Art Director, Brand Social

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 Brand & Creative team shapes how the brand comes to life across every touchpoint, defining our voice, personality, and emotional connection with borrowers and partners. We sit within Growth, designing and creating for impact across all channels, from the digital surfaces where consumers first discover us to the campaigns and brand systems that make Upstart trusted and remembered. As the Art Director, Social at Upstart, you will create culturally relevant, platform-native art direction across organic social, and contribute to brand campaigns alongside the broader Creative team. You’ll combine cultural insight and design craft to help shape how Upstart shows up in culture. How you’ll make an impact • Lead art direction for organic social content, ensuring cultural relevance, platform fluency, and brand consistency across every asset. • Partner directly with Social leadership to concept and execute work, taking ideas from concept through final execution. • Contribute to brand campaigns alongside the Creative team, bringing craft and creative perspective to projects beyond social. • Track cultural and platform trends closely, translating them into timely, on-brand creative rather than following after the fact. • Balance a high volume of fast-turn social work with occasional campaign-scale production, applying judgment on where deeper investment is warranted. • Direct on commercial and campaign sets, whether leading independently or supporting senior creative leadership. Minimum Qualifications • 7+ years of experience in art direction, design, or a related creative discipline. • Experience creating organic social content, including trend-responsive and always-on creative. • On-set production experience across photo or video. • Proficiency in design software, including Adobe Creative Suite and Figma. • Bachelor’s degree in Design, Visual Communications, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience. Preferred Qualifications • Ability to concept directly with social or community teams, rather than relying solely on handed-off briefs. • Knowledge of internet and social culture, with the ability to translate cultural trends into on-brand creative. • Skilled in balancing fast-turn social work with larger-scale campaign production. • Experience working on an in-house creative team, or agency experience paired with an understanding of how in-house pace and priorities differ. • Ability to use AI-assisted tools throughout the creative process, from ideation through execution. • Skilled in collaborating with cross-functional partners, including Compliance and external production partners. 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 or Canada (outside of Quebec) but are expected to spend high quality time in-person collaborating via regular onsites and in-person meetings. The onsite 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 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 [email protected] https://www.upstart.com/candidate_privacy_policy