Head of Procurement

Upstart•San Mateo, CA

6d•Remote

About The Position

At Upstart, we’re united by a mission that matters: to radically reduce the cost and complexity of borrowing for all Americans. Every day, we bring creativity, experimentation, and advanced AI to reshape access to credit, helping millions move forward financially with clarity and confidence. As the leading AI lending marketplace, we partner with banks and credit unions to expand access to affordable credit through technology that’s both radically intelligent and deeply human. Our platform runs over one million predictions per borrower using more than 1,800 signals, powering smarter, fairer decisions for millions of customers. But the numbers only hint at the impact. Every idea, every voice, and every contribution moves us closer to a world where credit never stands between people and their financial progress. We’re proudly digital-first, giving most Upstarters the flexibility to do their best work from wherever they thrive, alongside teammates across 80+ cities in the US and Canada. Digital-first doesn’t mean distant. We’re intentional about in-person connection through team onsites, planning sessions, and moments that spark creativity and trust. And whether you choose to work primarily from home or collaborate in-person from one of our offices in Columbus, Austin, the Bay Area, or New York City (opening Summer 2026), you’ll have the support to work in the way that works best for you. If you’re energized by tackling meaningful problems, excited to innovate with purpose, and motivated by work that truly matters, we’d love to hear from you. The Team: Upstart’s Procurement team is a strategic enabler of innovation, speed, and cost discipline. Our team manages the full lifecycle of vendor engagement—from strategic planning and supplier selection to onboarding, contracting, and performance oversight—across three core pillars: Procurement Operations, Strategic Sourcing, and Supplier Management. We partner closely with Legal, InfoSec, TPRM, AP, and our internal business stakeholders to deliver a seamless and scalable procurement experience that balances compliance, cost, and risk management. Following a recent company-wide review of our procurement process, we are embarking on a bold redesign to simplify intake and system approvals, improve transparency, and better align sourcing with business priorities. You will lead this transformation. As the Head of Procurement at Upstart, you will define and execute the strategic vision for procurement at Upstart. You will lead a high-performing team that combines operational precision with strategic sourcing expertise, and be accountable for company-wide spend management, procurement policy, vendor governance, and tool implementation. This is both a strategic leadership and hands-on execution role—ideal for someone who can scale process, technology, and culture in a dynamic, growth-stage FinTech environment. You will work closely with Legal, TPRM, Information Security, and Finance leadership to ensure the procurement process is efficient, compliant, and designed around business enablement. This role is critical to Upstart’s ability to grow responsibly and move fast with the right partners. The role reports to Upstart’s Chief Accounting Officer.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Finance or a related field; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
10+ years of progressive procurement leadership experience, including 5+ years managing complex indirect spend in a tech-forward or regulated environment (e.g., FinTech, financial services, SaaS).
Experience leading procurement in a public company and working across cross-functional compliance frameworks (Legal, Security, Risk, Finance, TPRM).
Demonstrated success in transforming, standardizing, and digitizing procurement processes—including intake, approvals, contract lifecycle, and supplier performance.
Strategic thinker with hands-on execution skills—able to toggle between big-picture vision and operational detail.
Deep expertise in strategic sourcing, contract negotiation, and category management.
Strong knowledge of SOX controls, vendor risk, and the regulatory nuances of working in a public company.
Exceptional stakeholder management skills—able to influence and partner across all levels, from ICs to executives.
Collaborative leader with high integrity, a builder’s mindset, and a passion for enabling great work through great systems.
Strong process mapping and optimization mindset.

Nice To Haves

Experience with procurement tools (e.g., Zip, Ironclad, SpendHQ, or equivalents)

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership Develop and lead a clear, scalable procurement strategy aligned with Upstart’s business priorities, cost goals, and risk frameworks.
Champion a unified, user-friendly procurement experience that minimizes friction and maximizes cross-functional collaboration.
Drive transformation of procurement workflows and Procurement systems configuration, ensuring end-to-end ownership and accountability.
Establish procurement as a key business partner across departments through data-driven insights, reliability, and proactive service.
Sourcing & Category Management Guide sourcing strategy across all major categories: Technology (SaaS, cloud, software), Engineering, Marketing, HR, Professional Services, and Risk.
Partner closely with FP&A and budget owners to influence planning, forecasting, and tradeoff decisions and deliver on cost savings and cost avoidance goals.
Advocate for the Sourcing team with their work with Business teams to shape demand, build sourcing plans, and deliver value beyond cost (speed, quality, security, sustainability).
Negotiate complex enterprise contracts with a focus on optimizing commercial, legal, and cybersecurity terms.
Partner with Legal and InfoSec to streamline standard templates and review paths for faster execution.
Supplier Management Build a comprehensive supplier governance program—from onboarding and due diligence to performance monitoring and renewals in alignment with applicable financial services regulations.
Integrate supplier management with work done by InfoSec and TPRM teams, using a shared view of vendor data and lifecycles.
Ensure alignment with SOX, internal audit standards, and public company reporting requirements.
Lead efforts to expand and diversify Upstart’s supplier base while ensuring operational continuity.
Team Leadership & Culture Lead, coach, and develop a growing team of procurement professionals.
Foster a culture of accountability, agility, continuous improvement, and strong business partnership.
Advocate for processes and tools that empower internal teams—not burden them—and make it easier to get things done the right way.
Promote learning and development in areas like category strategy, negotiation, and vendor relationship management.

Benefits

Competitive compensation, including base pay, bonus opportunities, and annual equity grants that vest quarterly
Generous 401(k) plan with Upstart matching $2 for every $1 contributed, up to $15,000 per year
Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) with discounted stock purchase options for eligible employees
Affordable medical, dental, and vision coverage, with multiple plan options - Upstart covers 90% to 100% of the cost depending on the plans you choose
Health Savings Account contributions from Upstart for eligible plans
Income protection benefits, including company-paid Basic Life, AD&D, and Short- and Long-Term Disability coverage, with options to purchase supplemental coverage
Paid time off, sick and safe time, and company holidays
Paid family and parental leave to support caregiving and major life moments
Family-centered benefits through Carrot and Cleo, supporting fertility, parenthood, and caregiving
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offering mental health support and life-centered resources
Financial wellness resources, including access to financial planning tools and a financial concierge service
Annual wellness allowance to support your physical and emotional well-being and personal development, based on what matters most to you
Annual productivity allowance to invest in relevant tools and resources you need to do your best work, no matter where you work from
Connection and community through team events and onsites, all-company updates, and employee resource groups (ERGs)
Onsite perks, including catered lunches and fully stocked micro-kitchens when working from one of our four offices, located in the Bay Area, Austin, Columbus, and New York City (opening Summer 2026!).