What it’s like to build a startup within Uber

After spending 3 years in consulting in both London and New York, Caroline Varga first joined Uber as a Senior Strategy & Planning Associate for our Mobility business before moving to Uber Direct. In over a year, she has launched and scaled our last-mile delivery business in the UK – curious to know how? Below she shares some insights into her fascinating career journey at Uber.

“I grew up in the countryside in the UK and studied Chemical Engineering at Cambridge University before starting my career in consulting. I have worked in London and New York but still have not decided if I am a countryside or city person at heart! In my free time I love hiking, eating dumplings and trying to keep houseplants alive.

I joined Uber four years ago. My first role was in Strategy & Planning for our Mobility business in Central & Eastern Europe, before becoming Head of Strategy & Planning for the UK & Northern Europe. I moved to our Delivery business to become the Head of Uber Direct last year.”

“Uber Direct is our last-mile delivery solution that enables merchants to add on-demand or scheduled deliveries to their own website or app. 

It’s powered by the same technology and network of couriers as Uber Eats and helps merchants to offer their customers a differentiated delivery experience vs. traditional delivery options. We are working with many top brands in the UK and globally, including supermarkets and restaurants (of course!) but also fashion brands, electronics stores and even merchants selling car parts.”

“Growing a new business within a big global company means that on one hand you have a real start-up mentality and lots of experimentation, and on the other hand you have amazing technology, global reach and so many people to learn from across the organisation.

After working in strategy for a few years, I was looking for a role which would help me develop additional skills such as P&L management, give me the opportunity to grow a bigger team and experience an earlier stage business – Uber Direct ticked all these boxes!”

“Uber Direct is a fast-growing business and with growth comes opportunity. We try new things every week and every individual has an impact on the future of the business. 
At Uber, one of our values is ‘see the forest and the trees’ and life in the Uber Direct team requires this every day: from thinking about the biggest, long-term opportunities, to ensuring every merchant who launches with us has the right product configurations.”

“Do your homework: research the product and market, ensuring you think about what is important for Uber, merchants and consumers.

Be yourself, showcase your skills and be really clear on why you are interested in the specific role.

Show that you are comfortable working in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment – we are building a new business after all #GoGetIt!”

Interested in joining us? Explore open roles →