Business Development Representative, Auto Retail

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’s 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 Auto Retail team is building the future for car buying. We believe that AI-powered lending can help dealerships create a faster, more seamless financing experience for their customers while improving profitability. Upstart Auto Finance (UAF) gives dealership finance teams access to AI-powered credit decisioning that uses thousands of data points beyond traditional credit scores to help more car buyers access flexible financing options.

Our Auto Retail Sales Development team is responsible for lead generation. They seek out new opportunities to reach dealerships and introduce Upstart Auto Finance, our AI-powered auto finance solution. UAF empowers dealership finance teams with soft credit pulls, instant credit decisions, and automated pricing to help them present more competitive offers to more car buyers. They’re an analytical, ambitious team that brings a unique proposition to the industry and provides support in a number of ways to help hit sales pipeline generation targets. Alongside the Account Executives, they will enable Upstart to continue to grow its customer base and drive revenue.

As the Business Development Representative on the Auto Retail team at Upstart, you'll be responsible for driving revenue by prospecting and building pipelines with automotive dealerships. You are an energetic, committed, over-achiever who is passionate about sales and bringing value-added UAF solutions to customers. You consistently exceed your quota and are always looking for ways to have a larger impact. In addition to your core responsibilities, you’ll also get to play a pivotal role in partnering with marketing, executive teams and the OEM team on driving strategic initiatives and identifying key accounts. This is a great opportunity for candidates who want to work in a fast-paced environment, make a big impact, grow, and win as a team to scale a growing business.

How you’ll make an impact

Account research: Research target dealerships and identify key decision makers to better tailor messaging

1:1 sales prospecting: Deliver compelling, personalized messages and offers via daily cold calls and emails to key personas such as the General Manager, General Sales Manager, Dealer Principle and Directors of Marketing.

Inbound lead follow-up: In partnership with marketing, follow-up with marketing qualified leads generated from the website and marketing campaigns in a timely manner.

Sales partnership: Coordinate with account executives to align on target accounts, handoff leads, share prospect insights, and prepare for first meetings.

Structured lead management: Consistently update account and lead information and assist the operations team on data cleanup within the CRM system and support weekly reporting efforts.

Market insights: Provide “voice of customer feedback and competitive insights to sales, marketing and OEM teams to improve go-to-market strategy.

Company support: Work closely with the Marketing and OEM teams on special projects to drive critical initiatives.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in business or a related field is preferred.

At least 6+ months of Enterprise software / SaaS B2B sales development experience including cold calling and email outreach

A track record of measurable success in growing sales pipeline through a targeted account-based approach

Strong communication, analytical, and listening skills, with a positive and energetic phone presence

Strong work-ethic with a strong sense of ownership, accountability and a desire to continually improve.

Preferred Qualifications

Exceptional writing skills and verbal communication skills to engage prospective customers

Strong organizational and time management skills to prioritize daily and weekly activities, specifically following up with leads in a structured manner

Natural teamwork skills to collaborate with marketing and sales colleagues

Passion for having an impact on demand generation and sales growth

Familiarity with sales development tools such as Outreach, Connectandsell, Zoominfo, and Sendoso

Previous experience within automotive industry a plus

Position location This role is available in the following locations: Austin, TX

Time zone requirements The team operates on the Central time zones.

In-Office requirements. This team has regular onsite collaboration sessions. These occur 3 days per week at one of Upstart’s offices. If you need to travel to make these meetups, Upstart will cover all travel related expenses.

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.

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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).

United States | Remote - Anticipated Base Salary Range

$65,000 — $90,000 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