Lead Accountant

OhioX

Columbus, Austin, San Francisco, New York (OH, TX, CA, NY)

Remote

USD 106,000 - 146,000

Full time

6 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

401(k) with company match

Employee stock purchase plan

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

Paid time off and holidays

Remote-friendly with periodic onsites

Job summary

Upstart, a leading AI lending marketplace, seeks a Lead Accountant, Capital Markets, to own accounting for structured products, derivatives, and loan sale activities. You will partner with Capital Markets and Analytics through the transaction lifecycle and collaborate with Technical Accounting and Financial Reporting to ensure accurate recording and disclosures.

This role supports month-end close, drives robust accounting processes, and contributes to automation in a remote-friendly environment

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
6+ years of progressive accounting experience in financial services, lending, fintech, or public accounting serving financial services clients.
Experience accounting for structured products and derivatives, including related valuations, reconciliations, and financial reporting.
Experience with loan sale and funding activities, including transaction accounting, settlements, and related financing arrangements.
Strong understanding of U.S. GAAP and demonstrated ability to independently own complex accounting processes and month-end close activities.

Responsibilities

Own month-end accounting for structured products and derivatives, including journal entries, reconciliations, supporting schedules, and balance analysis.
Support accounting for loan sale and funding activities, ensuring transactions, settlements, and related financing costs are accurately recorded.
Partner with Capital Markets and Analytics throughout the month to understand transaction activity, investigate discrepancies, and ensure timely and complete accounting.
Coordinate with internal partners on valuation inputs and outputs, reconcile related balances, and record appropriate accounting entries.
Provide analyses and supporting documentation to Technical Accounting and Financial Reporting for accounting assessments, disclosures, and external audits.
Help establish accounting workflows for new transactions and arrangements in partnership with cross-functional teams.
Strengthen documentation, controls, and automation to support increasing transaction volume and complexity.

Skills

Analytical skills

Excel

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field

Tools

NetSuite

SQL

Job description

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 is 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 Accounting Operations team supports the company’s growth through accurate financial reporting, strong controls, and scalable accounting processes. We partner across Finance and the business to translate complex transactions into reliable accounting and timely financial results.

The Role

As a Lead Accountant, Capital Markets, you will own key accounting processes supporting Upstart’s structured products, derivatives, and loan sale and funding activities.

You will serve as a dedicated accounting partner to Capital Markets and Analytics throughout the transaction lifecycle, from understanding new activity to completing month-end close. Working closely with Technical Accounting and Financial Reporting, you will help ensure transactions are accurately recorded, balances are supported, and accounting processes evolve with the business.

How you'll make an impact

Own month-end accounting for structured products and derivatives, including journal entries, reconciliations, supporting schedules, and balance analysis.

Support accounting for loan sale and funding activities, ensuring transactions, settlements, and related financing costs are accurately recorded.

Partner with Capital Markets and Analytics throughout the month to understand transaction activity, investigate discrepancies, and ensure timely and complete accounting.

Coordinate with internal partners on valuation inputs and outputs, reconcile related balances, and record appropriate accounting entries.

Provide analyses and supporting documentation to Technical Accounting and Financial Reporting for accounting assessments, disclosures, and external audits.

Help establish accounting workflows for new transactions and arrangements in partnership with cross-functional teams.

Strengthen documentation, controls, and automation to support increasing transaction volume and complexity.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.

6+ years of progressive accounting experience in financial services, lending, fintech, or public accounting serving financial services clients.

Experience accounting for structured products and derivatives, including related valuations, reconciliations, and financial reporting.

Experience with loan sale and funding activities, including transaction accounting, settlements, and related financing arrangements.

Strong understanding of U.S. GAAP and demonstrated ability to independently own complex accounting processes and month-end close activities.

Ability to evaluate new transactions in partnership with Technical Accounting and lead cross-functional issue resolution.

Strong analytical skills, including the ability to investigate discrepancies, interpret transaction data, and clearly communicate accounting results.

Strong Excel skills and experience working with large datasets.

Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities and deliver accurate, timely results with limited oversight.

Preferred Qualifications

CPA or equivalent professional designation.

Experience supporting financial reporting, external audits, and internal controls in a public company environment.

Experience reviewing transaction documents and translating key terms into accounting processes.

Experience leading process improvements, strengthening controls, and implementing automation.

Experience with NetSuite, SQL, or other accounting and data analysis tools.

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).

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 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.

United States | Remote - Anticipated Base Salary Range

$105,500 — $145,900 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.