Associate General Counsel (Employment)

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

The Associate General Counsel (Employment) is a member of the Company's Risk Mitigation team, responsible for employment law and litigation matters, and is located at either Sallie Mae's Newark, Delaware headquarters office or its Sterling, Virginia office. Responsibilities include advising the Company on labor and employment matters (including being the lead counsel to the company's Administrative and Retirement and Benefits Committees), conducting internal investigations, first chair responsibility for litigating employment and related claims, and managing outside counsel in litigation and investigations. Provides specialized legal advice to various departments within the Company. Researches and prepares oral or written opinions to legal questions. Works to maintain the Company's project and case management system to ensure appropriate management of litigation and non-litigation resolution of disputes. Considerable decision making and outside counsel management responsibilities. Responsible for resolving matters within budget and in a timely manner with significant autonomy. Contributes to Risk Mitigation team projects and responsibilities, including e-discovery, transactions, crisis management, and other (non-employment) civil litigation. Actively participates in the development of junior team members and paraprofessionals.

What You'll Do

Employment Law (65%)

Serves as primary in-house employment lawyer and provides counsel and advice on a broad range of labor and employment matters, including discrimination, ADA compliance, hiring, performance management and discharge, wage and hour, benefits, workplace safety, and restrictive covenants, including non-compete and non-disclosure agreements.

Assist with the governance of the Company's compensation and benefit plans. Serve as lead counsel to the Company's Administrative and Retirement and Benefits Committees; attend those meetings and take minutes.

Reviews and provides guidance in the development of policies and procedures relating to labor and employment practices.

Partners with internal clients in HR & Facilities, Conduct Risk, and other parts of the Company to manage risk, and respond to litigation, ethics and compliance issues, government agency investigations, audits and administrative charges.

Assists HR in developing and presenting training and compliance programs.

Collaborate with other subject matter experts in the Legal Department and business areas to deliver appropriate advice and counsel arising in commercial, intellectual property, M&A, and other matters.

Litigation and Risk Mitigation (25%)

Litigates employment and consumer-related claims, including the management of outside counsel. First-chair responsibility for single plaintiff employment docket.

Provides input and assistance to outside counsel on matters of procedure and substantive law including drafting, reviewing and commenting on pleadings, discovery matters, and Company policies and procedures.

Participates in periodic reporting on litigation and threatened litigation to senior management.

Assists in risk mitigation by ensuring a controlled operating environment through oversight of electronic discovery procedures and the identification and remediation of root cause issues identified in litigation, threatened litigation, and government inquiries.

Conducts legal research on sophisticated legal topics and minimize reliance on outside counsel.

Takes initiative to improve efficiencies and organization of the Risk Mitigation function.

Identifies and reports on areas and problems which are systemic and may lead to exposure to the Company.

Issues Request for Proposal for employment counsel to add depth to our bench of outside counsel and to maximize value.

Assists with the management of the budget and vendors.

Develop Staff and Serve as a Leader (10%)

Takes direct responsibility for the growth and development of the team's non-lawyer paraprofessionals. Includes them in activities, suggest webinars and articles; teaches them about new topics about the company, employment law, and consumer law.

Contributes to department and company programs and projects as requested.

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.

Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited institution and an active license to practice law in a U.S. jurisdiction. Candidate must be eligible to obtain the necessary certification(s) to practice law as in-house counsel.

7+ Years of experience in private practice and / or as in-house corporate legal counsel, advising and counseling on a broad range of employment law issues such as Title VII and related state laws, ADA compliance, federal and state leave laws, whistleblower protections, wage and hour requirements, employee relations investigations and employee discipline.

Familiarity with administrative and agency procedures and requirements relating to employment disputes.

Excellent drafting skills, strong project management skills, and meticulous attention to detail. Experience drafting and revising multi-state people policies and procedures.

Proficiency in Microsoft Office and legal software products, including legal research, as well as experience using data analytics in the legal setting.

Excellent oral and written communication and presentation skills.

Strong ability to resolve issues independently while building key relationships and working in team settings across disciplines.

In addition to following our current hybrid work policy, flexibility to be present at other Sallie Mae locations based on team or business needs. Some business travel required.

Preferred education, skills, and experience.

Experience interacting with federal and state authorities concerning employment claims in the primary jurisdictions of Sallie Mae, including Delaware, Virginia, Indiana, Massachusetts, and / or Utah.

Experience counseling on AI usage in employment.

Experience in class action defense, first chair trial experience, managing e-discovery, financial services consumer litigation experience and bankruptcy expertise.

Experience reviewing, negotiating, and drafting contracts, including employment agreements, retention agreements, and vendor contracts (HR technology, benefits administration, event and facilities management, etc.)

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 / OFCCP_EEO_Supplement_Final_JRF_QA_508c.pdf. Click https : / / https / www.salliemae.com / legal / pay-transparency-policy / to view the U.S. Pay Transparency Policy.