Head of Advertising for Commercial Media Network

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. Sallie’s Education Services team is a diverse group of entrepreneurs, growth hackers, data analysts, engineers, and Developers with a passion for launching and scaling products. Our mission is to power confidence in students to, through and immediately after the higher education journey. Join a team of life-long learners, who are obsessed about data and constantly challenge the norm as we seek to stand up new businesses within the broader Sallie Mae organization. Overview The Head of Advertising will spearhead the development and launch of a new commercial media network as a dynamic line of business for our education services organization. This senior leadership role will drive the strategy, build a high-performing team, and oversee multiple functions—including ad sales, customer success, product development, analytics, and data partnerships—to deliver rapid growth in a fast-paced environment. The ideal candidate is a visionary leader with a proven track record in advertising, team-building, and scaling media ventures. Key Responsibilities Strategy & Vision: Design and execute a comprehensive strategy to establish and grow a commercial media network tailored to education services, aligning with organizational goals. Team Building: Recruit, hire, and lead a diverse, high-impact team across ad sales, customer success, product, analytics, and data partnerships, fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration. Ad Sales Leadership: Develop and drive advertising sales strategies, in conjunction with a head of sales, to secure partnerships, maximize revenue, and build strong relationships with clients and agencies. Customer Success: Oversee the creation of a customer success framework to ensure exceptional service, client satisfaction, and retention for advertisers and partners. Product Development: Collaborate with product teams to design and launch innovative ad products and media solutions that meet the needs of the education sector. Analytics & Insights: Build a robust analytics function to track performance, optimize campaigns, and deliver actionable insights to internal teams and clients. Data Partnerships: Identify and establish strategic data partnerships to enhance targeting, measurement, and value for the media network. Growth & Scaling: Drive rapid, sustainable growth in a fast-paced environment, setting ambitious KPIs and adapting strategies to meet evolving market demands. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with marketing, technology, and education content teams to ensure seamless integration and alignment of the media network. Compliance & Standards: Ensure all advertising practices adhere to industry regulations, ethical standards, and privacy policies. Qualifications Experience: 10+ years in advertising, media, or related fields, with 5+ years in a senior leadership role, ideally building or scaling a media or ad business. Proven Success: Demonstrated ability to drive revenue growth, launch new business lines, and achieve aggressive targets in a fast-paced setting. Team Leadership: Strong experience recruiting, managing, and inspiring diverse, cross-functional teams in sales, customer success, product, and analytics. Industry Knowledge: Deep understanding of digital advertising, media networks, ad tech, and data partnerships, with education sector experience a plus. Skills: Exceptional strategic thinking, communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills; data-driven mindset with proficiency in analytics tools. Adaptability: Thrives in a dynamic, high-growth environment with the ability to pivot quickly and manage multiple priorities. Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or related field; MBA or advanced degree a plus. 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 retirement401k 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

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