Senior Manager, 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 Contribute

As a Senior Manager of Strategy, you will play a key role in shaping strategic initiatives for our Private Student Loan & Retail Deposits businesses. You will conduct in-depth industry and competitive research, analyze business performance, and develop strategic recommendations that drive growth and efficiency.

Building on your strong analytical expertise and business acumen, you will take greater ownership of high-impact projects and workstreams, ensuring the timely execution of strategic initiatives. You will work closely with senior team members and cross-functional leaders to support critical decision-making and help drive strategic clarity across the organization.

This role requires a balance of strategic thinking, analytical rigor, and execution excellence, with a high degree of autonomy in managing complex projects while collaborating with key stakeholders across the business.

What You'll Do

• Conduct deep market and competitive analysis, identifying key trends, opportunities, and risks to inform strategic direction.

• Perform detailed financial and business performance analysis, generating insights that support strategic decision-making.

• Take ownership of key workstreams, structuring analytical approaches and driving execution with minimal oversight.

• Develop business cases and financial models to evaluate new opportunities, investments, and strategic initiatives.

• Translate complex data into clear, actionable insights, developing presentations and recommendations for senior leadership.

• Partner with Directors and cross-functional teams to shape strategic initiatives and ensure seamless execution.

• Provide thought leadership and problem-solving frameworks, helping structure and guide strategic discussions.

• Balance multiple projects with competing priorities, ensuring high-quality execution and impactful deliverables.

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 Business Administration, Finance, Economics, Engineering, or a related field. An MBA or relevant advanced coursework is a plus.

• 6+ years of experience in Corporate or Business Strategy within Financial Services, or a strategy consulting associate/senior associate role in a Management Consulting firm.

• Proven ability to manage projects independently, demonstrating initiative and structured problem-solving.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with expertise in financial modeling, data analysis, and business case development.

• Proficiency in data tools (Excel, Tableau, Power BI) and ability to translate data into strategic insights.

• Exceptional communication and storytelling skills, with a proven ability to develop and deliver high