Managing Director, Private Lending

Upright Group, LLC; Cleveland (OH); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Upright Lending is seeking a Managing Director to lead a Branch as an owner-operator with full P&L responsibility, growth origination, and disciplined credit management. The role offers revenue sharing and locked profit participation, aligning personal earnings with branch performance.

You will recruit, develop, and manage a high-performing team, partnering with CRO, COO, and CEO to scale the branch within Upright Lending’s platform while driving profitability and long-term value creation.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in private lending or related revenue leadership.
• Proven P&L ownership and profitability drive.
• Experience building and scaling teams.
• Strong cross-functional influence on product/strategy.

Responsibilities

• Own branch P&L and drive origination and portfolio health.
• Lead and mentor Account Executives, Credit Managers, Analysts.
• Refine branch economics and incentive structures.
• Participate in cross-functional committees and platform strategy.

Skills

P&L ownership

Team leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Entrepreneurial mindset

CRM familiarity

LOS familiarity

Tools

CRM

LOS

Job description

Location: Remote or In Office | Full-Time
Role Type: Branch Leadership | P&L Ownership | Long-Term Wealth Participation

Overview

The Managing Director (MD) role represents the pinnacle of Upright Lending’s Branch leadership track; an entrepreneurial, owner-operator role with full P&L ownership, long-term wealth participation, and broad operational autonomy. MDs operate their branches like standalone businesses within the Upright Lending platform, driving origination, credit performance, and sustainable profitability.

This role offers competitive base pay, a robust revenue-sharing model tied to branch success, and locked profit participation that grows as your branch scales, creating long-term wealth and aligning your incentives with Upright Lending’s growth.

Mission

To operate a high-performing, autonomous branch as an owner-operator, balancing origination growth, credit discipline, and expense management to maximize net revenue, borrower retention, and team development, while aligning branch success with Upright Lending’s strategic goals and long-term value creation.

Expanded Responsibilities

Branch Leadership & P&L Ownership

• Assume full accountability for branch-level P&L, including origination growth, portfolio health, and expense discipline.
• Justify, lead, and manage a team of Account Executives, Credit Managers, Analysts, and/or Jr. AEs to maximize capacity, efficiency, and profitability.
• Maintain high QA performance and credit discipline to retain autonomy and maximize revenue share.
• Actively refine branch economics and incentive structures in partnership with CRO, COO, and CEO.

Long-Term Wealth Participation

• Participate in a profit-sharing program tied to branch performance, aligning personal earnings with long-term value creation.
• Unlock enhanced profit-sharing opportunities by achieving defined growth and profitability milestones and by contributing to increased company capacity, funding, and overall portfolio performance.

Recruitment, Development & Staffing Strategy

• Develop staffing and growth plans that align with revenue trajectory and branch P&L.
• Recruit, onboard, and mentor branch members, building a high-performing, growth-oriented team.
• Collaborate with executive leadership to scale the branch efficiently while maintaining cultural and performance standards.

Cross-Functional Influence & Committees

• Serve on leadership committees for product, credit, technology, and borrower experience improvements.
• Provide insight into market trends, borrower needs, and competitive positioning to shape platform strategy.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to optimize workflows, borrower experience, and profitability.

Cross-Functional Influence & Committees

• Oversee branch loan book performance: draw timeliness, delinquency management, and borrower satisfaction.
• Develop strategies to increase borrower retention, renewals, and referrals, contributing to both your branch’s and Upright Lending’s long-term growth.

Key Metrics

• Branch P&L: Net revenue, margin contribution, and profitability.
• Origination Growth: Funded loan volume and revenue per loan.
• Book Health: Delinquency rates, draw efficiency, and QA pass rates.
• Retention: Borrower renewals, repeat business, and referral growth.
• Team Development: Recruitment success, team retention, and performance growth.
• Cross-Functional Impact: Measurable contributions to committee initiatives and platform improvements.

What Success Looks Like

• Your branch functions as a self-sustaining, high-output business unit, consistently exceeding origination and P&L targets.
• You are a trusted leader, developing a high-performing team and achieving borrower satisfaction scores that drive retention and referral growth.
• You maximize your long-term earnings potential through locked profit participation and equity-linked incentives.
• You are recognized for shaping Upright Lending’s platform strategy and contributing meaningfully to cross-functional initiatives.

Required Skills & Experience

• 5+ years in private lending, mortgage banking, CRE finance, or related revenue leadership roles.
• Proven ability to own a P&L, drive profitability, and manage portfolio-level risk.
• Track record of leading and scaling high-performing teams in a revenue or credit context.
• Strong cross-functional collaboration skills with demonstrated influence over platform or product strategy.
• Entrepreneurial, owner-operator mindset with comfort in performance-based compensation models.
• Familiarity with CRM, LOS, and portfolio management systems.

This is more than a leadership role. It’s an opportunity to own a business within Upright Lending. MDs build wealth through branch growth, aligning personal success with the company’s long-term value creation.