Full-Time

Head of Payroll Engineering

Gusto

Gusto

1,001-5,000 employees

Payroll, benefits, and HR solutions provider

Compensation Overview

$214k - $309k/yr

San Francisco, CA, USA

Hybrid

Employees are expected to work from the office approximately 2-3 days per week.

Category
💻Software Engineering (2)
,
Requirements
  • A seasoned engineering leadership background with 15+ years in the industry and 7+ years leading multiple teams and other People Empowerers in a senior leadership capacity.
  • A proven ability to scale and lead large organizations, with direct experience managing engineering teams of 50-100+ people, including developing other leaders and principal-level engineers.
  • Deep technical credibility and a hands-on approach, with the ability to dive into the details of system architecture, design, and code when needed.
  • Experience leading mature, at-scale products, with a demonstrated ability to balance long-term strategic investments with short-term business impact.
  • A strategic mindset for platform modernization, with demonstrated success leading teams through the evolution of legacy systems into modern, service-oriented architectures.
  • A passion for building exceptional teams and a strong track record of hiring, coaching, and retaining top-tier, diverse engineering talent.
  • Experience in a highly regulated or complex domain, such as FinTech, payroll, or tax, is a significant plus. Experience applying AI to existing mature products is also a plus.
Responsibilities
  • Set the technical north star for Gusto's core payroll and tax platforms, guiding the evolution of our architecture to be more scalable, reliable, and flexible for the future.
  • Build and nurture a world-class engineering organization of over 50, fostering a culture of excellence and investing deeply in the growth of our People Empowerers and senior technical leaders.
  • Deliver with excellence on a high-stakes roadmap, leading your teams to execute complex, deeply technical projects that are fundamental to our customers' trust and our business's success.
  • Drive the next generation of payroll innovation by partnering with product and design leaders to transform our customer experience from simply being possible to being truly magical.
  • Uplevel our engineering craft and operational rigor, championing a culture of quality, continuous improvement, and ownership for the systems that form the bedrock of Gusto.
  • Act as a key voice in Gusto's engineering leadership, collaborating across the company to influence strategy and ensure our payroll platform enables the ambitious future of our entire product ecosystem.
Desired Qualifications
  • Experience in a highly regulated or complex domain, such as FinTech, payroll, or tax, is a significant plus.
  • Experience applying AI to existing mature products is also a plus.

Gusto provides payroll, benefits, and human resources solutions specifically designed for small to medium-sized businesses. Its platform allows users to manage payroll processing, employee benefits, and HR tasks in one integrated system, making it easier for businesses that may not have extensive HR resources. Gusto operates on a subscription-based model, offering various pricing tiers to accommodate different business needs, from startups to established companies. This flexibility in pricing helps Gusto stand out from competitors by catering to a wide range of clients. The company's goal is to simplify the management of employee-related tasks, allowing businesses to focus on growth and improving employee satisfaction.

Company Size

1,001-5,000

Company Stage

Series E

Total Funding

$706.2M

Headquarters

San Francisco, California

Founded

2011

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Gusto's partnership with Elevate boosts customer satisfaction and service integration.
  • Embedded finance initiatives align with growing SaaS trends, enhancing Gusto's offerings.
  • Global HR solutions position Gusto to capitalize on international hiring trends.

What critics are saying

  • AI-powered platforms like Puzzle threaten Gusto's payroll and HR services.
  • Dependence on third-party tech like Elevate poses operational risks for Gusto.
  • Rapid adaptation for global HR needs may strain Gusto's resources.

What makes Gusto unique

  • Gusto offers an all-in-one HR, payroll, and benefits platform for SMEs.
  • Partnerships with Elevate and LinkedIn enhance Gusto's service offerings and market reach.
  • Gusto's subscription model provides flexible pricing for diverse business needs.

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Benefits

It’s a marathon, not a sprint: Employees celebrating 5 or 10 years at Gusto enjoy a month-long sabbatical to travel and relax after all their hard work.

Meals and conversations: Free meals, snacks, and drinks to keep us fueled, but more importantly: they bring people together and foster community.

Wellness for every body: We’re proud to offer inclusive health care such as hormone treatments, gender-affirming surgery, therapy, family planning, and more.

The time you need: Our flexible PTO policy means every employee is encouraged to take the time they need now to keep doing great work, long term.

Family-friendly benefits: Fertility treatments, primary and secondary parental leave, sleep coaching, house cleaning for new parents, and more.

Be well, be you: Get free, comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits, plus a monthly fitness stipend and mental health resources too.

