Third-Party Risk Analyst at National Education Loan Network, Inc. (NELN) — Lincoln, NE

The Third-Party Risk Analyst is a contributor within Nelnet's Risk Management team. This role supports risk assessments and ongoing oversight of third-party relationships across the organization. This role helps safeguard Nelnet against key risks by evaluating third-party controls, identifying risk gaps, and recommending remediation aligned with regulatory requirements and internal standards. The Analyst partners closely with senior team members and internal stakeholders to support the third-party risk management lifecycle and contributes to process improvements that support the continued maturity of the Third-Party Risk Management Program.

## JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Facilitate third-party risk assessments for new and existing third-party relationships, with guidance from senior team members as needed.
• Assist in assessing fourth-party and subcontractor risk exposure for third-party relationships.
• Review and analyze documentation provided by the third-party, document assessment results, identity risk gaps, and recommend remediation actions aligned with Regulatory Requirements and Nelnet standards.
• Deliver reporting, dashboards, and analytics for ongoing oversight, trends, and escalation.
• Support the ongoing maintenance and administration of third-party policies, procedures, and guidelines.
• Partner with internal stakeholders and subject matter experts to support the third-party risk management lifecycle.
• Build and maintain strong cross-functional relationships across business segments to support collaboration throughout the third-party risk management lifecycle.
• Utilize existing tools and technology, including AI, to support process efficiency, and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Maintain awareness of emerging risks and industry trends through continued education and research, sharing relevant insights with the team.
• Participate in and support the delivery of third-party risk management training for Nelnet Associates.

Annual compensation range for this role is $60,000-$70,000 depending on experience.

EDUCATION

Bachelor’s in technology, risk, business, or related field (equivalent experience may substitute).

## EXPERIENCE:

1-3 years in risk management, third-party risk management, audit, cybersecurity, or compliance.

Education or certifications in risk, audit, cyber, or project management preferred.

Familiarity with regulatory requirements and frameworks such as SOC 1/SOC 2, ISO, NIST, and others.

## COMPETENCIES/SKILLS:

• Ability to review and interpret vendor documentation to support risk assessments and identify control gaps.
• Sound judgment to identify risk gaps and escalate issues appropriately based on risk severity.
• Self-starter with the ability to work independently, communicate clearly, and escalate issues effectively to stakeholders.
• Strong organizational skills to manage concurrent assessments and maintain audit-ready documentation.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with internal stakeholders and subject matter experts across the third-party risk management lifecycle.

Our benefits package includes medical, dental, vision, HSA and FSA, generous earned time off, 401K/student loan repayment, life insurance & AD&D insurance, employee assistance program, employee stock purchase program, tuition reimbursement, performance-based incentive pay, short- and long-term disability, and a robust wellness program. Click here to learn more about our benefits: Benefits & Perks - Nelnet Inc.