The Team

Upstart’s Communications, Culture & Development team helps Upstarters understand where the company is going, feel connected to its purpose, and build the capabilities they need to do their best work. We partner across the People Team and the business to create clear, effective employee experiences at important moments throughout the year.

As the People Programs Manager at Upstart, you will lead end-to-end program management for some of our most visible employee programs, including our mid-year and year-end performance review cycles, Pulse, and AI Acceleration work. You’ll bring structure and momentum to complex, cross-functional initiatives, translate program direction into practical plans, and ensure decisions turn into coordinated, high-quality execution.

This is a hands-on role for a strong operator who can see around corners, create clarity in ambiguity, and move comfortably between the larger purpose of a program and the details required to deliver it well.

How you’ll make an impact

• Lead the planning and delivery of Upstart’s mid-year and year-end performance review cycles, coordinating timelines, systems readiness, communications, stakeholder inputs, launch activities, and cross-functional dependencies to create a clear and effective experience for Upstarters and managers.
• Manage the Pulse program in partnership with People Analytics, HRBPs, and senior leaders, coordinating survey readiness, launch, response tracking, results distribution, action-planning logistics, and follow-through.
• Serve as the central program manager for AI Acceleration, translating executive direction into coordinated workstreams, milestones, decision points, and measurable progress.
• Partner across Internal Communications, Learning and Development, Technology, and the broader People Team to support employee-facing AI adoption, communications, enablement, experimentation, and change management.
• Create integrated program plans and operating rhythms that establish clear ownership, surface dependencies and risks, support timely decisions, and keep cross-functional partners moving toward shared outcomes.
• Continuously improve the systems, playbooks, and processes behind each program, using employee feedback, program data, and lessons learned to make future cycles more coordinated, measurable, and effective.
• Support additional high-priority, nontechnical People programs as capacity and business needs allow.

Minimum Qualifications

• 6+ years of experience in People or HR programs, employee experience, enterprise program management, organizational change, internal communications, or a related field.
• Experience leading complex, cross-functional programs with multiple workstreams, dependencies, milestones, and stakeholders.
• Experience managing at least one enterprise People program, such as performance management, employee listening, AI or technology adoption, change management, or another company-wide employee initiative.
• Demonstrated ability to translate broad direction into integrated workplans, clear ownership, decision points, and coordinated execution.
• Experience using quantitative and qualitative data to measure program effectiveness and inform practical improvements.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to deliver clear, concise, executive-ready updates and recommendations.
• Demonstrated ability to influence without formal authority and create accountability across teams, functions, and levels.
• A hands-on working style and willingness to own both strategic coordination and detailed final-mile execution.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting performance review cycles, employee listening or engagement surveys, AI adoption, or enterprise change initiatives.
• Experience supporting employee adoption or behavior change related to AI, technology, or new ways of working.
• Ability to translate employee feedback, program data, and lessons learned into clear recommendations and practical improvements.
• Familiarity with employee survey platforms, performance management systems, project-management tools, or modern knowledge and collaboration platforms.
• Demonstrated fluency with GenAI tools and an interest in helping organizations adopt AI thoughtfully and effectively.
• Experience working in a remote-first, technology, fintech, rapidly evolving, or regulated environment.

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.