Director, People and Culture

Upgrade is a fintech company that provides affordable and responsible credit, mobile banking, and payment products to everyday consumers. We were the fastest growing company in the Americas last year according to the Financial Times and Upgrade Card was the fastest growing credit card in America two years in a row. We have delivered over $33 billion in affordable and responsible credit to our 5.5M customers. The company is backed by some of the most prominent technology investors and was recently valued at $6.3B.

We have built an energizing, collaborative and inclusive culture where team members help each other, learn and innovate to move the company and its customers in the right direction, and own the outcome of their efforts.

Upgrade has been named a “Best Place to Work in the Bay Area” three years in a row, “Top Companies to work for in Arizona” and one of the "Best Engineering Department" awarded annually by Comparably. We've also received recognition for being a best company for Diversity, Women, Culture, and Veterans.

We are looking for new team members who get excited about designing and delivering new and better products to join a team of 1850 talented and dedicated professionals. Come work with us if you like to tackle big problems and make a meaningful difference in people's lives.

About the Role:

As the Director of People and Culture, you will be a transformational leader responsible for cultivating a purpose-driven, inclusive, and high-performing culture across the organization. You will lead and inspire a team of Culture Champions (HRBPs) and Employee Relations professionals, partnering with senior leadership and cross-functional stakeholders to drive strategies that elevate employee engagement, foster belonging, and promote a culture of continuous growth and innovation. This role is both strategic and operational, focused on aligning people practices with business outcomes, mitigating organizational risk, and enhancing the overall employee experience. This is an in-office role based in Phoenix, Arizona.

What You’ll Do:

• Champion the organization’s mission, vision, and values by embedding them into all people-related programs, policies, and initiatives.
• Lead the design and implementation of a cohesive people and culture strategy aligned with organizational goals, driving engagement, equity, and excellence at scale.
• Coach and mentor a high-performing team of HR professionals, building capability in employee relations, business partnership, and change management.
• Design and launch enterprise-level initiatives to measure and improve employee engagement, and sense of belonging.
• Leverage data and insights to shape strategies that enhance culture, reduce attrition, and boost employee satisfaction and performance.
• Develop and execute proactive employee relations strategies to foster a psychologically safe, respectful, and legally compliant work environment.
• Anticipate and mitigate risks by identifying trends and implementing preventative measures. Provide expert counsel to leaders on conflict resolution, complex case management, and employee investigations.
• Serve as the subject matter expert on employment law, ethics, and compliance, ensuring policies and practices meet evolving legal and regulatory requirements.
• Partner with Legal and HR leadership to assess, develop, and operationalize policies that mitigate risk and promote fairness and equity in the workplace.
• Identify current and future organizational capability needs. Partner with L&D to design impactful, inclusive training programs focused on leadership development, DEI, compliance, and performance enablement.
• Foster a culture of feedback, accountability, and continuous learning.
• Lead the development of dashboards and reporting tools that deliver actionable insights on employee relations, engagement, retention, and culture health.
• Drive data-informed decision-making by analyzing trends and advising on strategic interventions.
• Partner closely with Talent Acquisition, Total Rewards, L&D, HR Operations, and senior business leaders to deliver seamless, employee-centric HR solutions.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to the executive team, influencing people strategy and change initiatives across the enterprise.

What We Look For:

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field (Master's degree preferred).
• 10+ years of progressively responsible experience in HR, with a focus on performance management., employee engagement, and employee relations.
• At least 5 years of managerial experience.
• Ability to work in high volume, fast-paced, dynamic environment with the ability to adapt with changing priorities
• Strong understanding of employment laws and regulations, particularly related to employee relations.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and negotiation skills.
• Proven track record of successfully resolving complex employee relations issues.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to align employee relations initiatives with business goals.
• Strong leadership and team management skills.
• High level of integrity, confidentiality, and professionalism.

Nice to Have:

• Experience in a call center environment or within the fintech industry is a plus.

What We Offer You: 

• Competitive salary and stock option plan
• 100% paid coverage of medical, dental and vision insurance 
• Flexible PTO
• Opportunities for professional growth and development 
• Paid parental leave
• Health & wellness initiatives

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We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.