Director, Engineering

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 Contribute

As Director of Authentication (Customer and Workforce), you will lead the delivery, modernization, and operational excellence of authentication services supporting both customer and employee identities. Reporting to Senior Director, Engineering, you’ll manage a team of talented engineers to deliver secure, scalable authentication platforms that enable seamless, frictionless digital experiences at scale. You’ll drive technical execution on key strategic initiatives, ensure robust daily operations, and partner with stakeholders to provide resilient, compliant authentication solutions aligned with organizational goals. Your expertise across hybrid and cloud identity environments will be critical as the organization advances its cloud-first identity strategy.

What You'll Do

• Lead and mentor a team of senior authentication engineers, fostering technical excellence and accountability in delivery.

• Oversee day-to-day operations, automation, monitoring, and support for authentication services across both on-premises and cloud-based environments, ensuring high reliability and performance.

• Execute modernization initiatives that transition authentication services from legacy platforms to modern, cloud-centric solutions, utilizing both Active Directory and Microsoft Entra ID as the environment evolves.

• Integrate PingOne CIAM for customer authentication and leverage Microsoft identity platforms for workforce authentication, driving operational excellence and seamless user experiences.

• Ensure authentication solutions comply with regulatory frameworks (e.g., CJIS, PCI, HIPAA) and reflect security best practices, including Zero Trust principles.

• Collaborate closely with infrastructure, application development, security, and business stakeholders to align on requirements, design, and delivery.

• Contribute technical expertise in architectural reviews, technical working groups, and compliance activities.

• Identify opportunities for process automation and continuous improvement, sharing recommendations with leadership.

• Represent the Authentication Engineering function in audits, technical briefings, and project reviews.

The above information is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employees assigned to this job; it is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees in this role.
 

What You Have

Minimum education, skills and experience required.

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field.

• 5+ years of experience in authentication or identity services, with at least 3 years in a technical leadership role.

• Proven expertise managing hybrid identity environments utilizing both Active Directory and Microsoft Entra ID in large enterprise settings.

• Demonstrated success with modernization initiatives, platform migrations, or domain consolidations involving Microsoft i