Lead Accountant

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, 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 Accounting Operations team supports the company’s growth through accurate financial reporting, strong controls, and scalable accounting processes. We partner across Finance and the business to translate complex transactions into reliable accounting and timely financial results.

The Role

As a Lead Accountant, Capital Markets, you will own key accounting processes supporting Upstart’s structured products, derivatives, and loan sale and funding activities.

You will serve as a dedicated accounting partner to Capital Markets and Analytics throughout the transaction lifecycle, from understanding new activity to completing month-end close. Working closely with Technical Accounting and Financial Reporting, you will help ensure transactions are accurately recorded, balances are supported, and accounting processes evolve with the business.

How you’ll make an impact

• Own month-end accounting for structured products and derivatives, including journal entries, reconciliations, supporting schedules, and balance analysis.
• Support accounting for loan sale and funding activities, ensuring transactions, settlements, and related financing costs are accurately recorded.
• Partner with Capital Markets and Analytics throughout the month to understand transaction activity, investigate discrepancies, and ensure timely and complete accounting.
• Coordinate with internal partners on valuation inputs and outputs, reconcile related balances, and record appropriate accounting entries.
• Provide analyses and supporting documentation to Technical Accounting and Financial Reporting for accounting assessments, disclosures, and external audits.
• Help establish accounting workflows for new transactions and arrangements in partnership with cross-functional teams.
• Strengthen documentation, controls, and automation to support increasing transaction volume and complexity.

Minimum Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• 6+ years of progressive accounting experience in financial services, lending, fintech, or public accounting serving financial services clients.
• Experience accounting for structured products and derivatives, including related valuations, reconciliations, and financial reporting.
• Experience with loan sale and funding activities, including transaction accounting, settlements, and related financing arrangements.
• Strong understanding of U.S. GAAP and demonstrated ability to independently own complex accounting processes and month-end close activities.
• Ability to evaluate new transactions in partnership with Technical Accounting and lead cross-functional issue resolution.
• Strong analytical skills, including the ability to investigate discrepancies, interpret transaction data, and clearly communicate accounting results.
• Strong Excel skills and experience working with large datasets.
• Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities and deliver accurate, timely results with limited oversight.

Preferred Qualifications

• CPA or equivalent professional designation.
• Experience supporting financial reporting, external audits, and internal controls in a public company environment.
• Experience reviewing transaction documents and translating key terms into accounting processes.
• Experience leading process improvements, strengthening controls, and implementing automation.
• Experience with NetSuite, SQL, or other accounting and data analysis tools.

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-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 for full-time employees 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

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