About Upstart
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:
The Unsecured Consumer Lending team at Upstart Bank operates as the full first line of defense across product, growth, operations, and customer lifecycle for our personal loan, secured deposit line, and emerging consumer products. Compliance and controls are built into how we scale — not layered on at the end. This team is accountable for ensuring that everything we put in front of borrowers, partners, and regulators is accurate, fair, and examination-ready.
The Director, Compliance & Controls — Growth leads first-line compliance for Upstart’s growth engine: the acquisition channels, marketing programs, partner relationships, and product launches that bring borrowers to our platform. This is a senior accountability role at the intersection of lending growth and regulatory discipline — one that shapes how Upstart grows as much as how it controls.
How you’ll make an impact
- Channel & partner oversight: Own first-line compliance and controls for the growth function — acquisition channels, marketing programs (social, direct mail, email, co-branded), partner and affiliate relationships, and new product introductions — reviewing each for regulatory, fair lending, and disclosure risk, and approving marketing materials and third-party-produced content before release.
- Regulatory review & approval: Bring UDAAP, Regulation B, CAN-SPAM, TCPA, and disclosure expertise to the front of the design process — translating regulatory requirements into practical guidance for channel launches, partner agreements, and product changes at the design stage, not at the finish line.
- Control framework: Build and maintain the business control framework: marketing approval policies, campaign inventory and change control, compliance monitoring, and regulatory change management. Quantify exposure and calibrate controls based on actual risk — not volume or optics.
- Accountability: Own root cause analysis and remediation design for growth-related compliance matters — complaints, risk assessments, marketing claims violations, and disclosure errors — working with the issue management function to drive durable fixes tracked to completion.
- Influence: Operate as a trusted compliance partner in both directions: enabling Growth, Product, Marketing, and ML teams to move with clarity and speed, while representing the business to second-line compliance, Legal, and auditors across risk assessments, fair lending reviews, and regulatory examinations. Maintain examination-ready documentation and serve as the business’s primary point of contact in audits and governance reviews.
- Team leadership: Build and develop a compliance team with depth across consumer protection, marketing, and acquisition channel regulation. Set the standard for analytical rigor, proactive issue identification, and practical guidance that enables the business — not just gatekeeping.
Minimum Qualifications
- Consumer lending experience: 7+ years in compliance, legal, or risk management in consumer lending, banking, or fintech
- Marketing compliance: Direct experience in marketing compliance, customer acquisition oversight, or partner/affiliate compliance
- Regulatory knowledge: Deep working knowledge of consumer protection regulations applicable to loan marketing and offer generation, including UDAAP, Regulation B, CAN-SPAM, TCPA, and applicable state laws
- Program leadership: Demonstrated experience managing a first-line compliance function in a bank-regulated environment, including operating across first-line, second-line, and Legal structures with clear accountability; credible with regulators, internal audit, and senior leadership
Preferred Qualifications
- Analytical rigor: Able to apply UDAAP, Regulation B, and related consumer protection frameworks to novel marketing and channel contexts — quantifying exposure and prioritizing controls based on materiality, not issue volume
- Influence: Confident and credible with Growth and Product leaders, regulators, and second-line partners — including experience supporting OCC, CFPB, or state regulatory examinations on consumer lending compliance; able to hold a position and represent the business directly
- Initiative: Track record of identifying compliance gaps in marketing programs, acquisition channels, or partner relationships before they escalate — proposing solutions and driving execution without waiting for direction
- Ownership: Accountable end-to-end for compliance outcomes — works root causes through to resolution on marketing violations, disclosure issues, and control gaps, not just escalation
- Secured lending: Familiarity with secured consumer lending marketing compliance, including HELOC or home equity lending
- AI fluency: Familiarity with AI/ML-driven credit decisioning — including adverse action accuracy and fair lending implications — and comfort using AI tools to increase the efficiency and quality of compliance work
Position location This role is available in the following locations: Remote
Time zone requirements The team operates on the East/West coast time zones.
Travel requirements As a digital first company, the majority of your work can be accomplished remotely. The majority of our employees can live and work anywhere in the U.S but are encouraged to to still spend high quality time in-person collaborating via regular onsites. The in-person sessions’ cadence varies depending on the team and role; most teams meet once or twice per quarter for 2-4 consecutive days at a time.
#LI-REMOTE
#LI-Director –> use for L7
At Upstart, your base pay is one part of your total compensation package. The anticipated base salary for this position is expected to be within the below range. Your actual base pay will depend on your geographic location–with our “digital first” philosophy, Upstart uses compensation regions that vary depending on location. Individual pay is also determined by job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process.
In addition, Upstart provides employees with target bonuses, equity compensation, and generous benefits packages (including medical, dental, vision, and 401k).
United States | Remote – Anticipated Base Salary Range
$201,200—$278,500 USD
What you’ll love
At Upstart, our benefits are designed to support your health, financial well-being, family, and personal growth. Here’s what you can expect:
- Competitive compensation, including base pay, bonus opportunities, and annual equity grants that vest quarterly
- Retirement benefits to help you plan for the future, including a 401(k) or Group Retirement Savings Plan with a company match of $2 for every $1 contributed, up to $15,000 annually (USD in the US, CAD in Canada)
- Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) with discounted stock purchase options for eligible employees (US only)
- Comprehensive health coverage designed to support you and your family, including medical, dental, vision, and wellness resources for US and supplemental health coverage for Canada.
- Health Savings Account contributions from Upstart for eligible plans (US only)
- Income protection benefits, including life insurance and disability coverage for added financial security
- Paid time off, sick leave, and company holidays, in line with local requirements
- Paid family and parental leave to support caregiving and major life moments (duration varies by country)
- Family-centered benefits to support fertility, parenthood, and caregiving needs
- 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 (US Only)
- 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, all-company updates, and employee resource groups (ERGs)
- Onsite perks, including catered lunches and fully stocked micro-kitchens when working from one of our offices in the Bay Area, Austin, Columbus, and New York City (opening Summer 2026!)
For roles based in Canada, please note that we are not currently able to hire in Quebec.
Upstart is a proud Equal Opportunity Employer. Just as we are dedicated to improving access to affordable credit for all, we are committed to inclusive and fair hiring practices.
If you require reasonable accommodation in completing an application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please email [email protected]
https://www.upstart.com/candidate_privacy_policy
