Director of Product, Capital Growth

📌 Core Information

🔹 Job Title: Director of Product, Capital Growth

🔹 Company: Upstart

🔹 Location: United States (Remote)

🔹 Job Type: Full-time

🔹 Category: Product Management

🔹 Date Posted: May 6, 2025

🔹 Experience Level: 10+ years

🔹 Remote Status: Remote OK

🚀 Job Overview

Key aspects of this role include:

• Building and leading a product team responsible for growing capital across loan products
• Defining and executing product vision, strategy, and roadmaps
• Collaborating with various teams to identify and prioritize new tools and process improvements
• Working closely with lending partners and capital markets to understand and meet their needs
• Balancing platform vs. team-specific roadmaps and acting as a 'player coach'

ASSUMPTION: This role requires a strategic mindset, strong leadership skills, and the ability to balance multiple priorities and stakeholders.

📋 Key Responsibilities

✅ Define the vision and strategy for lending and capital markets partners

✅ Build and lead a team of product managers, ensuring continuous team growth and individual development

✅ Understand the needs of lending partners and capital markets, and define and build new solutions to meet these needs

✅ Work closely with sales, marketing, compliance, machine learning, and customer success teams to identify and prioritize new and valuable tools and process improvements

✅ Execute on product roadmaps and launch features in partnership with engineering teams

✅ Collaborate with individual product vertical teams to shape their products to best align with capital partner needs and be the voice of capital supply across the organization

ASSUMPTION: This role involves a mix of strategic planning, team leadership, and hands-on product management. It requires strong communication and collaboration skills to work effectively with various teams and stakeholders.

🎯 Required Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Finance, Economics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience

Experience: 8+ years of product management experience, with a proven track record of building and leading outstanding PM teams and working on individual initiatives at a principal PM level

Required Skills:

• Experience with complex B2B or B2B2C workflows (onboarding, configuration, payments, compliance)
• Experience building business-critical tools in a marketplace setting (ERP-lite, inventory mgmt tools, embedded finance)
• Ability to interface effectively with leaders at banks, credit unions, and capital market providers to conduct discovery and understand customer needs directly
• Demonstrated ability to achieve strategic goals in an innovative and fast-paced environment, and to evolve product strategy based on research, data, and industry trends
• Excellent problem-solving, organizational, and analytical skills
• Excellent track record working with technical and non-technical teams to deliver business outcomes
• Highly-autonomous leader with a track record of setting vision and focusing organizations in target-rich environments

Preferred Skills:

• Experience building online financial products, working with consumer banking or capital markets, and/or knowledge of the consumer finance industry
• Experience at a growth-stage company or tech company
• Past collaboration with AI, machine learning, or data science teams

ASSUMPTION: The ideal candidate will have a strong background in product management, with a focus on B2B or B2B2C workflows and marketplace tools. Experience in the consumer finance industry is a plus.

💰 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $216,100 - $299,000 USD per year

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, and 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

Working Hours: Full-time (40 hours per week)

ASSUMPTION: The salary range provided is an estimate based on industry standards for a role of this level and experience. The actual salary may vary based on the candidate's location and relevant experience.

📌 Applicant Insights

🔍 Company Context

Industry: Upstart operates in the Financial Services industry, specifically in the AI lending marketplace sector. The company partners with banks and credit unions to provide superior credit products to consumers.

Company Size: Upstart is a mid-sized company with 1,001-5,000 employees, providing a structured yet dynamic work environment.

Founded: Upstart was founded in 2012 and is headquartered in San Mateo, California, with additional offices in Columbus, Ohio, and Austin, Texas.

Company Description:

• Upstart is a leading AI lending marketplace, connecting millions of consumers to more than 100 banks and credit unions
• The company uses AI models and cloud applications to deliver superior credit products, approving more borrowers at lower rates across races, ages, and genders
• Upstart offers personal loans, automotive retail and refinance loans, home equity lines of credit, and small-dollar “relief” loans
• The company is committed to expanding access to affordable credit and embracing diversity and inclusion in its hiring practices

Company Specialties:

• Personal Loans
• FinTech
• Marketplace Lending
• Finance
• Tech
• SaaS
• Data Science
• Consumer Credit
• Auto Lending
• Lending
• Consumer Lending
• Credit
• Machine Learning
• Auto
• Auto Software
• Artificial Intelligence

Company Website: http://www.upstart.com/about

ASSUMPTION: Upstart is a well-established company in the AI lending marketplace sector, with a strong focus on innovation, data-driven decision-making, and expanding access to affordable credit.

📊 Role Analysis

Career Level: This role is a senior individual contributor role expected to expand into leadership of a product team. It is a strategic and leadership-focused position.

Reporting Structure: The Director of Product, Capital Growth will report directly to the Head of Product or a similar executive role.

Work Arrangement: This role is available in a remote, hybrid, or on-site arrangement, with the majority of work accomplished remotely. The role requires regular onsites for team collaboration, with the leadership team meeting quarterly for 3-4 consecutive days at a time.

Growth Opportunities:

• Expanding the product team and taking on additional leadership responsibilities
• Gaining experience in a fast-growing, innovative company within the AI lending marketplace sector
• Potential career progression into a VP or C-level role within the product organization

ASSUMPTION: This role offers significant growth opportunities for the right candidate, with the potential to build and lead a team and make a substantial impact on the company's capital growth initiatives.

🌍 Location & Work Environment

Office Type: Upstart has offices in San Mateo, California; Columbus, Ohio; and Austin, Texas, but this role is available remotely.

