Company Background:
We’re a diverse group of financial experts, creative minds, innovators, tech gurus, and leaders who work together to help people make great things possible.
Our customers are at the center of everything we do. We can help them lay the groundwork for a prosperous future. Whatever their next goal may be, we have the responsible financing, information, and resources they need to make it happen.
We dare to do by challenging what we know and never settling for “the way it’s always been done.” We believe in doing right, connecting with people, and finding new ways to thrive as professionals so we can make a difference for our customers and community.
We’re looking for people with the skills, insight, and passion to make us a stronger, more competitive company.
Find Your Purpose.
Are you someone who loves to challenge assumptions, make a difference, and collaborate with the people you work with?
Join our diverse group of financial experts, creative minds, innovators, tech gurus, and customer-focused thinkers.
Job Description:
The Senior Director and Associate General Counsel position will have extensive exposure to Sallie Mae’s executive management team. A successful candidate must be detail-oriented and have the ability to work independently while managing multiple priorities and deadlines.
Strong and deep experience with securitization transactions/structured finance (involving student loans or other asset classes) and securities laws is required. In addition, broad experience with other financial transactions, including loan sales, public debt issuances, share repurchase transactions, and dividend payments, is desired. Experience with public company reporting and exposure to general banking matters is an added plus.
Role and Responsibilities:
- Manages all legal support for Sallie Mae’s private education loan securitization and whole/structured loan sale transactions.
- Negotiates and drafts complex securitization agreements and other financial contracts, including offering memoranda, loan purchase and sale agreements, servicing and administration agreements, trust agreements, and in-house counsel opinions.
- Negotiates and drafts legal documentation regarding various forms of share repurchase arrangements, including open market repurchases, ASRs, tender offers, and 10b5-1 plans.
- Works with general counsel, head of Finance legal team, and other members of legal team on other securities matters, including periodic and current reports, and corporate finance transactions, including charged-off loan sales, LIHTC transactions, and secured borrowing facility.
- Manages the dividend payment process for our common, preferred and intercompany dividends.
- Assists with corporate reporting and governance matters as needed.
- Assists with regulatory compliance and contract compliance related to various business initiatives.
- Interfaces directly with senior managers and executive team regarding company transactions, as well as on risk management and compliance initiatives.
- Leads, or participates in, operating risk and control initiatives as assigned.
- 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.
Professional Experience, Skills & Qualifications:
- JD from accredited law school and bar admission in good standing in at least one state.
- 10+ years of relevant experience at a law firm or in house with significant financial services or banking practice.
- Ability to work well in a fast-paced and dynamic environment, which involves managing many high stakes tasks simultaneously with minimal supervision and under tight deadlines.
- Ability to build productive relationships with the broader legal staff, business clients, and executives.
- The ideal candidate pays meticulous attention to detail, has the ability to work independently as well as in a team setting, and has the ability to cross-train across legal and compliance substantive areas.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel).
- This is a position with frequent client contact.
- Some business travel may be required.
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 the function, or only a limited number of employees are available to perform that function.