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Upstart

Runs an AI lending marketplace for consumers

Principal Product Manager - Communications Platform

Full-Time
$182.8k - $260k
Expert
Bachelor's
Remote in USA+1 moreMore locations: Remote in Canada
RemoteMust work in East/West Coast time zones; regular onsites are typically once or twice per quarter for 2–4 consecutive days. Canada roles are unavailable in Quebec.
ProductTechnical Product Management
Company Historically Provides H1B Sponsorship

About the job

Requirements
  • A bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics, Economics, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
  • At least 7 years of product management experience building software products.
  • Experience leading platform, infrastructure, or developer platform products in a software organization.
  • Experience partnering closely with engineering teams to define APIs, platform capabilities, or distributed systems.
  • Experience leading cross-functional product initiatives involving engineering and business stakeholders from strategy through successful delivery.
Responsibilities
  • Define and execute the product strategy and roadmap for the Communications Platform, balancing immediate business needs with a long-term platform vision.
  • Partner with engineering to build shared platform capabilities, including messaging APIs, delivery infrastructure, governance controls, and communication data models that support multiple products and channels.
  • Establish scalable platform abstractions that enable product teams to deliver customer communications more efficiently while reducing duplicated engineering effort.
  • Drive alignment across Engineering, Growth, Servicing, Capital, Banking, Compliance, Risk, and other cross-functional partners to prioritize platform investments and influence company-wide technical strategy.
  • Develop platform capabilities that improve regulatory compliance, auditability, and operational visibility through standardized controls and monitoring.
  • Define success metrics, evaluate platform performance, and use data and customer insights to continuously improve platform adoption, reliability, and business impact.
  • Evaluate external technologies and vendor partnerships that extend platform capabilities and support future product strategy.
Desired Qualifications
  • Experience building or scaling communications, messaging, engagement, or customer interaction platforms.
  • Experience in fintech, financial services, marketplaces, or other highly regulated industries.
  • Knowledge of regulatory compliance considerations for customer communications and platform governance.
  • Ability to develop long-term platform strategy while balancing near-term product delivery and organizational priorities.
  • Experience communicating technical strategy and influencing executive stakeholders across multiple organizations.

About the company

Upstart runs an online lending marketplace where banks and credit unions use its AI models to decide which consumers get loans and at what rates. In 2017, it received the first no-action letter issued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a statement that the regulator had no plans to act against its AI lending model. Borrowers apply through Upstart or a partner lender's website for personal loans, auto loans, home equity lines of credit, and Cash Line, a revolving line of credit. Lenders pay Upstart fees for referring and approving borrowers and for collecting payments, while partner lenders and investment funds put up most of the money lent. Upstart was founded in 2012 and is based in Burlingame, California.

Company Size

1,001-5,000

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

Burlingame, California

Founded

2012

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Lending is surging: loans through Upstart jumped 50% from a year earlier to $4.2 billion in the June 2026 quarter.
  • Upstart is becoming a bank: in July 2026, a federal regulator conditionally approved Upstart Bank to take over its lending.
  • Work from almost anywhere in the U.S.: 79 of Upstart's 85 open roles in October 2026 were listed as remote.

What critics are saying

  • AI lending rival Pagaya is more profitable: it earned $45 million in the June 2026 quarter to Upstart's $16.5 million.
  • Job security leans on three lenders: they made 83% of Upstart's 2025 loans and paid 61% of its revenue.
  • Stock grants have shrunk: Upstart shares fell 45% from January to October 2026, more than peers SoFi and Pagaya.

What makes Upstart unique

  • Its loan model reads far beyond credit scores: over 3,000 variables, trained on 117 million monthly payments.
  • Software, not staff, handles most loans: as of June 2026, 91% needed no human involvement by Upstart.
  • Unsecured lending pays the bills: loans without collateral made 94% of fee revenue from April to June 2026.

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Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • 401(k) Company Match
  • Employee Stock Purchase Plan
  • Life Insurance
  • Paid Vacation
  • Parental Leave
  • Flexible Work Hours
  • Wellness Program

Growth & Insights and Company News

6 month growth

0%

1 year growth

0%

2 year growth

0%
Kalkine Media
Oct 20th, 2026
Upstart secures $200M MUFG credit line to capitalise planned Upstart Bank

Upstart Network, a wholly owned subsidiary of Upstart Holdings, has secured a senior secured revolving credit facility of up to $200 million from MUFG Bank. The agreement was signed on October 16, 2026, and disclosed in a Form 8-K filing on October 20. The money will fund general corporate needs and the initial capitalisation of Upstart Bank, N.A. The bank's launch depends on regulatory approval. Borrowings accrue interest at Term SOFR plus 3.00%. The facility matures at the earliest of 364 days after closing, 45 days after the bank's initial capitalisation, or full repayment. Loans must be repaid with proceeds from affiliate loan sales to Upstart Bank, which are expected shortly after it opens.

Yahoo Finance
Oct 15th, 2026
Cohu and Upstart: two AI growth stocks to buy if the market falls from record highs

The S&P 500 hit a record high last week, but rising inflation, interest rate hikes, and AI stock volatility could trigger a correction. The index trades at a Shiller CAPE ratio of 41.8, its second-highest ever behind the dot-com peak in 2000. Two AI-linked stocks could be buys if the market falls. Cohu, which supplies chip testing equipment to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, Intel, and Samsung, is expected to grow revenue 35% to $612 million in 2026. Its stock is up 180% this year, with a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 34.5. Upstart Holdings uses AI to assess borrowers. In the second quarter, it approved loans worth $4.2 billion, up 50%, and revenue rose 42% to $364.7 million. Its price-to-sales ratio is 2, against a three-year average of 5.4.

American Banker
Sep 30th, 2026
Upstart Network raises $400 million from consumer loans

Upstart's grade E loans account for 47.1% of the collateral pool, compared with 43.3% in the UPST 2026-3, while the concentration of 60-month loans is also lower.

Yahoo Finance
Sep 30th, 2026
Upstart makes buy list while Adobe and Bandwidth fall short on growth metrics

Software companies have delivered strong returns, with the industry gaining 45.5% over six months, outperforming the S&P 500 by 24.4 percentage points. However, investors should be selective as AI threatens to commoditise many software products. Adobe faces challenges with average billings growth of just 11.9% over the past year and estimated sales growth of 9.4% for the next 12 months, suggesting slowing demand. Its operating margin failed to improve year-over-year. Bandwidth showed weak annual revenue growth of 11.9% over two years and a low gross margin of 37.2% compared to competitors. Its operating margin remained flat. Upstart, an AI-powered lending platform, appears more promising. The company uses over 2,500 data variables and machine learning to help banks assess borrower risk for various loan types.

Yahoo Finance
Sep 16th, 2026
Upstart poised for growth while Inter Parfums and Payoneer face headwinds

Upstart, an AI-powered lending platform using machine learning to assess borrower risk, stands out as a promising Russell 2000 investment opportunity. The company has seen loan originations surge by 54.3% over the past year, with revenue expected to grow 30.9% next year as it expands into new markets including credit cards. Free cash flow is projected to turn positive next year. Meanwhile, Inter Parfums and Payoneer face challenges. Inter Parfums, which manufactures fragrances under licenses including Kate Spade and Van Cleef & Arpels, shows weakening efficiency with operating margins declining 1.7 percentage points. Its estimated 2% sales growth signals slowing demand. Payoneer, a cross-border payment platform for SMEs, has struggled with profitability despite revenue growth, with earnings per share falling 5.2% annually over two years. Its 7.9% return on equity reflects difficulties finding profitable growth opportunities.