Senior Dealer Relationship Manager (CA-based)

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 Auto Retail Dealer Relationship Management team is a critical part of the company, voicing the needs and suggestions of our dealer customers in product development. The team builds long-lasting, mutually beneficial dealer relationships focused on delivering quality service and support, and generates retail contracts that satisfy our borrowers’ needs while meeting each dealer’s business goals.

As the Senior Dealer Relationship Manager (West) at Upstart, you will play a pivotal role as the main point of contact for dealers in your assigned West market. You’ll drive retail growth, onboard new partners, and serve as the ultimate product ambassador — part consultant, part strategist, and part relationship-builder, bringing the voice of the dealer back to our product and engineering teams.

How you’ll make an impact

• Build and grow your market by meeting with dealership partners in person and virtually, promoting the Upstart Auto Finance program.

• Lead hands-on onboarding and deliver engaging training sessions for new dealer partners.

• Serve as your dealers’ trusted advisor — solving problems, answering questions, and unlocking value

• Partner with cross-functional teams to get dealers what they need, fast.

• Keep accurate, up-to-date records of dealer interactions in Salesforce or a similar customer success platform.

• Bring the voice of the dealer to our product and engineering teams, and continuously seek process improvements that drive better experiences for dealers and car buyers.

Minimum Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience as a Dealer Relationship Manager for an indirect auto finance lender, with a proven track record working with dealers

• Experience in indirect auto finance, F&I, and the dealer finance process

• Experience with Salesforce or a similar CRM/CSM platform

• Ability to analyze data and clearly communicate trends, and ability to travel up to 50%+ within your market

• Location: California

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a startup or SaaS company

• Experience in a dealer-facing role at an auto fintech

• Bachelor’s degree in Sales, Communications, or a related field

• Knowledge of competitor rate sheets and program changes in the indirect auto finance space

**

Position location** This role is available to candidates based in California residing within a 20-mile radius of a major metro airport.

**Travel req...