Director of Brand Media and Sponsorships
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Job Location:
New York City, NY - USA
Monthly Salary:
Not Disclosed
Posted on:
2 days ago
Vacancies:
1 Vacancy
Job Summary
About Upstart
At Upstart were 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 thats both radically intelligent and deeply human. Our platform runs over one million predictions per borrower using more than 1800 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.
Were 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 doesnt mean distant. Were 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) youll have the support to work in the way that works best for you.
If youre energized by tackling meaningful problems excited to innovate with purpose and motivated by work that truly matters wed love to hear from you.
The Team:
Upstarts Growth Marketing team drives scalable data-driven customer acquisition across our lending products. We design execute and optimize media strategies that connect consumers to credit at the moments that matter most. This year Upstart will begin to make investments in bringing our brand story to life and with it make Upstart a true power-house brand in fintech. Were seeking a new Head of Brand Media to lead that charge.
As Director of Brand Media & Sponsorships at Upstart you will own the strategy execution and measurement of our brand media investments and external sponsorships. This role is net-new and responsible for driving incremental growth and brand impact through TV and streaming media strategic sponsorships and integrated brand activations. Were looking for someone who is up to the challenge of making Upstart a memorable and household name while also bringing some fun and analytical rigor to the mix.
You will lead how Upstart shows up in high-reach environments by owning media buying strategy partner relationships and cross-functional collaboration with Analytics Creative and Product Marketing to ensure our brand investments are measurable scalable and effective.
This is a senior highly visible role with end-to-end ownership across planning buying partnerships and performance evaluation. As a net-new role youll be responsible for leading our initial brand investment strategy and scaling the budgets team and strategy from zero to one.
How youll make an impact
- Own Upstarts branded media and sponsorship strategy from annual planning through in-market optimization.
- Lead TV and top-of-funnel media buying including partner selection negotiation budgeting flighting and performance evaluation.
- Develop and manage strategic brand partnerships sponsorships and integrations that extend Upstarts reach and reinforce brand credibility.
- Develop and execute branded activations in partnership with digital creative and external partners ensuring alignment with brand and business goals.
- Partner closely with Analytics to define measurement frameworks for brand media including incrementally testing lift studies MMM inputs and attribution approaches.
- Collaborate with Creative and Product Marketing to translate brand strategy into effective media executions and partner activations.
- Scale significant annual brand media budgets balancing reach frequency and efficiency while adapting to performance signals and market conditions.
- Establish best practices for brand media planning buying and measurement as Upstart continues to scale upper-funnel investment.
Minimum Qualifications
- 10 years of experience in brand media partnerships or integrated marketing with meaningful ownership of TV and/or large brand partnerships.
- Proven experience managing large-scale media budgetsand leading negotiations with media buyers networks or platforms.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret performance data design experiments and make data-driven decisions in ambiguous environments.
- Track record of developing and executing sponsorships or strategic partnerships that deliver measurable brand or business impact.
- Experience operating in a highly cross-functional environment partnering with creative finance analytics and senior stakeholders.
- 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 scaling brand investment from early experimentation into a more mature repeatable media program.
- Familiarity with marketing mix modeling brand lift studies or advanced media measurement methodologies.
- Experience managing agencies across media planning buying and partnerships.
Position location This role is available in the following locations: Remote with a preference to be based in NYC area
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.
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 locationwith 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 youll love
At Upstart our benefits are designed to support your health financial well-being family and personal growth. Heres what you can expect:
- Competitive compensation including base pay bonus opportunities and annual equity grants that vest quarterly
- Generous 401(k) plan with Upstart matching $2 for every $1 contributed up to $15000 per year
- Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) with discounted stock purchase options for eligible employees
- Affordable medical dental and vision coverage with multiple plan options - Upstart covers 90% to 100% of the cost depending on the plans you choose
- Health Savings Account contributions from Upstart for eligible plans
- Income protection benefits including company-paid Basic Life AD&D and Short- and Long-Term Disability coverage with options to purchase supplemental coverage
- Paid time off sick and safe time and company holidays
- Paid family and parental leave to support caregiving and major life moments
- Family-centered benefits through Carrot and Cleo supporting fertility parenthood and caregiving
- 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
- 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 and onsites all-company updates and employee resource groups (ERGs)
- Onsite perks including catered lunches and fully stocked micro-kitchens when working from one of our four offices located in the Bay Area Austin Columbus and New York City (opening Summer 2026!).
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
Director
Key Skills
- Crisis Management
- Marketing
- Public Relations
- Fundraising
- Media Relations
- Constant Contact
- Strategic Planning
- Social Media Management
- Team Management
- Public Speaking
- Wordpress
- Writing Skills
About Company
Through Upstart, apply online for a fast personal loan, auto refinancing, or debt consolidation. Try our quick rate check today with no impact to your credit!
