📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: Senior Manager, Paid Marketing
🔹 Company: Sallie Mae
🔹 Location: Newark, DE (Hybrid)
🔹 Job Type: Full-Time
🔹 Category: Marketing
🔹 Date Posted: April 21, 2025
🔹 Experience Level: 5+ years
🔹 Remote Status: Hybrid (Newark, DE & Newton, MA)
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Leading integrated, full-funnel paid media and affiliate marketing efforts
- Optimizing performance across search, social, display, and affiliate channels
- Collaborating cross-functionally to align on goals and execution
- Mentoring and supporting junior team members
- Pushing the boundaries of digital advertising and keeping up with emerging technologies
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a strong understanding of the performance marketing landscape and a data-driven, analytical mindset to succeed.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Oversee strategy, execution, and orchestration of paid media and affiliate marketing programs
✅ Manage integrated campaigns across channels to drive acquisition, engagement, and monetization
✅ Manage budget and marketplace mix strategies to optimize ROI
✅ Lead audience planning and targeting strategies across paid media platforms
✅ Design and implement testing frameworks for creative, targeting, and channel strategies
✅ Establish, track, analyze, and report on program performance
✅ Collaborate with organic social, content, digital operations, creative, analytics, marketplace, and other teams
✅ Mentor and support junior team members
ASSUMPTION: This role involves managing multiple priorities and requires strong organizational skills and the ability to work in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, or a related field
Experience: 5+ years of experience in performance marketing with hands-on execution across paid search, social, and display
Required Skills:
- Proven track record of managing paid media budgets and hitting acquisition and efficiency targets
- Experience overseeing affiliate or partner marketing programs
- Ability to analyze data and use insights to drive decision-making
- Deep understanding of audience segmentation, funnel optimization, and testing frameworks
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, high-growth environment
- Proficiency in developing and presenting strategic plans and results to leadership
Preferred Skills:
- Bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, or a related field (master's degree is a plus)
- Background in lead generation or marketing in the education vertical
- Familiarity with marketing automation and audience targeting platforms
- Experience utilizing LTV models to drive value-based bidding
- Exposure to landing page testing, CRO, and SEO strategies
- Experience mentoring or managing junior team members
- Financial acumen and ability to understand P&L impacts
- A passion for exploring emerging platforms and technologies
ASSUMPTION: While a master's degree is preferred, a bachelor's degree with relevant experience may also be considered.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: $120,000 - $160,000 (Based on industry standards for a senior manager role in the financial services sector with 5+ years of experience)
Benefits:
- 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
Working Hours: Full-time (40 hours/week) with flexible hybrid working arrangements
ASSUMPTION: The salary range provided is an estimate based on industry standards and may vary depending on the candidate's experience and qualifications.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
Industry: Financial Services (Education Services)
Company Size: 1,001-5,000 employees (Large enterprise)
Founded: 1972 (As a spin-off of Sallie Mae Bank)
Company Description:
- Sallie Mae is a leader in private student lending, providing financing and expertise to support college access and completion
- The company offers products and resources to help students and families start smart in planning for higher education
- Sallie Mae's mission is to power confidence as students begin their unique journey
Company Specialties:
- College Savings
- College Planning
- Financial Aid
- Student Loans
- Scholarship
- Education Loans
- Banking
- Savings
- Credit Card
Company Website: SallieMae.com
ASSUMPTION: Sallie Mae is a well-established company in the financial services industry with a strong focus on education services.
