Newark, Delaware, United States — Sallie Mae has appointed Jennifer McNorton as Vice President, Talent Acquisition, adding an accomplished talent leadership executive to its Human Resources Leadership Team as the company continues to strengthen its ability to attract, develop, and retain top talent in support of its mission of expanding access to higher education.
Jennifer brings more than 25 years of experience spanning talent acquisition, executive search, leadership recruiting, workforce strategy, and talent management across financial services, technology, staffing, and global enterprise organizations. In her new role, she will lead Sallie Mae’s talent acquisition strategy, focusing on building high-performing teams, enhancing recruiting capabilities, strengthening employer branding, and supporting the organization’s long-term growth objectives.
Prior to joining Sallie Mae, Jennifer served as Head of Talent Acquisition, Center of Excellence at Air Liquide, where she led enterprise talent acquisition initiatives and helped advance recruitment strategies across the global industrial gases and services company. She played a key role in modernizing talent acquisition practices, enhancing candidate experiences, and supporting workforce planning efforts across the organization.
Before Air Liquide, Jennifer spent more than five years with Indeed, holding a series of increasingly senior leadership positions. Most recently, she served as Senior Director, Global Talent Acquisition – Indeed Hire, leading large-scale recruiting operations and talent acquisition initiatives. Earlier, she served as Senior Director, Global Executive Recruiting and Director of Global Leadership & Executive Recruiting, where she was responsible for attracting senior executive talent and strengthening leadership hiring capabilities across the organization.
Earlier in her career, Jennifer spent more than six years with Aquent as Vice President and Managing Director, leading teams of recruiting and business development professionals serving Fortune 500 financial services and fintech organizations. She was instrumental in expanding strategic client partnerships and delivering talent solutions for some of the world’s leading companies.
Prior to Aquent, she built a strong foundation in talent acquisition and workforce solutions during a distinguished 13-year career with Robert Half International, where she held multiple leadership roles, including Branch Manager, Division Director, Recruiting Manager, and Staffing Manager. During this period, she gained extensive experience across accounting, finance, technology, administrative, and creative staffing businesses while leading teams and driving business growth.
She also served as Director, Interactive Staffing and Regional Vice President at Onward Search, where she successfully launched the firm’s National Executive Search division focused on interactive, creative, digital, and marketing talent.
Jennifer’s appointment comes as organizations increasingly compete for highly skilled talent in a rapidly evolving workforce landscape. Her extensive experience leading talent acquisition functions across global enterprises, technology platforms, and professional services organizations is expected to strengthen Sallie Mae’s ability to attract exceptional talent while supporting its mission-driven culture and long-term business strategy.
With a proven track record of building high-performing recruiting organizations, executive hiring capabilities, and strategic workforce solutions, Jennifer is well-positioned to help shape the future of talent acquisition at Sallie Mae.
About Sallie Mae
Sallie Mae is a leading provider of education financing and related services dedicated to helping students and families confidently navigate the path to higher education. As a leader in private student lending, Sallie Mae provides financing solutions, educational resources, and guidance designed to make college more affordable, accessible, and achievable.
Driven by its mission to power confidence for students and families, the company supports millions of customers through innovative financial products, planning tools, and educational resources that help individuals pursue their academic and career aspirations while preparing for long-term financial success.
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