Program Director I

Job Description

Office of Admissions

Annual Salary Range: $160,148 - $213,541

FLSA Exempt / Non-Union Represented

This position allows for up to four days of remote work per week

About the Office

The Office of Admissions (Admissions) oversees all activities pertaining to admitting attorneys to practice law in California. Admissions oversees the administration of the California State Bar Exam, First-Year Law Students' Exam, and the Legal Specialization Exams. Admissions conducts applicant moral character investigations, accreditation, and registrations of non-ABA law schools. Admissions also processes special admissions applications for attorneys who are licensed in another state to work in unique capacities in California.

Admissions also supports the Committee of Bar Examiners (CBE) in accrediting and registering non-ABA California law schools.

About the Role
The Director of Exam Administration & Grading (Program Director I) provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for the administration and grading of the California Bar Examination, First-Year Law Students' Examination, and Legal Specialization Examinations. This role ensures exam integrity, accessibility, security, and fairness in accordance with the State Bar's policies, Chapter 6 Rules, and strategic objectives. The candidate selected for this position will take the lead to develop recommendations for exam delivery in the short-and long-term based on field research and best practices for licensing or other high stakes exams. The candidate will also bring improvements and innovations to grading practices. The ideal candidate brings experience managing both in-person and remote exam formats and is skilled in navigating the operational, logistical, and security challenges unique to each modality.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Oversight

• Develop and implement strategic goals for exam administration and grading across all formats and venues.
• Lead initiatives to evaluate and apply emerging trends, research, and best practices in high-stakes testing to inform recommendations for exam delivery and grading improvements.
• Advise Executive Leadership, the Committee of Bar Examiners (CBE), Board of Trustees, and the California Supreme Court through regular reports and presentations.
• Represent the Office of Admissions in high-level meetings, offering expert guidance on exam-related risks, innovations, and policy impacts.
• Review and recommend updates to exam-related rules to ensure alignment with evolving exam modalities and delivery formats.
• Promote an organizational culture focused on integrity, service excellence, and continuous improvement.

Team & Grader Management

• Lead and support staff and cross-functional teams to ensure smooth, timely, and compliant exam operations.
• Set team priorities, monitor performance metrics, and coach staff to meet high service standards.
• Oversee recruitment, training, and evaluation of graders and the Exam Development & Grading (EDG) team; lead efforts to diversify the grader and EDG team pool across geography, race/ethnicity, and legal practice areas.
• Foster professional growth and team engagement through regular feedback, support, and recognition.

Exam Delivery & Logistics

• Direct the secure and efficient planning, logistics, and delivery of all exams-including remote, in-person, and hybrid formats-ensuring readiness across varied modalities and alignment with strategic goals.
• Research, test, and implement delivery models that reflect best practices in the field, with a focus on long-term sustainability, equity, and exam integrity.
• Manage vendor procurement and exam site acquisition in alignment with State Bar policies and long-term strategic needs.
• Negotiate and manage contracts with exam vendors, proctors, and service providers.
• Develop and oversee training for staff, site leads, and proctors on exam protocols, security, and applicant support.
• Coordinate exam communications and collaborate with the Communications team to ensure applicants receive clear and timely information.

Grading Operations & Quality Control

• Oversee grading processes to ensure fairness, consistency, and adherence to policy and scoring standards.
• Identify and implement innovations in grading workflows and systems to improve accuracy, efficiency, and transparency.
• Collaborate with psychometricians to analyze scoring data and apply validated methodologies.
• Continuously evaluate grading procedures to align with national best practices in licensing assessments.
• Establish and maintain robust quality assurance protocols to safeguard the accuracy and integrity of exam outcomes.
• Respond to and resolve grading-related inquiries and reconsideration requests promptly and transparently.

Exam Security & Compliance

• Design and enforce security protocols across all exam formats to protect exam integrity.
• Monitor compliance with exam rules and respond to potential violations, incidents, and breaches.
• Oversee investigations, documentation, and resolution of exam-related misconduct in accordance with Chapter 6 rules.
• Support live exam administration through real-time incident response protocols and proctor guidance.

Stakeholder Engagement & Communication

• Serve as the primary point of contact for applicants, graders, vendors, and regulatory bodies on exam-related matters.
• Assume shared leadership for applicant communications and engagement strategies to enhance clarity, transparency, and trust.
• Deliver presentations and reports to internal and external stakeholders, including public meetings.
• Collaborate across the State Bar to align exam operations with broader organizational goals and improve the applicant experience.

Minimum Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in a field that develops skills related to essential duties, or equivalent academic achievement.
• Master's degree is preferred and may substitute for up to two years of experience.

Experience

• Minimum eight (8) years' progressively responsible experience in related program administration.
• Minimum four (4) years' senior management/supervisory experience in administering personnel and budget requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience overseeing both in-person and remote exam administration, with the ability to anticipate and respond to challenges unique to each modality.
• Proven experience negotiating, managing, and evaluating vendor contracts and service-level agreements.
• Strong record of delivering presentations and reports to governing committees, boards, or other oversight bodies.
• Experience communicating complex operational or policy issues to external stakeholders and members of the public in a clear, professional, and responsive manner.
• Familiarity with psychometric principles and applying data analysis to inform exam-related decisions (preferred but not required).
• Commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in operational practices and team composition.

About the State Bar

The State Bar of California's mission is to protect the public and includes the primary functions of licensing, regulation, and discipline of attorneys; the advancement of the ethical and competent practice of law; and support of efforts for greater access to, and inclusion in, the legal system.

Our Values

Clarity | Investing in Our People | Excellence | Respect | Growth Mindset

Learn more about our values.

DEI Statement

We are a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace where all of our employees and prospective employees experience fairness, dignity, and respect.

Learn more about our commitment to DEI.

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• The State Bar of California

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