Collections Vendor Manager

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 1,800 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 (opening Summer 2026), 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 is seeking a Collections Vendor Manager to support the day-to-day performance and operational execution of our collections vendors and closely partnered internal teams. This role serves as a primary point of contact for assigned partners, working closely with vendor leadership and internal stakeholders to ensure daily operations run smoothly and performance expectations are consistently met. The ideal candidate brings strong working knowledge of collections operations and vendor-managed environments, and is comfortable operating in the details — monitoring performance, guiding partners through issues as they arise, and supporting adherence to operational, quality, and borrower experience standards. This role plays a critical part in reinforcing accountability, supporting operational stability, and ensuring borrower interactions reflect Upstart’s standards of care, efficiency, and consistency. How you’ll make an impact Drive Agency Partner Performance : Manage and monitor the day-to-day performance of external vendors responsible for collections services, ensuring they meet or exceed key performance metrics. Enable Business Outcomes: Collaborate with internal stakeholders to align vendor performance with Upstart’s strategic objectives, ensuring that vendor contributions drive measurable business outcomes. Enhance Borrower Experience: Ensure that agency partners deliver a personalized and effortless borrower experience, addressing borrower needs quickly and effectively while maintaining Upstart's commitment to quality. Monitor and Enforce KPIs: Track vendor performance using established KPIs, such as response times, collections success rates, customer satisfaction scores, and compliance with service level agreements (SLAs). Vendor Relationship Management: Build and maintain strong relationships with external agencies to foster open communication, partnership, and alignment with Upstart’s goals. Performance Improvement Initiatives: Collaborate with vendors to identify areas for improvement, provide actionable feedback, and work together to implement solutions that enhance efficiency and borrower outcomes. Cross-Functional Collaboration : Work closely with internal teams such as Operations, Legal, Risk Management, and Lending Partnerships to align vendor performance with Upstart’s broader objectives and operational needs. Data-Driven Analysis: ... (truncated, view full listing at source)