At Gusto, we're on a mission to grow the small business economy. We handle the hard stuff , payroll, health insurance, 401(k)s, and HR , so owners can focus on their craft and their customers.

With teams in Denver, San Francisco, and New York, we support more than 500,000 small businesses nationwide and are building a workplace that reflects the people we serve.

All full-time employees receive competitive base pay, benefits, and equity (RSUs) , because everyone who helps build Gusto should share in its success. Offer amounts are determined by role, level, and location. Learn more about our Total Rewards philosophy.

AI is a fundamental part of how work gets done at Gusto. We expect all team members to actively engage with AI tools relevant to their role and grow their fluency as the technology evolves. AI experience requirements vary by role and will be assessed during the interview process.

About the Role: The Senior Compensation Partner is a core member of Gusto's People team, responsible for building and scaling the compensation programs that help us attract, retain, and reward top talent. This role exists to bring rigor, fairness, and strategic clarity to how Gusto thinks about pay , operating at the intersection of data, policy, and people.

Operating with a systems-first, AI-aware mindset, the Senior Compensation Partner uses automation, scalable workflows, and well-designed tooling to improve decision quality, ensure compliance, and reduce reliance on manual, one-off analysis. This role partners closely with HR Business Partners, Finance, Legal, and business leaders to ensure our compensation programs are grounded in market reality and aligned to our values.

Success in this role is measured by the quality and fairness of compensation decisions, the scalability and reliability of our programs, and the degree to which the organization can operate with confidence , without constant intervention or heroics.

Gusto's compensation function, built on first-principles thinking, is at an inflection point , scaling from early foundations to a mature, high-trust operation. You'll have real ownership to shape how we design and deliver compensation as the company grows.

Here’s what you’ll do day-to-day:

• Develop, implement, and communicate Gusto's compensation programs, policies, and procedures, ensuring internal equity, external competitiveness, and alignment with business strategy.

• Partner with and influence key stakeholders , including HRBPs, Finance, and senior leadership , to translate compensation philosophy into clear, actionable programs.

• Lead annual compensation cycles (merit, equity refresh, benchmarking) and own the end-to-end process from data collection through communication.

• Perform market analyses and compensation studies using survey data (e.g., Radford/Aon, Mercer, Pave) to recommend pay ranges, job levels, and offer positioning.

• Use AI tools and automation thoughtfully to accelerate analysis, synthesize benchmarking data, and reduce planning and reporting load , while maintaining sound judgment around data quality and decision guardrails.

• Design and maintain scalable compensation workflows and tooling , automating recurring analyses, audit processes, and reporting so programs run reliably without manual intervention.

• Build and maintain compensation dashboards and data visualizations that give leaders real-time insight into pay equity, market positioning, and budget utilization.

• Craft competitive, compelling offers to attract top-tier talent, and build playbooks to help recruiters and HRBPs communicate Gusto's total rewards story.

• Ensure ongoing compliance with federal, state, and local pay regulations , including pay transparency laws, FLSA classification standards, and emerging pay equity requirements , and proactively flag legislative changes.

• Partner with People Operations to integrate and optimize HRIS and compensation tools, ensuring data accuracy and system scalability as the company grows.

Here’s what we're looking for:

• 8+ years of experience in Compensation, Total Rewards, People Operations, or a related analytical function , ideally in a high-growth technology environment.

• AI fluency: hands-on experience using AI tools or automation to accelerate analysis or synthesis, paired with strong judgment around trust and validation.

• Hands-on experience running compensation cycles (merit, equity, benchmarking) and building scalable programs from early-stage to maturity.

• Survey benchmarking fluency: direct experience with Radford/Aon, Mercer, or comparable compensation survey tools and methodologies.

• Systems-first orientation: experience building durable workflows, automating reports, or designing operating mechanisms that reduce recurring manual work.

• Strong analytical foundation: advanced spreadsheet skills (Excel, Google Sheets), comfort with data modeling, and experience building dashboards or visualizations that leaders actually use.

• Knowledge of compensation and employment law, including FLSA, pay transparency statutes, and pay equity frameworks , or foundational knowledge with a clear drive to build expertise.

• Clear, concise communicator who can translate complex pay data into narratives and recommendations for non-specialist audiences, including executives.

• Comfort operating at multiple altitudes , from hands-on analysis and modeling to advising leadership on compensation philosophy and strategy.

• High integrity and intellectual curiosity; someone who asks hard questions about fairness and market position, and isn't satisfied with the status quo.

• Background in Mathematics, Finance, Statistics, Economics, or a related quantitative field is preferred but not required.

