support quality initiatives including ISO 9001 and ISO 27001.</span> </li><li><span lang="EN-GB">Coach colleagues in effective project management tools, disciplines and ways of working.</span> </li><li><span lang="EN-GB">As the role expands, support delivery across the wider PTE portfolio and contribute to government recognition and bidding activity.</span> <br> </li></ul><p><span lang="EN-GB"><strong>What you'll bring</strong></span> </p><ul style="list-style-type: disc;"><li><span lang="EN-GB">Proven experience delivering complex projects or programmes, ideally in education, assessment or regulated environments.</span> </li><li><span lang="EN-GB">Comfort managing contractual delivery — SOW milestones, deliverables and reporting obligations — ideally in public-sector or statewide assessment contexts.</span> </li><li><span lang="EN-GB">A strong grasp of project governance, risk and issue management, and dependency planning.</span> </li><li><span lang="EN-GB">Confidence operating in global, cross-functional, matrixed teams, working alongside technical and psychometric colleagues.</span> </li><li><span lang="EN-GB">Fluency across both traditional and Agile / hybrid delivery approaches.</span> </li><li><span lang="EN-GB">A project management qualification (e.g. PMP/PMI, PRINCE2, M_o_R, Agile, equivalent) is required and we’re also looking for good experience running complex, cross-functional initiatives.</span> </li></ul><p><span lang="EN-GB"><strong>Competencies </strong></span> </p><ul style="list-style-type: disc;"><li><span lang="EN-GB"><strong>Project management leadership</strong> — owning and delivering complex projects end to end.</span> </li><li><span lang="EN-GB"><strong>Stakeholder management & communication</strong> — aligning and influencing senior, technical and external stakeholders with clear, structured messaging.</span> </li><li><span lang="EN-GB"><strong>Analytical thinking & problem-solving</strong> — making sense of complex delivery, contractual, psychometric and operational scenarios.</span> </li><li><span lang="EN-GB"><strong>Governance & delivery control</strong> — scope, risk and dependency management with an audit-aware mindset.</span> </li><li><span lang="EN-GB"><strong>Adaptability & continuous learning</strong> — thriving amid ambiguity, change and transition.</span> </li><li><span lang="EN-GB"><strong>Data & AI awareness</strong> — using dashboards, data visualisation and AI-scoring insight to sharpen reporting and delivery.</span> <br> </li></ul><p><span lang="EN-GB"><strong>How you'll work</strong></span></p><p><span lang="EN-GB">Structured, proactive and delivery-focused, comfortable holding control and predictability through ambiguity and transition, and collaborative across functions and geographies.</span> </p><p><span lang="EN-GB"><strong>Location & working pattern</strong></span> </p><p><span lang="EN-GB">US – Remote working 40 hours per week, with flexibility to support global (including UK) collaboration.</span> </p><p><span lang="EN-US">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: </span> </p><p><span lang="EN-US"><strong>The minimum full-time salary range is between $120,000 to $135,000.</strong></span></p><p><span lang="EN-US">This position is eligible to participate in an annual incentive program, and information on benefits offered is </span><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https://pearsonbenefitsus.com/&data=04|01|tasha.scott@pearson.com|2c256513c79f4679be7c08d9e7287ebb|8cc434d797d047d3b5c514fe0e33e34b|0|0|637794983376381246|Unknown|TWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0=|3000&sdata=t1YQPUL7BgoclUd7yE2i86QAirLf4z3z8OEWgr42q7c=&reserved=0"><span lang="EN-US">here</span></a><span lang="EN-US">.</span></p><p><span lang="EN-US">Applications will be accepted through <strong>July 29, 2026</strong>. This window may be extended depending on business needs.</span></p><p> </p>
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