Portfolio Performance Analyst – Nelnet Financial Services

Nelnet is a diversified and innovative company committed to enriching lives through the power of service as a student loan servicer, professional services company, consumer loan originator and servicer, payments processor, renewable energy solutions, and K-12 and higher education expert. For over 40 years, Nelnet has been serving its customers, associates, and communities.

When you join the Nelnet team, you're part of a community invested in the success of each individual. That support comes through in our work, as we are united by our mission of creating opportunities for people where they live, learn, and work.

The Portfolio Performance Analyst, reporting to the Director of Analytics, monitors and analyzes the performance of consumer loans, student loans, securitizations, and other financial services asset classes, translating complex data into clear narratives and actionable recommendations for leadership. The ideal candidate is naturally curious, enjoys working with data, and thrives in a collaborative environment where identifying trends, surfacing risks, and helping drive strategic decisions define success.

This role partners closely with the Business Intelligence team and cross‑functional stakeholders to shape portfolio insights that inform business outcomes.

• Portfolio Monitoring and Analysis: Proactively monitor portfolio performance to identify trends, anomalies, risks, and opportunities, developing a clear understanding of what is changing, why it may be happening, and where deeper analysis is needed.
• Recommendations to Leadership: Develop and present recommendations to management based on portfolio analysis, and stay actively engaged with business partners to help drive follow‑through and meaningful outcomes.
• Data Storytelling and Communication: Communicate findings clearly and effectively, using data to tell a compelling story for both technical and non‑technical audiences.
• Analytical Frameworks: Build and maintain consistent analytical frameworks that enable repeatable, high‑quality work and create continuity across the team.
• Data Extraction and Analysis: Draw on SQL, Excel, and modern analytical tools to extract, organize, and analyze data from multiple sources.
• AI and Automation Adoption: Leverage and experiment with AI tools and technologies to enhance productivity, analysis, and insight generation.
• Collaboration: Work with stakeholders across the organization to understand business needs, frame analytical questions, and align analysis to portfolio priorities.
• Partnership with the BI Team: Work closely with the Business Intelligence team, including requesting and refining charts, dashboards, and tables to support analysis and storytelling.
• Data Quality and Availability: Partner with key stakeholders across the organization to improve data quality, reporting efficiency, and data availability.

Pay Range for this role is - $80,000 - $100,000

Bachelor's degree in finance, economics, data analytics, business, statistics, mathematics, or a related field is preferred, but applicable experience in an analytical or business‑related role will also be considered.

• Minimum of 4-6 years in an analytical, finance, business intelligence, risk, credit, portfolio management, or related business role.
• Strong proficiency in SQL and Excel, including data extraction, joins, aggregations, lookup logic, pivot tables, trend analysis, reconciliations, and scenario analysis.
• Hands‑on work with Snowflake or other cloud‑based data warehouses.
• Practical use of AI tools (such as ChatGPT, Claude, or similar) for analytical work, including generating SQL, summarizing datasets, drafting analytical narratives, or accelerating documentation.
• Strong attention to detail and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to investigate complex data questions and determine practical answers.
• Ability to operate effectively in ambiguous situations, demonstrating resourcefulness and independent judgment to find workable paths forward without requiring step‑by‑step direction.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to…