Compliance Manager, Complaints

Upstart•San Mateo, CA

30d•Remote

About The Position

About Upstart Upstart is the leading AI lending marketplace partnering with banks and credit unions to expand access to affordable credit. By leveraging Upstart's AI marketplace, Upstart-powered banks and credit unions can have higher approval rates and lower loss rates across races, ages, and genders, while simultaneously delivering the exceptional digital-first lending experience their customers demand. More than 80% of borrowers are approved instantly, with zero documentation to upload. Upstart is a digital-first company, which means that most Upstarters live and work anywhere in the United States. However, we also have offices in San Mateo, California; Columbus, Ohio; and Austin, Texas. Most Upstarters join us because they connect with our mission of enabling access to effortless credit based on true risk. If you are energized by the impact you can make at Upstart, we’d love to hear from you! The Team: Upstart’s Compliance team is a trusted partner and strategic enabler that ensures the company’s innovative products operate with integrity, transparency, and accountability. We work cross-functionally to identify and mitigate risk, design scalable compliance solutions, and uphold consumer trust at every step of the customer journey. Our priorities center on building a best-in-class Compliance Management System, leveraging data and automation to drive efficiency, and staying ahead of a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape. As the Compliance Manager, Complaints at Upstart, you’ll play a pivotal role in strengthening our compliance foundation and protecting customer trust. We’re looking for someone who thrives on solving complex problems, researching emerging issues, and collaborating across teams to drive meaningful change. In this role, you’ll oversee the enterprise complaints program and help ensure that our Compliance Management System continues to evolve with Upstart’s growth, expanding products, and a dynamic regulatory environment.

Requirements

5+ years of experience in compliance, risk management, or operations, including 3+ years in a leadership or program ownership role within financial services or fintech.
Comprehensive knowledge of U.S. consumer financial protection laws and regulations, including UDAAP, ECOA, TILA, FDCPA, FCRA, and Regulations E and Z.
Proven ability to analyze and interpret complaint data to identify risk themes, drive remediation, and improve customer experience.
Strong communication and presentation skills, with experience delivering complex compliance insights to senior leadership and regulators.
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Law, or a related field.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree, J.D., or advanced compliance certification such as CRCM, CAMS, or equivalent.
Experience designing or maturing an enterprise complaints program within a rapidly scaling financial technology or lending environment.
Demonstrated success partnering with regulators or auditors, including managing complaint-related exams, audits, and inquiries.
Proficiency with data analytics, reporting, or automation tools (e.g. SQL, Looker, Tableau, Python) to enhance complaint insights and oversight.
Experience building or enhancing a Compliance Management System (CMS), particularly in a technology-driven or AI-enabled organization.

Responsibilities

Shape the strategic direction of Upstart’s enterprise complaints program by defining a clear vision, building governance routines, and aligning complaint oversight with broader Compliance, Risk, and Operational objectives.
Transform complaint data into actionable risk intelligence by leveraging analytics and automation to identify root causes, uncover systemic issues, and proactively drive improvements in customer experience and regulatory outcomes.
Enhance Upstart’s compliance management system (CMS) through strong program design, continuous control improvement, and partnership with first-line teams to ensure effectiveness as products, partnerships, and regulations evolve.
Lead with influence across functions and levels — collaborating with Product, Legal, Operations, and senior leadership to ensure that complaint trends inform enterprise risk strategy, customer treatment, and regulatory engagement.
Champion innovation and team development by mentoring compliance professionals, implementing process efficiencies, an

Benefits

Competitive Compensation (base + bonus & equity)
Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with Health Savings Account contributions from Upstart
401(k) with 100% company match up to $4,500 and immediate vesting and after-tax savings
Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)
Life and disability insurance
Generous holiday, vacation, sick and safety leave
Supportive parental, family care, and military leave programs
Annual wellness, technology & ergonomic reimbursement programs
Social activities including team events and onsites, all-company updates, employee resource groups (ERGs), and other interest groups such as book clubs, fitness, investing, and volunteering
Catered lunches + snacks & drinks when working in offices