Job Details

Upgrade is a fintech company that provides affordable and responsible credit, mobile banking, and payment products to everyday consumers. We were the fastest growing company in the Americas last year according to the Financial Times and Upgrade Card was the fastest growing credit card in America two years in a row. We have delivered over $33 billion in affordable and responsible credit to our 5.5M customers. The company is backed by some of the most prominent technology investors and was recently valued at $6.3B.

We have built an energizing, collaborative and inclusive culture where team members help each other, learn and innovate to move the company and its customers in the right direction, and own the outcome of their efforts.

Upgrade has been named a “Best Place to Work in the Bay Area” three years in a row, “Top Companies to work for in Arizona” and one of the "Best Engineering Department" awarded annually by Comparably. We've also received recognition for being a best company for Diversity, Women, Culture, and Veterans.

We are looking for new team members who get excited about designing and delivering new and better products to join a team of 1850 talented and dedicated professionals. Come work with us if you like to tackle big problems and make a meaningful difference in people's lives.

About the Role:

We're looking for a Directoror Sr. Director of Customer Acquisition to lead Upgrade's direct-to-consumer growth engine. This role will be responsible for scaling and optimizing acquisition across both paid marketing (SEM, Display, Meta, etc.) and strategic partnerships (affiliate, platform, and distribution partners).

You'll own the roadmap, budget, and performance for multiple customer acquisition channels, while also mentoring a growing team. The ideal candidate is both strategic and hands-on—with deep experience in performance marketing, a sharp analytical mindset, and the ability to creatively source and scale growth opportunities.

This role will be based in our San Francisco OR Delaware office in a hybrid capacity (2x per week)

What You'll Do:

• Lead Upgrade's direct-to-consumer acquisition strategy, including paid media, affiliate/partner marketing, and new channel testing.
• Own the customer acquisition budget and channel mix, balancing ROI, scale, and efficiency across multiple channels.
• Build and manage ahigh-performing team, starting with two direct reports (and growing as needed).
• Optimize and scale core paid channels—including SEM, Display, and Paid Social (Meta)—in partnership with media agencies and internal teams.
• Develop and expand our strategic partnerships program, sourcing and negotiating new relationships that drive customer growth.
• Launch and test emerging channels and growth experiments, using data to validate hypotheses and inform investment decisions.
• Partner closely with Analytics, Product, Legal, Compliance, and Creative to ensure efficient execution and compliance across campaigns and partnerships.
• Develop frameworks for reporting, attribution, and performance analysis to guide decision-making and budget allocation.
• Stay ahead of industry trends and digital media innovation to keep Upgrade's acquisition strategy fresh, effective, and competitive.

What We Look For:

• 8–12+ years of experience in performance marketing, partnerships, or customer acquisition, ideally in fintech, consumer finance, or a high-growth digital business.
• Deep expertise in paid channels (SEM, Display, Social, etc.) and/or affiliate and strategic partnerships.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-channel strategy, scale acquisition efforts, and deliver against growth targets.
• Strong analytical and quantitative skills, including comfort working in Excel, BI tools, and marketing attribution frameworks.
• Excellent communication and executive presence; able to influence stakeholders across marketing, product, compliance, and leadership.
• Experience managing and growing high-performing teams.
• A test-and-learn mindset and the ability to move quickly and decisively in a dynamic environment.

Nice to Have:

• Experience managing agency/vendor relationships
• Familiarity with tools like Google Ads, Meta Ads Manager, Tableau, HEAP Analytics, etc.
• Experience marketing regulated financial products or working with compliance/legal teams
• MBA or advanced degree (not required)

What We Offer You:

• Competitive salary and stock option plan
• 100% paid coverage of medical, dental and vision insurance
• Flexible PTO
• Opportunities for professional growth and development
• Paid parental leave
• Health & wellness initiatives

The compensation range of this position in San Francisco, CA is USD $230,000-$265,000 annually plus equity and benefits. Within this range, an individual's base pay will be dependent on a variety of factors, including without limitation, job-related knowledge, skills, education, and experience.

#BI-Hybrid

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

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Upgrade is dedicated to building a diverse team and an inclusive culture. We believe that it's crucial to Upgrade's long-term success to create an environment where all employees feel like they belong and have an equal opportunity to succeed.

For this reason, we are asking candidates to voluntarily self-identify through a few demographic questions. Our purpose in collecting this information is to help us assess our outreach efforts and diversity representation goals. Your responses will not be linked to your identity or your application, and neither recruiters nor hiring managers can see this information at an individual level. Your responses are stored in the aggregate and will not play any role in our hiring decision. Your decision to participate or not participate in this survey will have no impact on your candidacy at Upgrade.

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