At Caribou, we care about giving people financial freedom so they can focus on what’s most important to them. Today, less than two percent of Americans refinance their auto loans despite drastic increases in the cost of new and used cars. We see huge potential to help folks reduce their monthly auto expenses, as well as increase the predictability of those expenses over time. We do this by building technology to pair customers with community banks and credit unions, and ushering them through the process quickly. On average, our drivers save $130/month on their car loans while protecting their investment long term.
Caribou is led by leaders from the technology, automotive, and finance industries. We’re proud to be backed by a great team of investors, including QED Investors, Goldman Sachs, Moderne Ventures, Accomplice, Link Ventures, Motley Fool Ventures and others.
About the Role
Caribou is seeking a VP, Product Engineering to lead the engineering teams that design, build and evolve the applications that powers Caribou marketplace and its differentiated approach to auto refinance. This team designs, develops, tests, and maintains both customer experiences and internal tools that facilitate the process of refinancing a vehicle - from customer acquisition through originating / funding the loan. Reporting directly to Caribou’s Chief Product & Technology Officer, you will play a crucial role in building the applications that scale Caribou and create competitive differentiation.
In this role, you will…
- Lead, grow and mentor the product engineering teams at Caribou - recruit and retain top talent, ensure the team has the right skills and expertise, and lead engineering managers and their teams.
- Partner with Product, Design and Data teams to develop customer experiences and tooling to fuel growth, efficiency and a tech first approach to lending.
- Partner with TechOps & Security teams to ensure our tech stack and architecture is secure, scalable and enables our engineers to rapidly iterate.
- Leverage problem solving, influencing and communication skills to drive alignment with peers and delivery against shared goals and roadmaps.
- Build and foster an inclusive, collaborative, outcome oriented and high-performance technology culture.
- Make informed decisions on the allocation of resources, investments and trade-offs in order to maximize impact and achieve business objectives.
This role may work remotely from a state where Caribou operates, with a preference for the SF Bay Area, Portland, Chicago and/or DC markets.*
About You:
You, like us, are driven to achieve your goals. At Caribou, we have just three core values: Give a damn. Velocity. Make the assist. We’re motivated. We race towards our goals. And we help each other along the way.
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field
- Minimum of 14 years of engineering experience (which includes at least 6 years of direct leadership experience), with a track record of hiring and growing senior leaders and managers.
- Strong technical background, with expertise in software development, architecture and best practices, inclusive of PDLC methodologies
- Exceptional communication skills with the ability to articulate complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Proven track record of delivery of complex features, capabilities and initiatives, rooted in attention to detail and strong organizational skills
- Strategic thinker with a outcome-oriented mindset and a passion for innovation
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, remote environment.
- Knowledge of the financial industry and/or experience in highly regulated industries, with a solid understanding of how to technically meet compliance requirements
How We will take care of you
Everyone at Caribou is a valued team member. Our compensation and benefits package includes:
- Competitive compensation: $260-300k
- Equity options
- 401k savings program
- Generous paid time off including: Flexible Time Off (FTO) for all employees and 100% paid parental leave for all parents.
- Robust wellness benefits including company-paid plans for health, dental, vision, mental health, disability and basic life insurance.
- Optional benefits to suit your individual circumstances such as HSAs, FSAs, supplemental life and medical insurance, and pet insurance.
- Up to $1,000 per year for eligible professional development expenses.
We come from all walks of life and are joined together by our shared values, which guide our work and how we work together.
- Give a damn. What we’re doing matters. We show up determined to deliver results, and we love it.
- Velocity. We’re intentional about where we’re going and we race towards it.
- Make the assist. We have diverse strengths. We offer and ask for help so we all win.
Caribou is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, pregnancy status, marital status, military or protected veteran status, genetics, or any other characteristic protected by law. This position is not restricted solely to the responsibilities listed above, and the scope and responsibilities are subject to change. A pre-employment background check is required as a condition of employment.
*Caribou does not currently have employee operations in AL, AK, AR, CT, HI, ID, IN, IA, KY, MS, MT, NE, NM, ND, OK, RI, SD, WV, WY.
