Senior Complaints Specialist

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.

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. 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.

About the role

Upstart’s Complaints team is responsible for investigating and resolving customer complaints across our lending products while helping protect customers and the business from regulatory and operational risk. The team partners closely with Operations, Legal, Compliance, and Risk to deliver timely and accurate resolutions and identify opportunities to improve the customer experience.

As a Senior Complaints Specialist at Upstart, you will investigate and resolve escalated and regulated customer complaints, applying regulatory knowledge and sound judgment to determine appropriate outcomes. You’ll also look beyond individual cases to identify recurring issues, surface trends, and help improve the processes and controls that shape the customer experience.

Responsibilities

• Manage a queue of customer complaints, completing accurate investigations and resolutions within established productivity, quality, and regulatory timelines.
• Investigate sensitive, escalated, and regulated complaints, identify root causes and potential customer harm, and determine appropriate remediation.
• Apply relevant consumer protection requirements, including FCRA, UDAAP, FDCPA, and ECOA, when evaluating complaints and potential regulatory concerns.
• Produce clear, accurate written complaint responses and maintain documentation that supports complaint decisions and outcomes.
• Analyze complaint trends and recurring issues to identify root causes and recommend improvements that reduce repeat complaints and customer harm.
• Partner with Operations, Legal, Compliance, Risk, and other teams to strengthen complaint processes, customer experiences, and risk controls.

Requirements

• 1+ years experience handling regulatory escalated customer complaints within a financial institution, lending organization, or other regulated financial services environment (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Better Business Bureau (BBB), State Attorney General, etc.)
• Experience conducting complaint investigations, documenting findings, identifying root causes, and determining or recommending customer resolutions.
• Experience applying consumer financial regulations or requirements to complaint investigations and customer outcomes.
• Knowledge of consumer financial regulations such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Acts or Practices (UDAAP), Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), and Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA)

Preferred Qualifications

• Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager (CRCM) certification.
• Experience supporting auto lending or Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) products.
• Ability to analyze complaint data and trends to identify recurring issues and recommend operational or customer experience improvements.
• Ability to partner effectively across Operations, Legal, Compliance, Risk, and Product when resolving complex customer issues.

The team operates on the East/West coast time zones. As a digital-first company, the majority of your work can be accomplished remotely. Most employees can live and work anywhere in the U.S but are encouraged to 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.

Pay

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. The anticipated hourly rate range for this position is $23.41 - $31.20 USD, depending on geographic location. Individual pay is also determined by job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

In addition to base pay, Upstart provides employees with target bonuses, equity compensation, and a generous benefits package.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation, including base pay, bonus opportunities, and annual equity grants that vest quarterly
• Retirement benefits: 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 for you and your family, including medical, dental, vision, and wellness resources (US and supplemental for Canada)
• Health Savings Account contributions from Upstart for eligible plans (US only)
• Income protection benefits, including life insurance and disability coverage
• 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
• Annual productivity allowance to invest in relevant tools and resources
• 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 offices in the Bay Area, Austin, Columbus, and New York City (opening Summer 2026)