Sr. Engineering Manager, Monetization

Senior Engineering Manager, Monetization

Upwork ($UPWK) is the world’s largest work marketplace, connecting businesses with highly skilled professionals worldwide. From entrepreneurs to Fortune 100 enterprises, companies trust Upwork’s platform to access expert talent, leverage AI-powered work solutions, and drive meaningful business outcomes.

Upwork’s AI-powered platform has facilitated over $20 billion in economic opportunity for professionals worldwide. With professionals spanning 10,000+ skills, including AI and machine learning, software development, sales and marketing, customer support, finance and accounting, and more, Upwork empowers businesses of all sizes to scale, innovate, and build agile teams.

We are seeking a Senior Engineering Manager, Monetization to lead and scale a high-performing team of backend and frontend engineers. In this M4-level role, you’ll be responsible for driving the long-term technical vision, architecture, and execution of core monetization capabilities—including subscriptions, fees, and payment infrastructure. Your leadership will shape how Upwork structures and evolves its pricing and revenue models, ensuring that our systems are scalable, resilient, and user-centric. You will partner cross-functionally with senior leaders across Product, Finance, Data, and Engineering to deliver business-critical initiatives that fuel Upwork’s growth and mission.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior-level technical and organizational leadership to a team of engineers working on mission-critical monetization systems.
• Define and evolve the long-term architecture for subscriptions, fee structures, and payment models to support strategic business growth.
• Partner with senior Product, Finance, and Data leaders to define the roadmap and drive execution of revenue-generating initiatives across the organization.
• Build and sustain a culture of engineering excellence through strong mentorship, clear expectations, and continuous learning.
• Ensure the delivery of high-quality, performant, and secure systems that scale to meet the demands of a global user base.
• Make high-impact technical decisions and trade-offs that align with company priorities and engineering best practices.
• Establish and champion best practices in engineering, testing, observability, and operational excellence.
• Balance immediate business needs with long-term strategic investments to continuously improve Upwork’s monetization infrastructure.

What it takes to catch our eye

• Proven track record of leading and scaling engineering teams in high-growth, fast-paced environments.
• Deep experience with monetization platforms—such as subscriptions, transaction fees, and financial systems in a marketplace or SaaS context.
• Strong technical expertise in backend systems (Java, Python, or similar), and an understanding of frontend development principles.
• Experience designing and operating secure, high-scale payment processing systems or billing platforms.
• Demonstrated ability to influence cross-functional and executive stakeholders with clear communication and strategic insight.
• Excellent judgment and a data-informed approach to solving complex problems in a dynamic product ecosystem.
• Passion for building resilient, user-friendly, and business-critical infrastructure that directly impacts company growth.

Come change how the world works.

At Upwork, you’ll shape the future of work for a global, remote-first workforce, creating economic opportunities for professionals worldwide. While we have a physical office in Palo Alto, we currently hire full-time employees in 21 U.S. states, making it easier than ever to join our mission from wherever you call home.

Our culture is built on trust, risk-taking, customer focus, and excellence, all in service of our core mission: to create economic opportunities so people have better lives. We embrace authenticity and inclusion, encouraging everyone to bring their whole selves to work. Personal and professional growth is a priority here, supported through development programs, mentorship, and our Upwork Belonging Communities.

We’re proud to offer benefits that go beyond the basics, including comprehensive medical coverage for you and your family, unlimited PTO, a 401(k) plan with matching, 12 weeks of paid parental leave, and an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. Visit our Life at Upwork page to learn more about our values, working principles, and the overall employee experience.

Ready to help shape the future of work? Check out our Careers page and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X. to learn more about life at Upwork.

Upwork is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse and inclusive workforce. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, genetic information, or other legally protected characteristics under federal, state, or local law.

Please note that a criminal background check may be required once a conditional job offer is made. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered in accordance with applicable law, including the California Fair Chance Act and local Fair Chance ordinances.