Gusto offers competitive cash compensation, equity, and a comprehensive benefits package. Our cash compensation range for this role is $124,000 to $150,000 in Denver, and $152,000 to $185,000 in San Francisco and New York. Final offer amounts are determined by multiple factors, including candidate location, experience, and expertise. Gusto's Total Rewards philosophy is rooted in transparency, fairness, and the belief that people do their best work when they feel secure and valued. As a member of the compensation team, you'll have unique visibility into , and influence over , the programs that define that experience for every Gustie.

Gusto has physical office spaces in Denver, San Francisco, and New York City. Employees who are based in those locations will be expected to work from the office on designated days approximately 2-3 days per week (or more depending on role). The same office expectations apply to all Symmetry roles, Gusto's subsidiary, whose physical office is in Scottsdale. Note: The San Francisco office expectations encompass both the San Francisco and San Jose metro areas. When approved to work from a location other than a Gusto office, a secure, reliable, and consistent internet connection is required. This includes non-office days for hybrid employees.

Our customers come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds, not just because it's the right thing to do, but because it makes our company stronger. If you share our values and our enthusiasm for small businesses, you will find a home at Gusto. Gusto is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in hiring or any employment decision based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or other applicable legally protected characteristic.

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In this position, you will work closely with the Employee Payments Team to understand end-to-end payroll processes for U.S. employees, ensure compliance with local regulations, accurate data management, and timely payments. You will also address employee queries and collaborate with HR, external service providers, and finance teams.

Key responsibilities include:

• Processing payroll in adherence with federal, state, and regional pay guidelines (including UAW CBA), while ensuring employees are paid timely and correctly.
• Utilizing and understanding how to follow detailed Payroll Runbooks, assist in auditing payroll runs, including key pre-validations of data.
• Execution of payroll runs and other processes using Oracle Cloud Payroll System.
• After each pay period, review the variance analysis for earnings, tax deductions (i.e. FICA, Federal, State of Employment, State of Residency, Hypo Taxes, etc.), and other elements of pay and prepare an explanation of variance(s) if needed.
• Prepare Ops Review Metrics data and slides for the quarterly Op Review and Metrics meeting, as it relates to the balance adjustments and W-2/W-2C stats.
• Prepare balance adjustments for current tax year and corrections of W-2s for prior tax years in the payroll system, including, but not limited to:
• Unearned wages that are repaid, working in collaboration with other functional teams (the Earnings team within Payroll, Cash Application team, and Receivables team).
• State employment/residency, FICA exempt/non-exempt, and Federal tax corrections & refunds, working closely with local HR reps, People First HR team, and the payroll help desks.
• Assist with the year-end W-2 process, including, but not limited to:
• Work closely with other internal HR areas and external partners to ensure that all required information is included in employees’ payroll records and W-2s.
• Maintain and update the timetable (checklist) that tracks all W-2 year-end tasks to ensure all items are completed timely.
• Conducted multiple audit reviews and testing to ensure accuracy of employees’ payroll records, including their W2s.
• Understanding and maintaining accuracy of paid time off plan configuration and balances for both statutory and plans defined in the UAW CBA.
• Assist with supplemental unemployment payments for five states per the guidelines of the UAW CBA.
• Assist with the pay-related implementation of a new hourly timekeeping system.
• Fast-paced environment where attention to detail and a commitment to confidentiality are essential.
• Assist with research & resolution of all discrepancies, including all internal and external audit requests in a timely manner.
• Assist other internal business partners (i.e., HR, Employee Benefits Team, etc.) in implementing new or changes to existing FLSA, FMLA, and other common payroll compliance-related topics and/or programs.
• Troubleshoot system issues and test system configuration changes.
• Participate in continuous company improvement initiatives by identifying and correcting inefficiencies.

Requirements include:

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, or a related field is required.
• 5+ years of experience processing and/or calculating payroll in a multi-state environment.
• Familiar with payroll software and systems is a must, including Oracle Cloud or a similar payroll system.
• Payroll tax experience is a must (international tax experience is desirable).
• Must keep abreast of legislative / regulatory updates and best practices for payroll including but limited to FLSA, FMLA, and other common payroll compliance-related topics.
• Understanding accounting principles (debits, credits, general ledger, month-end and quarter-end close, etc.).

Preferred qualifications include:

• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) desirable.
• Must be proficient in Excel, Word, PowerPoint.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Quick learner, self-motivated, can multi-task, and change priorities quickly.
• Proactive, excellent attention to detail, and strong analytical abilities.
• Good communication and presentation skills.

Salary and benefits:

This position is a salary grade 6 - 8 and ranges from $72,480 - 162,120.

For more information on salary and benefits, click here: https://fordcareers.co/GSR

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