Manager, Credit Bureau Reporting and Disputes

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 Manager, Credit Bureau Reporting and Disputes will be responsible for managing a team that conducts in depth customer research and analysis through investigations into credit bureau disputes to ensure Sallie Mae remains compliant within regulatory expectations under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). This position will also be responsible for all corporate initiatives related to and involving credit bureau reporting, including system of record project changes (including but not limited to system build-out for new product reporting), as well as architecting and implementing new business strategies in accordance with new legislation and industry requirements.  This role requires an in depth understanding of the FCRA and various business processes that impact the company's credit bureau reporting/data furnishing and disputes functions.  The Manager, Credit Bureau Reporting and Disputes is a motivated self-starter with a passion for digging into data to reveal accuracy opportunities as well as procedural and systematic gaps.

What You'll Do

Credit Bureau Disputes (50%)

• Lead and manage a team of credit reporting and dispute resolution specialists.
• Investigate credit disputes by analyzing the system of record, various supporting systems, and relevant customer-provided documentation.
• Manage all forms of credit bureau disputes including both Direct Disputes and ACDVs.
• Ensure Tradeblocks are processed accurately and rescinded where applicable.
• Work with the  Customer Communications team to maintain, update, and create new correspondence in response to Direct Disputes.
• Disseminate enterprise-wide communication to discuss, review and research credit reporting issues leading to common dispute reasons.
• Ensure compliance with legal requirements, including the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), when resolving credit disputes.
• Communicate with customers, credit bureaus, and other relevant parties to gather necessary information and provide updates on dispute resolutions.
• Implement measures to prevent credit disputes and identify opportunities for process improvement.
• Conduct regular audits and quality assurance checks to verify compliance and address any potential issues.
• Create and maintain tools to enhance the performance of the credit bureau disputes team.
• Work with Legal team and assist with FCRA-related litigation matters pertaining to credit bureau disputes (and/or data furnishing).
• Oversee the proper access and use of the e-OSCAR system (i.e. act as system administrator).
• Onboard and train new credit bureau reporting and dispute resolution specialists as needed.

Credit Bureau Reporting/Data Furnishing (50%)

• Ensure Sallie Mae accurately reports all accounts residing on the Fiserv FDR core processing system to the four major credit reporting agencies.
• Make business decisions and recommendation resulting from internal and external pressures impacting the credit bureau reporting process on all internal IT systems for officer level and above.
• Effectively create and execute business requirements for system enhancements as well as complete and/or update systematic product and rules build as necessary.
• Develop plans and execute User Acceptance Testing (UAT) on all existing and new products.
• Maintain and improve upon credit bureau-related reconciliation and exception reporting to proactively identify, remediate, and prevent potential bureau reporting issues and minimize FCRA risk.
• Work in conjunction with risk partners and legal to ensure existing regulatory requirements as well as new legislative requirements pertaining to data furnishing and credit bureau disputes are adhered to.
• Conduct periodic data quality audits with the 4 credit reporting agencies and oversee the remediation of any/all pertinent findings.
• Complete and present credit bureau reporting and disputes analysis (monthly and YTD trending) through presentation material to senior leadership.
• Collaborate with internal/external resources including partnering business areas, legal, compliance, audit, the Credit reporting agencies and industry groups.
• Perform independent data analysis through validation and exception queries, involving ad-hoc SQL programming to safeguard the accuracy and integrity of furnished data.
  

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

Minimum education, skills and experience required.

• Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, business administration, or a related field or equivalent work experience.
• Strong knowledge of credit reporting guidelines, regulations, and industry best practices.
• Previous experience leading people and fostering a positive team culture.
• Familiarity with credit bureaus' reporting systems and credit reporting software.
• A solid understanding of the Fiserv FDR system of record with an understanding of general core processing system functionality and strong knowledge of cross functional business area processes.
• Ability to extrapolate large sums of data and create clear, concise reports.
• A solid interpretive understanding of the Metro2 language and the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
• Thorough experience with the e-OSCAR platform, preferably e-OSCAR version 4.0.
• Excellent analytical skills with the ability to interpret and analyze credit reports and related data.
• Proven track record in effectively managing credit disputes and resolving complex issues.
• Exceptional attention to detail and accuracy.
• 5+ SQL or SAS years of experience, with demonstrated understanding of Sallie Mae loan servicing data and data sources.
• Proficient in using MS Office suite and other relevant software applications.

Preferred education, skills, and experience.

• Master's degree in finance, accounting, business administration, or a related field.
• 7+ years of experience in credit bureau reporting, credit disputes management, or a related role.
• 3+ years vendor management experience within the credit bureau industry.
• Certified by the CDIA (Consumer Data Industry Association) in the Metro2 language and or FCRA (specifically data furnishing).
  

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.

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

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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 hereto 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.