Job Information
Sallie Mae Senior Manager, Market Product Strategy & Performance in Newark, Delaware
When you join Sallie Mae, you become a champion for all students.
We’re on a mission to power confidence as students begin their unique journey. To help them plan their higher education, successfully finish, and prepare for life after school. To help them Start smart. Learn big.
Students need guidance navigating this important time in their life. They need someone who acknowledges that their education path is unique. They need a partner willing to evolve and not only meet but surpass their expectations. We’re changing. Because students need a better way.
We’re looking for people who are excited to drive this transformation. To break barriers and think of new ways to adapt, help, and create better experiences for students—and for each other.
This is where diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and perspectives matter. It’s where you’re empowered to bring your authentic self to work.
Feeling your best allows you to do your best. Our benefits take care of the whole you—from physical and mental to financial and professional. You’ll get opportunities to further your education and career, support for you and your family (including your pets!), paid time off to volunteer for the things that matter to you, and more.
We’re obsessed with impact and making a real difference. For us, that means putting relationships first, asking “why not?” when tackling challenges, and continuously learning new skills.
Come do more than join something, change something. For students, for future generations, for the future of education.
Role Overview
As a Senior Manager, Market Product Strategy & Performance , you will own the market offer, portfolio strategy, and commercial performance of our Private Student Lending (PSL) products. This role is accountable for defining what we offer, to whom, at what price, and under what risk and profitability guardrails —ensuring PSL products are competitive, compliant, and positioned for durable growth.
You will serve as a senior portfolio and market owner within the PSL product leadership team, partnering closely with the Head of Product Management and peers across Strategy, Credit, Distribution, Marketing, Risk, Legal, Compliance, Finance, and Technology. Your focus is on market judgment and decision‑making , not delivery mechanics.
This is not a technical product, agile delivery, or backlog‑management role . Instead, it emphasizes portfolio design, pricing and economics, growth tradeoffs, regulatory integrity, and executive decision support . You will define direction and guardrails, while execution teams translate strategy into system behavior.
What You’ll Contribute
Serve as a single‑threaded owner for defined PSL market offers or segments, accountable for product performance, competitiveness, and sustainability.
Shape portfolio and market strategy , including market product constructs, eligibility, pricing philosophy, and growth guardrails.
Partner with Credit and Risk to balance growth, customer outcomes, and loss performance.
Collaborate with Distribution and Marketing to ensure market offers are clearly positioned, well understood, and effectively launched.
Translate market opportunity into clear business cases , recommendations, and executive‑ready decisions.
Reinforce strong governance, ensuring PSL products are regulator‑ready, operationally sound, and financially understood .
What You’ll Do
Define and evolve market offers informed by customer needs, competitive dynamics, portfolio performance, and strategic priorities.
Develop and socialize pricing strategies, profitability models, and growth tradeoffs that support PSL business objectives.
Clearly articulate recommendations and options —including risks, economics, and implications—enabling timely leadership decisions.
Partner cross‑functionally to ensure product decisions are implemented faithfully , without owning day‑to‑day delivery execution.
Prepare concise, executive‑level materials that communicate product performance, insights, and forward‑looking recommendations.
Monitor competitive and regulatory environments to inform incremental enhancements and longer‑term portfolio evolution .
Act as a first‑line steward of controls , disclosures, and compliance across the product lifecycle.
What You Have
Bachelor’s degree in business, Finance, Economics, Mathematics, Engineering , or a related field (MBA or advanced degree preferred).
5+ years of experience in financial services, lending, portfolio management, product strategy, pricing, or consulting roles.
Demonstrated success owning market offers or portfolios , including pricing, eligibility, or profitability decisions.
Strong analytical and financial acumen , with experience building business cases and evaluating growth and risk tradeoffs.
Experience partnering deeply with Credit, Risk, Legal, Compliance, and Finance in regulated environments.
Ability to influence senior stakeholders through clear judgment, structured thinking, and executive communication .
Comfort operating in complex, matrixed organizations with shared accountability.
Familiarity with agile concepts as an input to prioritization , not as a delivery or program‑management responsibility.
The Americans with Disabilities Act
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) prohibits discrimination by employers, in compensation and employment opportunities, against qualified individuals with disabilities who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the “essential functions” of a job. A function may be essential for any of several reasons, including: the job exists to perform that function, the employee holding the job was hired for his/her expertise in performing the function, or only a limited number of employees are available to perform that function.
Feeling your best helps you do your best:
Our benefits take care of the whole you—so you can build your work around your life (not the other way around!).
Competitive base salaries
Bonus incentives
Generous PTO, Floating Holidays and 12 Federal Holidays observed
Support for financial-well-being and retirement 401k with employer match
Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, hospital indemnity, critical illness, pet insurance and more
Employer paid short-term/long-term disability and basic life insurance
Flexible hybrid working arrangements.
Paid parental leave and adoption reimbursement programs
Free access to on-site staffed fitness centers (in Delaware) and gym subsidy (for locations outside Delaware)
Confidential counseling support (EAP), Health Advocacy services and Wellness program with financial incentives
Tuition Reimbursement and Family Scholarship Programs
Career development and training opportunities
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Sallie Mae is proud to be an equal opportunity (EEO) employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, genetic information, gender identity, disability, Veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. Click here (https://salliemae.com/legal/pay-transparency-policy/) to view the U.S. Pay Transparency Policy, here (https://mandatoryview.com/?LicenceId=b723c601-1179-462b-a551-71dec216fdbf&ProductType=IntranetLicense&SubType=PG) for federal job applicant notices, and here (https://www.salliemae.com/content/dam/slm/writtencontent/Policies/CA_Privacy_Notice_2023.pdf) to view the California Employee Privacy Notice.
Reasonable accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities in all phases of the application and employment process. To request an accommodation please call (855) 756-2007 and choose option 9. All information you provide will be kept confidential and will be used only to the extent required to provide needed reasonable accommodations.
Sallie Mae is proud to be an equal opportunity (EEO) employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, genetic information, gender identity, disability, Veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. If you'd like more information about your EEO rights as an applicant, please click https://https/www.eeoc.gov/employees-job-applicants. https://https/www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/OFCCPEEOSupplementFinalJRFQA508c.pdf. Click https://https/www.salliemae.com/legal/pay-transparency-policy/ to view the U.S. Pay Transparency Policy.