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:
As a growing Creative team, we touch every corner of the growing Upstart business. We sit within Growth, designing for impact across all channels and verticals, elevating the brand, and seeking to be thought-leaders in our industry and beyond. We are currently working hard and fast to meet the company’s needs while building a culture of creativity that will empower the continued evolution and success of our work. In short, we’re darn good but we’re looking for teammates to help us rise to greatness!
As Senior Designer of Lifecycle at Upstart, you’ll partner closely with the Product and Lifecycle Marketing teams, as well as your fellow Creative team members to create best-in-class experiences across the customer lifecycle, from future to current borrowers. You’ll take ownership over how the Upstart brand shows up across email, push, rich push, SMS, and in-app surfaces, ensuring design excellence and consistency at every touchpoint. You’ll elevate the craft of design, inspire creative excellence, and help move the brand forward with fresh thinking and purposeful execution.
Position Location - This role is available in the following locations: Remote
Time Zone Requirements - This 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.
How you’ll make an impact
- Lead the creative vision and execution across email journeys, push notifications, SMS, and in-app surfaces, ensuring design excellence and consistency across all borrower touchpoints.
- Create synergies across Lifecycle journeys by identifying gaps, optimizing design modules, and guiding the development of scalable systems that drive efficiency, consistency, and strengthen the brand.
- Stay informed on Lifecycle testing results, applying learnings to future assets and proactively suggesting new creative tests to improve performance, execution, and brand affinity.
- Partner cross-functionally and within Creative to concept, design, and deliver high-performing campaigns that integrate insights and testing outcomes to drive measurable results.
- Maintain ownership of design best practices for Lifecycle channels, ensuring assets meet accessibility, usability, and technical standards while proactively identifying opportunities to enhance performance.
- Help bring creative learnings and innovations back to the broader Creative team (and beyond) to drive cross-channel synergy and inform brand-level strategy.
Minimum Qualifications
- 5+ years of professional experience in design and creative services.
- Proven track-record of success leading and executing design across Lifecycle channels.
- Comprehensive knowledge of channel-specific creative best practices for conversion and measurement.
- Expert-level proficiency in design software (Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, etc)
- Bachelor’s degree in Design, Visual Communications, or related field, or equivalent practical experience.
Preferred Qualifications
- Ability to manage multiple projects and timelines in a fast-paced environment.
- Skilled in articulating design decisions and creative perspectives to non-creative stakeholders.
- Experience collaborating with cross-functional partners and managing vendor or agency relationships.
- Knowledge of AI-assisted design tools or emerging technologies that can enhance creative workflows.
- Ability to approach challenges with curiosity, adaptability, and enthusiasm for creative problem-solving.
- Knowledge of CRM and lifecycle marketing platforms such as Iterable or Braze.
#LI-REMOTE
#LI-Associate
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).
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
- Generous 401(k) plan with Upstart matching $2 for every $1 contributed, up to $15,000 per year
- Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) with discounted stock purchase options for eligible employees
- Affordable medical, dental, and vision coverage, with multiple plan options - Upstart covers 90% to 100% of the cost depending on the plans you choose
- Health Savings Account contributions from Upstart for eligible plans
- Income protection benefits, including company-paid Basic Life, AD&D, and Short- and Long-Term Disability coverage, with options to purchase supplemental coverage
- Paid time off, sick and safe time, and company holidays
- Paid family and parental leave to support caregiving and major life moments
- Family-centered benefits through Carrot and Cleo, supporting fertility, parenthood, and caregiving
- 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
- 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 and onsites, all-company updates, and employee resource groups (ERGs)
- Onsite perks, including catered lunches and fully stocked micro-kitchens when working from one of our four offices, located in the Bay Area, Austin, Columbus, and New York City (opening Summer 2026!).
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
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