📊 Role Analysis
Career Level: Senior Manager (Mid-level to senior career path)
Reporting Structure: This role reports directly to the Director of Paid Media
Work Arrangement: Hybrid (2-3 days per week in the office, with flexibility for remote work)
Growth Opportunities:
- Potential to move into a director or VP role as the team and company grow
- Opportunities to expand responsibilities and manage larger teams
- Chance to work on high-impact projects and drive business growth
ASSUMPTION: This role offers significant growth potential for the right candidate, with opportunities to advance within the company.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
Office Type: Hybrid (Combination of on-site and remote work)
Office Location(s): Newark, DE & Newton, MA
Geographic Context:
- Newark, DE: A suburban city near Philadelphia, PA, with a cost of living slightly above the national average
- Newton, MA: A small city near Boston, MA, with a higher cost of living compared to the national average
Work Schedule: Full-time (40 hours/week) with flexible hybrid working arrangements
ASSUMPTION: The hybrid work arrangement offers a good balance between on-site collaboration and remote flexibility.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process:
- Phone or video screen with the HR team
- In-depth interview with the hiring manager and/or team members
- Final interview with the director or another senior leader
- Background check and offer extension
Key Assessment Areas:
- Strategic thinking and planning
- Analytical skills and data-driven decision-making
- Communication and presentation skills
- Leadership and team management skills
- Cultural fit and alignment with company values
Application Tips:
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight relevant experience and skills for this role
- Be prepared to discuss specific examples of your experience with paid media and affiliate marketing
- Showcase your understanding of the education services industry and Sallie Mae's mission
- Demonstrate your ability to work in a fast-paced, high-growth environment
ATS Keywords: Paid Media, Affiliate Marketing, Performance Marketing, Digital Marketing, Budget Management, Full-Funnel Optimization, Testing Frameworks, Cross-Functional Collaboration, Team Leadership
ASSUMPTION: The interview process for this role is likely to be comprehensive, focusing on both technical skills and cultural fit.
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- Google Ads
- Facebook Ads
- LinkedIn Ads
- Display advertising platforms (e.g., AdRoll, Criteo)
- Affiliate marketing platforms (e.g., CJ Affiliate, Impact Radius)
- Marketing automation tools (e.g., Marketo, HubSpot)
- Data analysis tools (e.g., Google Analytics, Tableau)
ASSUMPTION: Familiarity with these tools and platforms is essential for success in this role.
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values:
- Put Students First
- Act with Integrity
- Collaborate to Win
- Innovate and Improve
- Embrace Diversity and Inclusion
Work Style:
- Data-driven and analytical
- Fast-paced and high-growth
- Collaborative and cross-functional
- Focused on continuous improvement
Self-Assessment Questions:
- Do you have a strong understanding of the performance marketing landscape and emerging technologies?
- Are you comfortable working in a fast-paced, high-growth environment and managing multiple priorities?
- Do you thrive in a collaborative, cross-functional work environment?
- Are you passionate about driving business growth and making a meaningful impact on students' lives?
ASSUMPTION: Sallie Mae values candidates who are data-driven, collaborative, and passionate about their mission to support college access and completion.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- Managing a large budget and hitting acquisition and efficiency targets
- Keeping up with emerging technologies and platforms in the fast-paced digital marketing landscape
- Balancing multiple priorities and working in a fast-paced, high-growth environment
- Collaborating effectively with cross-functional teams and stakeholders
- Adapting to changes in the education services industry and Sallie Mae's business priorities
ASSUMPTION: These challenges require strong organizational skills, adaptability, and a proactive approach to problem-solving.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- This role is unique in its focus on the education services industry and Sallie Mae's mission to support college access and completion
- Compared to other senior manager roles in digital marketing, this position offers a unique opportunity to make a meaningful impact on students' lives
- Career path comparison: This role offers growth potential within Sallie Mae, with opportunities to advance into director or VP roles as the team and company grow
ASSUMPTION: While this role shares similarities with other senior manager positions in digital marketing, its focus on the education services industry sets it apart.
📝 Sample Projects
- Developing and executing a full-funnel paid media strategy to drive acquisition, engagement, and monetization for a new student loan product
- Optimizing affiliate marketing programs to improve performance and ROI, leading to a 20% increase in new member sign-ups
- Collaborating with cross-functional teams to launch a new scholarship campaign, resulting in a 35% increase in applications
ASSUMPTION: These sample projects illustrate the breadth of responsibilities and impact this role can have within Sallie Mae.
❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- What are the biggest challenges facing the paid media team currently, and how can this role address them?
- How does this role collaborate with other teams within Sallie Mae, such as organic social, content, and digital operations?
- What are the most important qualities and skills you're looking for in a candidate for this role?
- How does Sallie Mae support the growth and development of its employees, particularly in this role?
- What are the key priorities for this role in the first 30, 60, and 90 days?
ASSUMPTION: Asking these questions demonstrates your interest in the role and its impact on Sallie Mae's mission and business goals.
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this position:
- Submit your application through this link
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight relevant experience and skills for this role
- Prepare examples of your experience with paid media and affiliate marketing, as well as your understanding of the education services industry and Sallie Mae's mission
- Be ready to discuss your ability to work in a fast-paced, high-growth environment and collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams
- Follow up with the hiring manager one week after submitting your application to express your continued interest in the role
⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
