Upstart
Licensing Specialist/Paralegal
Job Summary
The role involves managing a portfolio of state licenses related to consumer lending, mortgage, auto, and other financial products. The licensing specialist will prepare applications, renewals, and responses to regulatory agencies, collaborating with internal teams and stakeholders. Candidates should have at least 4 years of experience with NMLS and familiarity with the mortgage or fintech industry, demonstrating strong organizational and communication skills. The position is remote, with occasional travel to company offices, and emphasizes regulatory compliance, project management, and legal documentation.
Required Skills
Benefits
Job Description
About Upstart
Upstart is the leading AI lending marketplace partnering with banks and credit unions to expand access to affordable credit. By leveraging Upstart's AI marketplace, Upstart-powered banks and credit unions can have higher approval rates and lower loss rates across races, ages, and genders, while simultaneously delivering the exceptional digital-first lending experience their customers demand. More than 80% of borrowers are approved instantly, with zero documentation to upload.
Upstart is a digital-first company, which means that most Upstarters live and work anywhere in the United States. However, we also have offices in San Mateo, California; Columbus, Ohio; and Austin, Texas.
Most Upstarters join us because they connect with our mission of enabling access to effortless credit based on true risk. If you are energized by the impact you can make at Upstart, we’d love to hear from you!
The Team:
Upstart is looking for a licensing specialist/paralegal to join the Product & Regulatory Legal team to support the state licensing program, including annual reports, updates and renewals. The role will also provide ad hoc support for the lawyers on the Product & Regulatory Legal team on various research and projects. Ideal job seekers should be team players, excellent communicators, and incredibly organized, and also have experience in state licensing programs. If you thrive in a fast-paced environment and are a great teammate, please apply!
The role reports to the Lead Regulatory Counsel and will serve as a subject matter expert on obtaining and maintaining state licenses required for Upstart’s consumer lending platform through which consumers can obtain unsecured personal loans, auto secured and refinance loans, HELOCs and small dollar loans, as well as state licenses required for purchasing motor vehicle retail installment contracts. The role will collaborate with other legal and business teams, senior leaders and the Compliance and Risk organization to effectuate licensing and annual reporting.
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 travel for in-person collaboration in our company offices in San Mateo, CA, Austin, TX, and Columbus, OH. These in-person on-sites generally occur once per quarter for 2-4 consecutive days at a time, however the cadence varies by team and role.
How you’ll make an impact
- Responsible for managing a state licensing portfolio of several hundred licenses, including branch licenses and Mortgage Loan Officer licenses.
- Independently manage projects and report out progress and status to various stakeholders.
- Review and analyze corporate information and business activities to prepare license applications, as needed, and prepare annual reports and renewals in all applicable states.
- Prepare correspondence and submissions to state regulatory agencies.
- Coordinate personal disclosure filings for executives and employees as required by the relevant license.
- Gather, review and submit responses including financial data and other information, in response to information requests from various regulatory bodies.
- Engage with internal stakeholders including business operations, accounting, finance and compliance, as needed.
- Stay current with Upstart product offerings and business structure to assist in responding to regulatory requests and application forms.
- Utilize and maximize benefits of license tracking software, including reporting, advance notice of deadlines and escalation of time sensitive issues.
- Perform ad hoc research and other requests to support the Product & Regulatory Legal team, as needs and capacity arise.
Minimum Qualifications
- 4+ years working with NMLS;
- Experience in mortgage industry preferred
- Experience in a top-tier law firm, in-house legal team and/or government agencies
- Experience working for a fintech preferred
- A self-starter mentality with the ability to work well under deadlines, with strong attention to detail, and an attitude that no job is too challenging or too small.
- Ability to provide solutions to a variety of issues of varied scope and complexity and to prioritize and balance multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.
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).
Upstart is a proud Equal Opportunity Employer. We are dedicated to ensuring that underrepresented classes receive better access to affordable credit, and are just as committed to embracing diversity and inclusion in our hiring practices. We celebrate all cultures, backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences, and know that we can only become better together.
If you require reasonable accommodation in completing an application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please email [email protected]
Upstart
A lending platform using AI to provide personal loans and credit solutions with a focus on fair and fast approvals.
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