Performance Marketing Manager, Emerging Products

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: 

Upstart’s Digital Marketing team drives scalable, data-driven customer acquisition across our lending products via performance marketing channels. We design, execute, and optimize digital media strategies that connect consumers to credit at the moments that matter most. Through rigorous experimentation, channel optimization, and disciplined CAC management, the team plays a critical role in fueling Upstart’s growth while maintaining strong unit economics for the business.

As the Performance Marketing Manager, Emerging Products and channels  at Upstart, you will own and scale paid digital acquisition across key channels including SEM, paid social, display, and emerging performance channels. This zero-to-one role with the opportunity to build Upstart’s Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) performance marketing engine from the ground up. 

You will be responsible for day-to-day media buying and optimization in platform, including campaign setup, keyword and audience management, bidding, budgeting, creative testing, and landing page optimization.You will partner closely with Product Marketing, Analytics, Creative, and the HELOC General Manager to launch new campaigns, unlock new audiences, and rapidly test and iterate across messaging, targeting, and channel mix. 

This role offers exceptional ownership and visibility, with the chance to make a material impact on one of Upstart’s newest and most strategic product lines while laying the foundation for long-term growth.

How you’ll make an impact

• Own and scale HELOC media buying across SEM, paid social, display, and emerging performance channels, managing strategy, execution, and optimization end to end.
• Scale Upstart’s HELOC performance marketing engine, establishing channel strategy, testing frameworks, and best practices in a zero-to-one environment.
• Drive efficient, incremental customer acquisition by continuously optimizing bids, budgets, audiences, and creative to hit volume, CPA, and ROI targets.
• Design and run rigorous experimentation programs across keywords, audiences, creatives, and formats to unlock scalable growth opportunities and new channels.
• Manage and forecast significant media budgets, balancing growth and efficiency while adapting quickly to performance trends and market dynamics.

Minimum Qualifications 

• 5+ years of experience in performance marketing or digital media buying, with a strong focus on SEM and additional experience across paid social and/or display.
• Proven track record of owning large-scale acquisition programs, managing significant monthly budgets, and driving measurable growth against CPA, ROI, and volume targets.
  
• Deep hands-on expertise in paid search, including keyword strategy, bid management, ad copy testing, and landing page optimization.
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret performance data, design experiments, and make data-driven decisions in ambiguous environments.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-growth environment where adaptability and problem-solving are key

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience operating in highly regulated or longer consideration cycle vertical (e.g., financial services, fintech, lending, insurance, marketplaces).
• Experience launching and scaling new channels or products from zero to one, with comfort operating in ambiguity and building an acquisition funnel from scratch.
• Experience working closely with product and engineering teams to improve landing pages, funnels, and on-site conversion through testing and iteration.

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

Time zone requirements The 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.

#LI-REMOTE

#LI-MidSenior 

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).

United States | Remote - Anticipated Base Salary Range$138,600—$192,000 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