Director, People and Culture New Phoenix

Upgrade, Inc.; Hyde Park Township (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player in the fintech sector is seeking a Director of People and Culture to lead their HR initiatives. This role involves cultivating an inclusive and high-performing culture while partnering with leadership to drive employee engagement and satisfaction. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in HR leadership, employee relations, and data-driven decision-making. Join a dynamic team dedicated to making a meaningful impact in the lives of customers through innovative financial solutions. If you are passionate about fostering a positive workplace culture and driving organizational success, this opportunity is for you.

Benefits

Competitive salary and stock option plan

100% paid coverage of medical, dental, and vision insurance

Flexible PTO

Opportunities for professional growth and development

Qualifications

• Proven experience in leading HR teams and initiatives.
• Strong understanding of employment law and compliance.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement people and culture strategies.
• Enhance employee engagement and foster a sense of belonging.

Skills

Leadership

Employee Engagement

Change Management

Conflict Resolution

Data Analysis

Diversity and Inclusion (DEI)

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources or related field

Master's Degree in Business Administration or related field

Tools

HRIS Systems

Data Analytics Tools

Job description

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:

As the Director of People and Culture, you will be a transformational leader responsible for cultivating a purpose-driven, inclusive, and high-performing culture across the organization. You will lead and inspire a team of Culture Champions (HRBPs) and Employee Relations professionals, partnering with senior leadership and cross-functional stakeholders to drive strategies that elevate employee engagement, foster belonging, and promote a culture of continuous growth and innovation. This role is both strategic and operational, focused on aligning people practices with business outcomes, mitigating organizational risk, and enhancing the overall employee experience.

This is an in-office role based in Phoenix, Arizona.

What You’ll Do:

Strategic Leadership & Culture Development

• Champion the organization’s mission, vision, and values by embedding them into all people-related programs, policies, and initiatives.
• Lead the design and implementation of a cohesive people and culture strategy aligned with organizational goals, driving engagement, equity, and excellence at scale.
• Coach and mentor a high-performing team of HR professionals, building capability in employee relations, business partnership, and change management.

Employee Experience & Engagement

• Design and launch enterprise-level initiatives to measure and improve employee engagement, and sense of belonging.
• Leverage data and insights to shape strategies that enhance culture, reduce attrition, and boost employee satisfaction and performance.

Employee & Labor Relations Strategy

• Develop and execute proactive employee relations strategies to foster a psychologically safe, respectful, and legally compliant work environment.
• Anticipate and mitigate risks by identifying trends and implementing preventative measures. Provide expert counsel to leaders on conflict resolution, complex case management, and employee investigations.

Policy, Risk, and Compliance Leadership

• Serve as the subject matter expert on employment law, ethics, and compliance, ensuring policies and practices meet evolving legal and regulatory requirements.
• Partner with Legal and HR leadership to assess, develop, and operationalize policies that mitigate risk and promote fairness and equity in the workplace.

Organizational Development & Learning

• Identify current and future organizational capability needs. Partner with L&D to design impactful, inclusive training programs focused on leadership development, DEI, compliance, and performance enablement.
• Foster a culture of feedback, accountability, and continuous learning.

Workforce Insights & Analytics

• Lead the development of dashboards and reporting tools that deliver actionable insights on employee relations, engagement, retention, and culture health.
• Drive data-informed decision-making by analyzing trends and advising on strategic interventions.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Influence

• Partner closely with Talent Acquisition, Total Rewards, L&D, HR Operations, and senior business leaders to deliver seamless, employee-centric HR solutions.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to the executive team, influencing people strategy and change initiatives across the enterprise.

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

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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