Senior Manager, Technology Project Management

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 Chief Technology Organization is accountable for the firm’s overall Technology & Data Strategy, the Enterprise Architecture, and the engineering, delivery and support of our Cloud enabled product and services that enable Sallie Mae.

As a key leader in the Chief Technology Officer organization, you will lead the business management function and help Sallie Mae realize it’s strategic business objectives.

You will proactively manage and help govern the team’s overall communications plan, finances, vendor contracts, demand, and capacity functions, manage the portfolio of work, and help managing risks, issues and controls we rely on.

What You Will Do

Communications Plan

Help design, implement and coordinate a robust communications plan to ensure full stakeholder and team coverage / engagement, awareness and overall sponsorship of the CTO function and its strategic goals and plans

Act as brand ambassador for the CTO organization, highlighting the accomplishments of the team, and promoting our team, plans, products, and services

Prepare a variety of management materials & reports tailored for different stakeholders

Plan and host various team events to drive engagement, awareness, and alignment

Assist in the proactive management of the organization’s finances.

Capture requirements and demand from the extended leadership team

Help review, challenge, and refine estimates for work prior to incorporation into the budget

Prepare and review monthly forecast data

Analyze actuals against the forecast and identify discrepancies and root causes

Identify and execute opportunities to realize savings

Vendor and Contract Management

Maintain an authoritative inventory of all technology software, hardware, and services spend / related contracts

Proactively review, analyze, and plan for all contract renewals, several months in advance

Perform industry analysis, cost benchmarking to realize the optimal cost for Sallie Mae

Help internal Product / Service owners model and define the unit costs for their services

Manage, optimize, and monitor vendor service levels and trends monthly. Ensure vendors are meeting or exceeding our requirements.

Put vendors on performance improvement plans in the event of requirements / SLA breaches, availability challenges.

Capacity and Demand Management

Maintain the organizations human capital roster

Partner with leadership team to ensure each team member’s capacity is allocated appropriately to the right priorities

Prepare reports and help leadership balance the team’s demand and capacity, prioritize work, and manage stakeholder expectations

Design, manage and optimize the team’s intake mechanisms, Kanban boards, and backlogs. Provide reports and insight for leadership on new / existing demand.

Portfolio and Project Management

Track and report on the overall health of the portfolio

Escalate, track, and help resolve any issues impeding high quality, on-time, and on-budget delivery

Plan, lead and execute any cross-team projects and initiatives

Partner with leadership to report and track on Metrics that Matter

Prepare Monthly Executive Business Reviews (Human Capital, Finances, Delivery Portfolio, Risks & Issues, Key Metrics and Reports)

Process, Risk and Controls

Ensure the organizations’ processes, risks and controls are documented and comply with firm standards

Track the ongoing health and status of control execution. Report on control health and any incidents.

Partner with second and third line risk partners to open and remediate any findings / issues and lead any audits / assessments across the organization

What You Have

Minimum education, skills and experience required.

Highly organized, resourceful, energetic self-starter with demonstrated ability to deliver meaningful results in rapid fast paced environments

Exceptional verbal and written communications. Strong ability to influence and command an audience.

Experience synthesizing data and preparing / delivering materials for Executive Audiences

Exceptional problem-solving skills. Must be resourceful, take initiative and have strong data analysis skills and attention to detail.

Mastery level proficiency in Excel, Power BI, and other reporting tools

Experience with management of software licenses, contract & vendor management

Rapid, expert ability to rapidly iterate, design and document processes, technical architectures, schematics

Skilled ability to make complex technical concepts consumable for non-technical audiences

Preferred education and skills :

Minimum of 5 years hands on experience supporting broad, executive level business management functions

Program / Project Management Certification preferred (PMI / PMP)

Additional Technical Certifications preferred, not required (TOGAF, SAFE, NIST, ITIL, CMMI)

Dice

The Americans with Disabilities Act

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.

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Reasonable accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities in all phases of the application and employment process.