Associate, Lines of Defense – Early Career Development Program

SMB Shared Services, Inc.; Newark (DE); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive base salary

Bonus incentives

PTO and holidays

401(k) with match

Medical/dental/vision

Parental leave

On-site fitness facilities

Tuition reimbursement

Career development

Job summary

Sallie Mae seeks high-potential graduates for a 24‑month Associate Lines of Defense Early Career Development Program in the United States. You will rotate through Business Controls, Enterprise Risk Management, Compliance, and Internal Audit to build risk, controls, and audit expertise, while developing analytical, communication, and leadership skills.

Expect graduation between December 2026 and June 2027 with a relevant degree and hands‑on experience with SQL, Python, SAS, and data visualization

Qualifications

• Expected graduation between December 2026 and June 2027 with a relevant degree.
• Experience with SQL, Python, SAS, or similar languages through coursework, internships, or work experience.
• Exposure to Power BI or other data visualization tools is a plus.
• Strong analytical mindset with ability to evaluate information and solve complex problems.
• Excellent communication, written and verbal, for a range of audiences.
• Collaboration and leadership potential; able to work across teams in a fast-paced environment.
• Attention to detail and growth mindset; eager to learn and develop.

Responsibilities

• Complete three eight‑month rotational assignments across key Lines of Defense groups.
• Rotations build business understanding, risk mindset, and analytical/communication skills.
• Support issue identification, root‑cause analysis, remediation planning, and control enhancements.
• Contribute to risk reporting, governance materials, and leadership‑ready insights.

Skills

SQL

Python

SAS

Power BI

Analytical mindset

Communication skills

Collaboration & leadership

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Business/Economics/Finance/Accounting/Management/Data Science/Risk Management/Compliance

Tools

Power BI

Job description

What You’ll Contribute

Launch Your Career as a Future Analytics Leader. The Associate Lines of Defense Early Career Development Program is a selective 24‑month development program designed to build the next generation of risk, compliance, controls, and audit talent at Sallie Mae. Through rotational experiences across key Lines of Defense functions, you’ll develop the combination of business acumen, analytical thinking, risk awareness, and professional judgment needed to identify emerging risks, strengthen controls, support regulatory readiness, and influence sound business decisions.

What You’ll Do

Complete three eight‑month rotational assignments across key Lines of Defense groups. Each rotation will strengthen your understanding of the business, develop your risk and controls mindset, and build the analytical and communication skills needed to help teams identify issues, evaluate processes, and drive meaningful improvements.

• Business Controls – Learn how first‑line controls help teams manage operational, process, and business risks before issues arise; evaluate practices, processes, and controls to identify potential risk areas and improvement opportunities; support issue identification, root‑cause analysis, remediation planning, and control enhancement efforts; partner with business teams to strengthen accountability, process discipline, and risk awareness; document observations, recommendations, and progress.
• Enterprise Risk Management – Build a broader understanding of enterprise‑wide risk frameworks, governance practices, and risk oversight across business lines; support analysis of key business processes, emerging risks, and control environments; contribute to assessments that identify gaps, trends, and opportunities to reduce risk exposure; assist with risk reporting, governance materials, and leadership‑ready insights; learn how enterprise risk practices inform strategic decisions.
• Compliance – Develop an understanding of the regulatory environment and how compliance programs help protect customers, the business, and Sallie Mae; research regulatory expectations and help assess how they apply to business processes; support compliance monitoring, testing, issue tracking, and reporting activities; translate complex information into clear insights that help inform leadership decision‑making; build awareness of consumer finance, operational compliance, and regulatory risk considerations.
• Internal Audit – Gain exposure to independent assurance work that evaluates governance, risk management, and control effectiveness; assist with planning and executing audit procedures, including walkthroughs, testing, and documentation; analyze evidence, identify themes, and summarize findings in a clear and professional manner; support reporting that helps leadership understand risks, control gaps, and recommended actions; develop professional skepticism, attention to detail, and sound judgment through hands‑on audit work.

What You’ll Grow

Throughout the program, you’ll solve meaningful business problems through risk‑based, analytical, and process‑oriented thinking; develop technical, analytical, communication, and consulting skills through hands‑on experience; communicate findings and recommendations through presentations, reporting, and concise business writing; partner with stakeholders across multiple functions and business areas; participate in mentorship, networking, and leadership development opportunities; gain exposure to senior leaders and strategic business initiatives; join a cohort of high‑performing early‑career professionals committed to learning, growth, and collaboration.

Required Qualifications

• Expected graduation between December 2026 and June 2027 with a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a relevant discipline such as Business, Economics, Finance, Accounting, Management, Data Science, Risk Management, Compliance, or a related field.
• Experience with SQL, Python, SAS, or similar programming languages through coursework, internships, research, or work experience.
• Exposure to Power BI or other data visualization tools is a plus.
• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to evaluate information, identify trends, and solve complex or ambiguous business problems; ability to develop hypotheses, organize work, interpret results, and translate findings into actionable recommendations.
• Excellent communication skills – ability to communicate complex information clearly and professionally to a range of audiences; strong written, verbal, presentation, and documentation skills.
• Collaboration & Leadership Potential – demonstrated initiative, adaptability, and willingness to learn; ability to collaborate effectively across teams, build strong working relationships, and contribute in a fast‑paced, team‑oriented environment; strong interpersonal skills and interest in developing leadership capability.
• Attention to Detail – commitment to accuracy, quality, documentation, and delivering high‑value work.
• Growth Mindset – curiosity, resilience, professionalism, and enthusiasm for continuous learning.
• Interest in building a career in risk management, compliance, controls, internal audit, governance, business analysis, or related fields.

Preferred Experience

• Internship, co‑op, research, leadership, or work experience involving finance, business analysis, compliance, audit, risk management, controls, data analysis, or related disciplines.
• Exposure to analytical tools, reporting, process improvement, or documentation practices.

Benefits

• Competitive base salaries and bonus incentives.
• Generous PTO, floating holidays, and 12 federal holidays observed.
• 401(k) with employer match and comprehensive financial‑well‑being support.
• Insurance coverage: comprehensive medical, dental, vision, hospital indemnity, critical illness, pet insurance, and short‑term/long‑term disability.
• Paid parental leave and adoption reimbursement programs.
• On‑site staffed fitness centers in Delaware and gym subsidy for other locations.
• Flexible hybrid working arrangements.
• Tuition reimbursement and family scholarship programs.
• Career development and training opportunities.

Sallie Mae is 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. Reasonable accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities in all phases of the application and employment process. To request accommodations, please call (855) 756‑2007, option 9.