Office Location(s): San Mateo, California; Columbus, Ohio; Austin, Texas

Geographic Context:

• Upstart's headquarters in San Mateo, California, is located in the heart of Silicon Valley, providing easy access to tech industry resources and networking opportunities
• Columbus, Ohio, and Austin, Texas, offer a lower cost of living and a diverse range of cultural and recreational activities
• All Upstart offices provide a collaborative and inclusive work environment, with a strong focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion

Work Schedule: Full-time (40 hours per week), with flexible hours and remote work options available.

ASSUMPTION: Upstart's remote-friendly work environment and flexible scheduling options cater to a wide range of employee preferences and needs.

💼 Interview & Application Insights

Typical Process:

• Phone or video screen with a member of the People & Talent team
• Technical assessment or case study
• Behavioral interview with the hiring manager or a member of the People & Talent team
• Final interview with the Head of Product or another senior leader
• Background check and offer

Key Assessment Areas:

• Product management skills and experience
• Leadership and team-building abilities
• Strategic thinking and problem-solving skills
• Industry knowledge and understanding of consumer finance
• Cultural fit and alignment with Upstart's values and mission

Application Tips:

• Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant product management experience, leadership skills, and industry knowledge
• Prepare for behavioral interview questions by reflecting on your past experiences and accomplishments, using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result)
• Research Upstart's products, company culture, and mission to demonstrate your enthusiasm and alignment with the organization
• If applicable, prepare a portfolio or examples of your past product management work to showcase during the interview

ATS Keywords: Product Management, Team Leadership, B2B Workflows, Marketplace Tools, Capital Growth, Lending Partners, Capital Markets, Product Roadmaps, Strategic Planning, AI Collaboration, Machine Learning, Data Science

ASSUMPTION: Upstart's application and interview process is designed to assess candidates' skills, experience, and cultural fit, with a strong focus on product management and leadership abilities.

🛠️ Tools & Technologies

• Product management tools (e.g., JIRA, Asana, Trello)
• Data analysis and visualization tools (e.g., Excel, Google Analytics, Tableau)
• Collaboration and communication tools (e.g., Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace)
• AI and machine learning tools (e.g., Python, R, TensorFlow)
• Project management tools (e.g., Microsoft Project, Asana, Trello)

ASSUMPTION: The ideal candidate will have experience with a variety of product management, data analysis, and collaboration tools, as well as a strong understanding of AI and machine learning technologies.

👔 Cultural Fit Considerations

Company Values:

• Put People First
• Act with Integrity
• Embrace Diversity & Inclusion
• Be Data-Driven
• Pursue Excellence

Work Style:

• Collaborative and inclusive team environment
• Data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement
• Agile and adaptable to change
• Focus on results and impact
• Strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion

Self-Assessment Questions:

• How do you align with Upstart's value of 'Put People First' in your approach to product management?
• Describe a time when you had to adapt to a significant change in your product roadmap or strategy. How did you approach this challenge, and what was the outcome?
• How do you ensure that your product management style aligns with Upstart's work style, particularly in terms of collaboration, data-driven decision-making, and adaptability?

ASSUMPTION: Upstart values candidates who demonstrate a strong fit with the company's values and work style, with a particular emphasis on collaboration, data-driven decision-making, and adaptability.

⚠️ Potential Challenges

• Balancing the needs of lending partners and capital markets with Upstart's overall platform strategy
• Managing a team of product managers and ensuring continuous team growth and individual development
• Keeping up with the fast-paced nature of the AI lending marketplace sector and evolving consumer needs
• Navigating a remote work environment and maintaining effective collaboration and communication with team members

ASSUMPTION: The ideal candidate will be comfortable working in a dynamic, fast-paced environment and have strong leadership and communication skills to overcome these challenges.

📈 Similar Roles Comparison

• Compared to other product management roles, this role places a greater emphasis on strategic planning, team leadership, and balancing platform vs. team-specific roadmaps
• Within the AI lending marketplace sector, this role is unique in its focus on capital growth and working closely with lending partners and capital markets
• Career-wise, this role offers significant growth opportunities for the right candidate, with the potential to build and lead a team and make a substantial impact on the company's capital growth initiatives

ASSUMPTION: This role is distinct from other product management positions in its focus on capital growth, strategic planning, and team leadership within the AI lending marketplace sector.

📝 Sample Projects

• Developing a new lending partner onboarding process to streamline the integration of new partners onto the Upstart platform
• Creating a capital markets dashboard to provide real-time insights into capital market trends and performance
• Building a new tool to automate the management of loan portfolios for capital market investors

ASSUMPTION: These sample projects are designed to showcase the strategic, leadership, and technical skills required for the Director of Product, Capital Growth role at Upstart.

❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview

• Can you describe the current product roadmap for capital growth, and how this role fits into that plan?
• How does Upstart support the professional development and growth of its product managers?
• Can you provide an example of a time when Upstart had to pivot its product strategy due to market changes or other factors? How was that process handled, and what was the outcome?
• How does Upstart measure the success of its product management team, and what key performance indicators (KPIs) are tracked?
• What is the company's long-term vision for capital growth, and how does this role contribute to that vision?

ASSUMPTION: Asking these questions will help you better understand the role's responsibilities, the company's culture, and the team's priorities, allowing you to make an informed decision about the position.

📌 Next Steps for Applicants

To apply for this position:

• Submit your application through this link
• Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant product management experience, leadership skills, and industry knowledge
• Prepare for behavioral interview questions by reflecting on your past experiences and accomplishments, using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result)
• Research Upstart's products, company culture, and mission to demonstrate your enthusiasm and alignment with the organization
• If applicable, prepare a portfolio or examples of your past product management work to showcase during the interview
• Follow up with the Upstart People & Talent team one week after submitting your application to inquire about your application status

⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.