Senior Designer, Lifecycle

Upstart•San Mateo, CA

20d•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: As a growing Creative team, we touch every corner of the growing Upstart business. We sit within Growth, designing for impact across all channels and verticals, elevating the brand, and seeking to be thought-leaders in our industry and beyond. We are currently working hard and fast to meet the company’s needs while building a culture of creativity that will empower the continued evolution and success of our work. In short, we’re darn good but we’re looking for teammates to help us rise to greatness! As Senior Designer of Lifecycle at Upstart, you’ll partner closely with the Product and Lifecycle Marketing teams, as well as your fellow Creative team members to create best-in-class experiences across the customer lifecycle, from future to current borrowers. You’ll take ownership over how the Upstart brand shows up across email, push, rich push, SMS, and in-app surfaces, ensuring design excellence and consistency at every touchpoint. You’ll elevate the craft of design, inspire creative excellence, and help move the brand forward with fresh thinking and purposeful execution.

Requirements

5+ years of professional experience in design and creative services.
Proven track-record of success leading and executing design across Lifecycle channels.
Comprehensive knowledge of channel-specific creative best practices for conversion and measurement.
Expert-level proficiency in design software (Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, etc)
Bachelor’s degree in Design, Visual Communications, or related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Nice To Haves

Ability to manage multiple projects and timelines in a fast-paced environment.
Skilled in articulating design decisions and creative perspectives to non-creative stakeholders.
Experience collaborating with cross-functional partners and managing vendor or agency relationships.
Knowledge of AI-assisted design tools or emerging technologies that can enhance creative workflows.
Ability to approach challenges with curiosity, adaptability, and enthusiasm for creative problem-solving.
Knowledge of CRM and lifecycle marketing platforms such as Iterable or Braze.

Responsibilities

Lead the creative vision and execution across email journeys, push notifications, SMS, and in-app surfaces, ensuring design excellence and consistency across all borrower touchpoints.
Create synergies across Lifecycle journeys by identifying gaps, optimizing design modules, and guiding the development of scalable systems that drive efficiency, consistency, and strengthen the brand.
Stay informed on Lifecycle testing results, applying learnings to future assets and proactively suggesting new creative tests to improve performance, execution, and brand affinity.
Partner cross-functionally and within Creative to concept, design, and deliver high-performing campaigns that integrate insights and testing outcomes to drive measurable results.
Maintain ownership of design best practices for Lifecycle channels, ensuring assets meet accessibility, usability, and technical standards while proactively identifying opportunities to enhance performance.
Help bring creative learnings and innovations back to the broader Creative team (and beyond) to drive cross-channel synergy and inform brand-level strategy.

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