Senior Manager, Software Engineering - Auto

Upstart•San Mateo, CA

15d•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 The Servicing team is building the next generation of intelligent Auto Servicing and Recovery at Upstart. As we expand our auto loan portfolio, we are investing in a scalable, event-driven platform that prioritizes automation, regulatory compliance, and a personalized borrower experience. This team partners closely with Legal, Operations, and Data to reduce risk, improve performance, and modernize how Upstart engages with borrowers in need of support. You'll join a group of engineers and cross-functional stakeholders deeply committed to making Auto Servicing a model of technical and operational excellence across the company.

Requirements

4–7 years of experience managing engineering teams in servicing, recoveries, or complex operational domains.
Proven success building scalable platforms or products in regulated fintech or financial services environments.
Deep technical background with experience in workflow automation, data integrations, and event-driven architecture.
Strong collaboration skills, especially working with Legal, Compliance, and Ops stakeholders.
Track record of improving operational efficiency and system reliability at scale.

Nice To Haves

Experience building or managing collections, recoveries, or servicing systems within auto lending or financial services.
Familiarity with third-party vendor integrations and external platform partnerships in a regulated environment.
Exposure to analytical tools and reporting frameworks to drive optimization and workflow insights.
A thoughtful and empathetic approach to borrower communication and engagement in servicing workflows.
Passion for building high-performance teams and coaching engineers through ambiguity and scale.

Responsibilities

Lead the buildout of our Auto Servicing platform from the ground up, driving architectural decisions and platform direction.
Define and execute a long-term roadmap to reduce manual operations processes by 90+% through automation.
Improve auto loan performance by increasing recovery dollars and decreasing default rates.
Champion platform reliability, data accuracy, and auditability to meet regulatory and internal compliance needs.
Collaborate cross-functionally with Operations, Legal, and Product to ensure platform success and strategic alignment.
Guide the team through near-term workflow automation projects and longer-term strategic initiatives.
Represent Auto Servicing in broader organizational conversations around servicing strategy and borrower experience.

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