Sr. Director, Portfolio Analytics and Strategy

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.What You'll ContributeThe Senior Director, Portfolio Analytics and Strategy will lead the portfolio-wide business intelligence and credit portfolio strategy function. This role is responsible for developing and executing a comprehensive analytics framework to assess portfolio risk, monitor credit health, and drive strategic decision-making across the lending lifecycle. The position reports to the Chief Credit Officer and plays a critical role in shaping the organization’s credit risk posture and readiness for economic cycles.This seasoned leader will oversee the design and implementation of risk ranking and rating methodologies, concentration risk analysis, recession readiness frameworks, and portfolio health indicators. This role requires deep expertise in credit risk management, strong analytical acumen, and the ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders at the executive level.The individual in this position will be expected to lead and collaborate with a high-performing team to optimize portfolio health and profitability. The role demands a strategic mindset, strong leadership skills, and the ability to execute programs that drive financial performance while maintaining a customer-centric approach. The ideal candidate will bring a blend of strategic vision, operational expertise, and hands-on leadership to the organization.This is a data intensive role and will require a hands-on approach at times. The preferred candidate will have a high competency in SAS, SQL & Microsoft Office products. The Senior Director will be responsible for the development of the strategy and be able to assist with training and recruiting new staff. What You'll DoFirst line of defense:Develop and maintain portfolio risk ranking and rating toolsDesign and implement portfolio health indicators and early warning systems.Lead strategic initiatives to assess and mitigate concentration riskDrive recession readiness planning and scenario analysisContinuously evaluate and enhance portfolio riskCollaborate with senior leadership to align business intelligence feedback and strategy with organizational goals and credit risk policiesProvides thought leadership and strategy recommendations to drive financial results.Leverage data analytics to personalize outreach and enhance borrower engagement.Manages key partnerships across the business to influence change.Manage reporting and analyticsBusiness Intelligence and ReportingOversee the development of dashboards and reporting tools to monitor portfolio performance.Deliver insights to senior leadership and governance committees.Ensure data integrity and consistency across reporting platformsCredit Risk Oversight and GovernanceEnsure alignment of portfolio strategy with enterprise risk appetite.Collaborate with risk, finance, and product teams to embed analytics into decision-making.Support regulatory and audit requirements.Build and lead a high-performing analytics team. Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement. Mentor and develop talent to support long-term organizational goals.Develop and monitor key performance metrics to identify and measure exceptions and outlier performances.Drive continuous improvement in portfolio management processes, tools, and systems to enhance team productivity and profitability outcomes.Prioritize and support team projects and initiativesLead and Mentor a High-Performing TeamBuild and lead a high-performing analytics team.Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.Mentor and develop talent to support long-term organizational goals.What you haveMinimum education, skills and experience required.Bachelor’s degree in finance, Economics, Statistics, or related field (Master’s preferred)10+ years of experience in credit risk, portfolio analytics, or lending strategy5+ years in a senior leadership role within the credit lending industryDeep understanding of credit lifecycle, risk modeling, and regulatory frameworksProficiency in SAS, SQL, and Microsoft Office SuiteProven ability to communicate complex analytics to executive audiencesStrong interpersonal skills and ability to influence across functionsBachelor’s Degree, Business, Economics or related field or equivalent work experienceProficiency in Microsoft Office Suite of productsExperience in managing, developing and recruiting talentExperience with financial forecasting, modeling processes and managing internal & external control requirementsStrong analytic & problem-solving skillsAbility to build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external partners, promoting a collaborative and positive work environment.Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships across business unitsAbility to operate in a fast- paced, time-sensitive environment effectively managing multiple and changing prioritiesPreferred education, skills, and experience.Experience with economic scenario modeling and stress testingFamiliarity with consumer and commercial lending portfolioExposure to machine learning or advanced analytics toolsThe Americans with Disabilities ActFeeling 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 observedSupport for financial-well-being and retirement 401k with employer matchComprehensive medical, dental, vision, hospital indemnity, critical illness, pet insurance and moreEmployer paid short-term/long-term disability and basic life insurance Flexible hybrid working arrangements.Paid parental leave and adoption reimbursement programsFree 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 incentivesTuition Reimbursement and Family Scholarship ProgramsCareer development and training opportunitiesNot the right fit? Let us know you're interested in a future opportunity by clickingin the top-right corner of the page or create an account to set up email alerts as new job postings become available that meet your interestSallie 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 to view the U.S. Pay Transparency Policy, for federal job applicant notices, and to view the California Employee Privacy Notice.Reasonable accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities in all phases of the application and employment process.