Senior Engineering Manager, Auto Retail Lending

Upstart

5d•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! The Team: Upstart’s Auto Retail Lending team is on a mission to make it easy, fast, and seamless for car buyers to secure auto loans through our dealership partners. We build the core technologies that power Upstart’s Auto Finance platform, with a focus on driving demand for auto loans by enabling our dealership partners to create, present, and close loan offers with ease. We design intuitive, stable, and high-impact workflows that integrate directly into the dealership experience. Our north star is conversion rate, turning credit applications into funded loans, through a strong product mix, deliberate engineering practices, and a customer-first mindset. As a Senior Engineering Manager at Upstart, on the team, you will work closely with cross-functional partners to execute projects across the whole stack. Work very closely with PM and Product designers to deliver the best user experience, both for our internal and external customers.You may currently specialize on the backend or frontend, but you're looking to get your hands into both areas of the stack. You're eager to learn and grow as an individual and a leader and enjoy helping your team do the same.

Requirements

8+ years of experience developing and maintaining large scale distributed systems in the cloud with a minimum of 2 years managing a team directly
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field
Experience working in dynamic fast paced organizations
Experience with Javascript/typescript based applications
Experience with delivering full stack solutions to customers
Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS or Google Cloud) and microservices architecture
Excellent leadership and people management skills, with a track record of building and leading successful engineering teams
Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to make data-driven decisions
Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders
Strong sense of ownership and accountability for the quality and timely delivery of work
Ability to thrive both in self-directed work environments and in collaborative settings, contributing positively to team dynamics
Experience with agile development methodologies and project management tools like Jira
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple priorities simultaneously
Commitment to continuous learning and staying updated with the latest industry trends

Nice To Haves

Experience delivering FinTech products or products in another regulated industry
Strong product and analytical mindset that allows you to think in terms of ROI, risk, and trade offs
Experience working at companies that have gone through periods of rapid business or organizational growth

Responsibilities

Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing engineering team focused on providing high quality solutions.
Foster a collaborative and inclusive team culture that promotes innovation, continuous learning, and excellence.
Oversee the design, development, and implementation of cross functional projects which drive business outcomes.
Ensure the reliability, performance, and scalability of customer facing products, leveraging best practices in software engineering.
Collaborate with cross functional teams in Auto & Upstart to ensure alignment with broader engineering goals.
Partner with product manager, product designer, engineering leaders across Upstart, legal, operations, analytics, and compliance teams to gather requirements and ensure solutions meet business needs and regulatory standards.
Communicate effectively with stakeholders to keep them informed of project status, risks, and opportunities.
Manage project timelines and resources to deliver high-quality product solutions on time.
Implement frameworks to ensure efficient project execution and continuous delivery.

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