Senior Manager, Software Engineering - Auto

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 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.

How You'll Make an Impact

• 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.

Minimum Qualifications

• 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.

Preferred Qualifications

• 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.

 

Position location This role is available in the following locations: Remote

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