Director of Product Compliance

Upstart

1d•$195,000 - $270,000•Remote

About The Position

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; Austin, Texas; and New York City, NY (opening Summer 2026). 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! Upstart’s Compliance organization plays a mission-critical role in enabling responsible innovation, protecting consumers, and supporting Upstart’s long-term growth. The Product Compliance team ensures that new and existing products—including and governance of a new, innovative unsecured lending product. You will serve as the primary compliance advisor to Product, Engineering, Operations, and executive leadership—ensuring Upstart’s products meet or exceed regulatory standards while supporting differentiated user experiences. You will act as a strategic partner shaping compliance strategy, policy development, and risk management across the product lifecycle. If you are excited by influencing product architecture, designing scalable compliance solutions, and building trusted relationships across a fast-moving fintech, this role is for you.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree
8+ years of experience in consumer lending, fintech, regulatory compliance, risk management, or financial services law, with deep expertise in unsecured credit products
Expert knowledge of federal and state consumer lending laws and regulations, including TILA, ECOA, FCRA, FDCPA, EFTA, UDAAP, SCRA, MLA, Reg Z, Reg X, TCPA, NACHA, state-level lending and servicing laws, and unsecured credit considerations
Proven experience advising on and launching/expanding technology-enabled lending or fintech products, ideally in a fast-paced, high-scale environment
Demonstrated ability to partner with senior leaders and influence strategic decisions

Nice To Haves

Experience designing compliance controls for digital product flows, automated decisioning, and novel risk models
Exceptional communication, executive presence, and stakeholder-management skills across technical and non-technical teams
Proven ability to lead through ambiguity, drive organizational alignment, and manage competing priorities
Strong problem-solving skills and business judgment, with a bias toward practical, risk-aligned solutions
JD, CRCM, or other advanced compliance certifications are a plus

Responsibilities

Own and continuously enhance the product compliance framework including policies, procedures, and control design spanning marketing, origination, underwriting, servicing, collections, and credit reporting.
Lead regulatory readiness by conducting risk assessments, gap analyses, and designing first-line scalable controls across technical and operational workflows.
Develop key risk indicators (KRIs), metrics, and dashboards to provide insight into compliance health to executive leadership and the Board.
Act as a senior advisor to Product, Engineering, Ops, Legal, and Machine Learning teams—driving alignment across stakeholders while balancing customer experience, business needs, and regulatory expectations.
Influence organizational decisions through clear, compelling communication of compliance risks, trade-offs, and recommendations.
Represent Compliance in governance forums, product councils, and cross-functional initiatives.
Oversee root-cause analyses and remediation plans for compliance issues, ensuring durable fixes and strengthened controls.
Partner with Legal, Internal Audit, and external regulatory exam teams to support audits, examinations, and responses to regulatory inquiries.
Lead the development and delivery of scalable, role-based compliance training for impacted cross-functional partners.
Champion a compliance-first mindset across the company, driving early engagement and proactive risk identification.

Benefits

Competitive Compensation (base + bonus & equity)
Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with Health Savings Account contributions from Upstart
Generous 401(k) plan with Upstart matching $2 for every $1 contributed, up to $15,000 per year
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