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

0%

1 year growth

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2 year growth

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Recruiting Headlines
Jul 14th, 2025
From Search to Start: A Guide to Your Next Great Hire

In order to help, LinkedIn has partnered with Gusto to bring you this guide to effective hiring and onboarding.

PR Newswire
Jun 11th, 2025
Gusto Partners With Elevate To Enhance Consumer Benefit Account Offerings

Elevate's automated benefits technology helps drive 51% increase in user satisfactionDENVER, June 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Elevate , a modern consumer directed benefits administration platform, today announced a partnership with Gusto , which helps more than 400,000 small businesses take care of their teams by simplifying payroll, HR, benefits, and compliance. Through this partnership, Gusto now offers enhanced health savings accounts (HSAs), flexible spending accounts (FSAs), and commuter benefits to its small business customers – —complementing its existing benefits platform that includes health insurance and more.Elevate and Gusto have created a portal for benefits plan participants showcasing Gusto's bold branding, have built automated integrations for streamlined plan setup, onboarding, and enrollment, and have collaboratively transitioned existing accounts to the new platform.Following the HSA, FSA, and commuter benefits integration, Gusto achieved:26% reduction in questions per customer57% increase in customer likelihood to recommend Gusto products and services51% increase in customer satisfactionGusto chose Elevate as its new technology partner for its built-in automation, API-first design, flexible branding, and strong user experience. Gusto needed a partner that could move fast and scale alongside its growth."The decision to partner with Elevate was driven by our commitment to deliver the best possible experience for our small business customers," said Julia Miller, General Manager and Head of Benefits at Gusto. "Elevate's technology allows us to streamline our consumer account offerings, so our customers can enroll in, manage, and use these tax advantaged accounts with ease. We're excited about the initial results and the possibilities this partnership unlocks, further enabling Gusto to be a leading comprehensive benefits solution for small businesses and their teams.""Working with Gusto has been an incredible opportunity for us to demonstrate the full capabilities of the Elevate platform," said Brian Cosgray, CEO and co-founder of Elevate. "We're proud to provide a solution that not only meets Gusto's current needs but also provides a strong foundation for future growth and innovation

Daily Guardian
Apr 25th, 2025
Digits Integrates with Gusto to Deliver Financial Clarity For Small Business Owners

Digits integrates with Gusto to deliver financial clarity for small business owners.

Bastion
Mar 4th, 2025
Bastion Hires Chief Risk & Compliance Officer and Deputy General Counsel to Ensure Industry-Leading Regulatory Capabilities

Bastion appoints Rohan Kohli as Chief Risk & Compliance Officer and Beth Gibson as Deputy General Counsel, reinforcing its commitment to regulatory excellence in stablecoin infrastructure.

PR Newswire
Feb 11th, 2025
Toasty Card Tackles Corporate Gifting Challenges With An All-Inclusive Guide For The New Year

SEOUL, South Korea, Feb. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - Toasty Card , a leader in digital gifting solutions, has launched a comprehensive employee gifting guide designed to help businesses navigate the challenges of corporate gifting.This guide outlines the latest trends of the gifting industry, highlighting how Toasty Card helps organizations stay ahead with innovative strategies."In a rapidly evolving business landscape, understanding global gifting options is critical," Sungpil Kim, CEO of Toasty Card, explains."Toasty Card's gifting guide empowers businesses with knowledge to help them reward and thank both employees and clients in an increasingly globalized culture."This growing diversity underscores the importance of inclusive gifting solutions, as highlighted by a 2024 Gusto survey showing 75% of businesses plan to expand international hiring within the next one to three years.Toasty Card's expansion of its global catalog has simplified international gifting, with 13% of clients sending international gifts for the first time this year. This shift underscores the demand for inclusive, efficient gifting solutions that meet the needs of international teams.Sustainability is no longer just a trend but a critical expectation, with 70% of employees expressing a preference for sustainable gifts. Moreover, businesses are aligning gifting strategies with eco-friendly values, turning to electronic solutions to reduce waste and lower carbon footprints..Additionally, personalization and flexibility are becoming essential drivers of employee satisfaction. Modern businesses recognize that personalized rewards are more meaningful, making employees feel appreciated.Toasty Card addresses these priorities with fully-digital, personalized gifting solutions. The introduction of Toasty Card's AI-powered design tool has boosted orders by 17% in its first month, reflecting a growing demand for tailored gifts.To access the full report, please click here .About Toasty Card:A leader in digital gifting solutions, Toasty Card helps businesses recognize and reward their employees, clients, and partners worldwide