Head of Internal Audit, Upgrade
$275-340k
+ Stock option plan + Bonus
Offering responsible credit to mainstream consumers
Job no longer available
Offering responsible credit to mainstream consumers
1001+ employees
Job no longer available
$275-340k
+ Stock option plan + Bonus
1001+ employees
Company mission
To help our customers move in the right direction with responsible financial products that put more money in their pocket.
Role
Who you are
- 10 years+ of experience in internal audit, risk management, or a related field, with at least 5 years in a leadership role, ideally with public company experience
- Experience in financial services with familiarity with the regulatory environment impacting the industry
- Strong knowledge of internal auditing standards, risk management frameworks, governance, and compliance practices
- Proven experience in developing and executing risk-based audit plans in complex and dynamic environments
- Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to interact with senior management and the board
- High level of integrity, objectivity, and professionalism
- Professional certifications such as Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), Certified Public Accountant (CPA), or Chartered Accountant (CA)
What the job involves
- The Head of Internal Audit is responsible for leading and overseeing the internal audit function, ensuring that the company's governance, risk management, and control processes are effective and aligned with organizational objectives
- This role requires a strategic leader who can guide the internal audit team, liaise with senior management and the board, and deliver independent and objective assurance on business processes, risk management practices, and regulatory compliance
- Develop and implement the internal audit strategy, aligning it with the company’s goals and risk appetite
- Work with risk management and compliance teams to identify key risk areas and emerging risks, ensuring that the audit plan remains relevant
- Design a comprehensive risk-based audit plan to assess the effectiveness of governance, risk management, and control processes across all business units
- Oversee the execution of internal audits, ensuring timely, accurate, and value-adding assessment
- Review audit findings, and prepare reports and recommendations to enhance internal controls, mitigate risks, and improve operational efficiency
- Monitor the implementation of audit recommendations by management and ensure follow-up
- Play an active role in the maintenance and review of policies and procedures, including ensuring they are up to date with all legislation and best practices
- Provide insights and recommendations on risk mitigation strategies, enhancing the organization’s overall risk management framework
- Act as the primary liaison between the internal audit department and the audit committee, providing regular updates on audit activities, findings, and risk exposures
- Ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and internal policies, addressing any gaps in internal control systems
- Keep abreast of industry developments, emerging risks, and changes in regulations, providing timely advice to the board and senior leadership
- Assist with setting up a SOX compliant internal control environment. Interaction with controllership team regarding financial reporting, internal control including ongoing SOX compliance
- Interact with external auditors regarding reliance on internal audit processes and testwork
Our take
Most credit cards don't encourage the owner to pay down their debt. The longer it takes to pay off the balance, the more money lenders are set to make. Upgrade is an online lender and card issuer doing things differently. The company offers personal loans and credit cards, but with a fixed instalment structure and a set number of equal payments. This ensures the balance reduces every month.
The company believes this model reduces default rates, as borrowers are forced to pay down rather than maintain their debt, and it encourages a greater commitment to repay the balance. Further, by combining the ease of a Visa card with the fixed payments and decreased rates of a personal loan, Upgrade sets itself apart from competitors.
In 2021, Upgrade launched its mobile banking and debit card to onboard new customers and increase loyalty. The fixed-rate nature of the company's cards is expected to be of use to customers in future years in an environment of rising rates. Off the back of impressive growth milestones in 2025, the company raised $165 million in Series G funding, raising its valuation to $7.3 billion, a comfortable position for a future IPO.
Kirsty
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Insights
18% employee growth in 12 months
Company
Funding (last 2 of 6 rounds)
Oct 2025
$165m
SERIES G
Nov 2021
$280m
SERIES F
Total funding: $712m
Company benefits
- 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
Company HQ
Financial District, San Francisco, CA
Leadership
Renaud Laplanche
(Co-Founder & CEO)After an MBA at London Business School, Renaud spent 5 years as an Associate at Clearly Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton and co-founded MatchPoint. They then left Oracle after a year to co-found Lending Club in 2006 and co-founded Upgrade in August 2016.
Adelina Grozdanova
(Co-Founder & Head of Investor Group)Adelina started their career with 6 years at Morgan Stanley after a degree at Princeton. They left banking in 2012 to join Lending Club as VP, and after 3 years co-founded Upgrade, serving as Head of Investor Group since 2016.
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