Head of Partnerships and Ad Operations

When you join Sallie, you become a champion for all students.

Sallie’s Education Services team is a diverse group of growth-obsessed entrepreneurs, data analysts, engineers, and developers with a passion for imagining and building scalable businesses for students and families on their unique journey to-through and immediately after higher education. We’re on a mission to revolutionize how students and their families plan, pay and complete this journey with confidence.  Join a team of seekers, challengers and creative thinkers to change the way students plan for their future for the better.

When you join Sallie, you become a champion for all students. Sallie’s Education Services team is a diverse group of growth-obsessed entrepreneurs, data analysts, engineers, and developers with a passion for imagining and building scalable businesses for students and families on their unique journey to-through and immediately after higher education. We’re on a mission to revolutionize how students and their families plan, pay and complete this journey with confidence.  Join a team of seekers, challengers and creative thinkers to change the way students plan for their future for the better.

What You'll Contribute

Would you like to work in an exciting fast-paced start-up place with the backing of a household name company like Sallie Mae to help millions of people meet their educational needs every day? Together, we’re connected by the same drive—to be a champion for all students and help them make smart decisions with confidence. Do more than join something—change something…for students, for future generations, and for the future of education.

Our new venture, Sallie.com, is looking for people like you to be the founding members who will define the future of education services for students and their families in the US. As the first education solutions company, we’re creating marketplaces with supportive tools and content that help students when they need it most. We’re connecting students to free money for school, providing tools and resources to plan for college, sharing inside advice on campus life, and so much more. Visit https://www.sallie.com/about to learn more about us.

We’re looking for a Head of Ad Tech and Partnerships

Job Overview

Head of Ad Tech Partnerships & Operations will spearhead the development, management, and optimization of our advertising technology operations and strategic partnerships. This role requires a seasoned professional with deep expertise in ad tech, an entrepreneurial mindset, and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment. You will collaborate with sales, customer success, analytics, engineering, product, and data teams to build a scalable, innovative ad platform that drives revenue and enhances user experience.

What You'll Do

• Ad Tech Strategy & Operations:
  • Design, implement, and manage the ad tech stack, including demand-side platforms (DSPs), supply-side platforms (SSPs), ad servers, and data management platforms (DMPs).
  • Oversee programmatic advertising operations, ensuring seamless integration and performance across the media network.
  • Optimize ad delivery, targeting, and yield to maximize revenue and user engagement.
• Partnerships:
  • Build and manage relationships with ad tech vendors, agencies, and demand partners to expand the network’s reach and capabilities.
  • Negotiate contracts and ensure partnerships align with company goals and compliance requirements (e.g., GDPR, CCPA).
  • Stay ahead of industry trends to identify new partnership opportunities.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration:
  • Work closely with sales and customer success teams to align ad tech solutions with client needs and campaign objectives.
  • Partner with engineering and product teams to develop and integrate innovative ad tech features and tools.
  • Collaborate with analytics and data teams to leverage insights for campaign optimization and reporting.
• Innovation & Growth:
  • Drive the adoption of emerging ad tech solutions, such as AI-driven targeting, contextual advertising, and privacy-first technologies.
  • Identify and test new revenue streams, such as native advertising, sponsored content, or video ads tailored to the education sector.
  • Contribute to the strategic vision of the media network, aligning ad tech initiatives with business objectives.
• Compliance & Performance:
  • Ensure all ad tech operations adhere to industry standards, privacy regulations, and best practices.
  • Monitor and report on key performance metrics, such as fill rates, CPMs, viewability, and ROI for advertisers.
  • Implement processes to maintain high-quality ad experiences for users.

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

• 7+ years in ad tech, with a proven track record in managing programmatic advertising operations and partnerships.
• Deep knowledge of ad tech platforms (e.g., Google Ad Manager, The Trade Desk, AppNexus, etc.) and industry trends.
• Experience working in fast-paced, entrepreneurial environments, ideally within a startup or high-growth company.
• Expertise in programmatic advertising, real-time bidding (RTB), header bidding, and ad operations.
• Strong understanding of data-driven advertising, including audience segmentation, DMPs, and analytics tools.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to interface with diverse teams and external partners.
• Ability to analyze complex datasets and translate insights into actionable strategies.
• Familiarity with privacy regulations (GDPR, CCPA) and their impact on ad tech.

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

Not the right fit?  Let us know you're interested in a future opportunity by clicking Introduce Yourself in the top-right corner of the page or create an account to set up email alerts as new job postings become available that meet your interest!

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 (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.

• 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

Not the right fit?  Let us know you're interested in a future opportunity by clicking Introduce Yourself in the top-right corner of the page or create an account to set up email alerts as new job postings become available that meet your interest!