Customer Experience Specialist, Home Lending

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 3,000 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 Home Lending Operations team at Upstart is building a borrower experience that is clear, accessible, and human—from the very first interaction through to loan funding. While most of the loan lifecycle is handled by pod-based specialists, the Customer Experience (CX) team plays a pivotal role in guiding potential borrowers and early-stage applicants through the process. This team is instrumental in reducing reliance on traditional call centers by providing proactive, personalized support via phone, email, and chat.

As a Customer Experience Specialist, you’ll be the first point of contact for individuals exploring or applying for a home lending product. You’ll answer questions, resolve concerns, and ensure early-stage interactions reflect Upstart’s mission of delivering an effortless credit experience. You’ll also handle escalations from across the operation, requiring empathy, professionalism, and sound judgment.

How you’ll make an impact

• Answer inbound calls from prospective borrowers and applicants whose files have not yet been assigned to a processing pod, guiding them through next steps and answering product questions.
• Respond to inbound email inquiries and manage real-time chat support (in future-state implementation), providing accurate, helpful, and timely information.
• Take ownership of escalation calls from applicants requesting a supervisor, resolving concerns professionally while adhering to compliance and policy guidelines.
• Support funnel conversion by proactively identifying and addressing common applicant questions or pain points.
• Maintain accurate notes of all borrower interactions in tools such as Salesforce and Vesta to ensure visibility and alignment across teams.
• Identify opportunities to improve CX processes, documentation, or messaging based on recurring feedback or support trends.
• Collaborate with Pods, Training, and Quality teams to ensure consistency across all borrower touchpoints.

Minimum Qualifications 

• 1–2 years of experience in customer service, call center, or borrower support.
• Reside within 60 miles of Columbus, OH, and able to work from the office at least two days per week.
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to explain complex information clearly and professionally.
• Proven ability to handle sensitive or escalated customer conversations with empathy and professionalism.
• Comfortable navigating multiple systems and tools simultaneously (e.g., Salesforce, Vesta, telephony and chat platforms).
• Ability to work standard hours (9 AM – 5:30 PM EST) and occasional weekends as business needs evolve

Preferred Qualifications

• Ideally relevant call center / customer service experience has occurred within a financial services or fintech environment.
• Experience in mortgage, home equity, or consumer lending operations.
• Familiarity with front-line customer support tools and knowledge management platforms.
• Experience in early-stage applicant engagement or lead nurturing.
• Comfort working in high-growth, change-oriented environments where feedback loops are fast and frequent

Position location  This role is available in the following locations: Columbus, Ohio

Time zone requirements The team operates on the East/West coast time zones. 

In-Office requirements.  You will be required to work from the Columbus, Ohio office 2 days per week (must be within a 60 mile radius). Depending on business needs, agents may be asked to work from the office more often.

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.

This is a Non-Exempt position. Employees in this position are paid an hourly pay rate, on a bi-weekly basis, and are eligible to receive overtime pay for any hours worked over 40 in a work week, or over 8 in a work day if required by state law.

Columbus, OH - Anticipated Hourly Rate Range$25.48—$25.48 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 candidate_accommodations@upstart.com

https://www.upstart.com/candidate_privacy_policy