Director of Digital Performance & SEO

Sallie Mae; New York (NY); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive base salary

Bonus incentives

Generous PTO & holidays

401(k) with employer match

Comprehensive benefits

Career development opportunities

Job summary

Sallie Mae is seeking a Director of Digital Performance & SEO to drive measurable growth across all owned channels for student lending and deposits. You will own strategy, analytics, and optimization efforts at scale, partnering with Marketing, Product, and Technology to improve traffic, engagement, and ROI.

This leadership role manages a team of web specialists, analysts, and optimization experts, setting KPIs and guiding data-driven decision making to deliver impact across our digital

Qualifications

• 8–12+ years of digital performance, SEO, digital marketing, or web analytics experience.
• Proven success leading SEO and digital analytics initiatives for a complex multi-site organization.
• Strong knowledge of analytics platforms (GA4, Adobe Analytics, Looker, etc.).
• Experience with testing platforms (Optimizely, Adobe Target, Google Optimize alternatives).
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate data into compelling stories and recommendations.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead a holistic digital performance strategy aligned with growth goals.
• Define KPIs and dashboards for traffic, engagement, lead generation, conversion, ROI.
• Own reporting for executive audiences and translate data into actionable insights.
• Partner with Marketing, Product, and Tech to optimize end-to-end funnels.
• Lead the enterprise SEO function including technical SEO and content strategy.
• Guide analytics implementation and tagging across digital assets.

Skills

Digital performance

SEO

Web analytics

A/B testing

Communication skills

Cross-functional collaboration

B2B/B2C experience

CDPs/CRM/Marketing automation

Tools

GA4

Adobe Analytics

Looker

Optimizely

Adobe Target

Google Optimize

Job description

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 Director of Digital Performance & SEO is a strategic and hands‑on leader responsible for driving measurable digital growth across all owned channels to maximize traffic, conversion, and revenue for student lending and deposits lines of business.

This role can be located in our Newark, DE office, our New York, NY office, our Newton, MA office or our Sterling, VA office. Our Virginia office has a planned move to Arlington, VA in Fall 2026.

What You'll Do

• Develop and lead a holistic digital performance strategy aligned with enterprise growth goals.
• Define KPIs and dashboards for traffic, engagement, lead generation, conversion, and ROI across digital assets.
• Own reporting for executive audiences, translating data into actionable insights and recommendations.
• Partner with Marketing, Product, and Technology teams to optimize end‑to‑end digital funnels.
• Lead the enterprise SEO function—including technical SEO, on‑page optimization, content strategy, and authority‑building programs.
• Conduct regular site audits to identify opportunities and resolve technical issues impacting crawlability, UX, and rankings.
• Collaborate with enterprise content team to guide keyword strategy, content frameworks, and SERP opportunities.
• Stay current on algorithm changes, industry trends, and competitive landscapes. Oversee A/B and multivariate testing programs to improve site performance, conversion paths, and user experience.
• Guide analytics implementation and tagging to ensure accurate measurement across digital assets.
• Identify friction points within the digital journey and lead roadmap prioritization for improvements.
• Manage the analytics ecosystem including dashboards, tools, data governance, and modeling in partnership with Data & Technology teams.
• Analyze digital channel performance across web, search, email, and paid media to identify growth opportunities.
• Provide insights that inform content strategy, site enhancements, product features, and integrated marketing campaigns.
• Lead, mentor, and grow a high‑performing team of web specialists, analysts, and optimization experts.
• Communicate clearly and influence stakeholders at all levels, including senior leaders and cross‑functional partners.
• Ensure all teams are aligned to best practices, insights, and performance goals.

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.

Minimum

What you have

• 8–12+ years of experience in digital performance, SEO, digital marketing, or web analytics.
• Proven success leading SEO and digital analytics initiatives for a complex, multi‑site organization.
• Strong knowledge of analytics platforms (GA4, Adobe Analytics, Looker, etc.). Deep understanding of technical SEO, content strategy, web architecture, and digital UX principles.
• Experience with testing platforms (e.g., Optimizely, Adobe Target, Google Optimize alternatives).
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate data into compelling stories and recommendations.

Preferred

• Experience working closely with Product and Technology teams in an agile environment.
• Background in B2B, B2C, or multi‑brand ecosystems.
• Familiarity with CDPs, CRM systems, and marketing automation platforms.

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 that 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

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 to view the U.S. Pay Transparency Policy, here for federal job applicant notices, and here 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 [phone] 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.