Head of Compliance and Enterprise Risk Management San Francisco, CA;New York, NY

Gusto

San Francisco, CA 94199

United States

Posted June 24, 2025

{VOLUNTEER,INTERN}

Valid until July 24, 2025

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Job Description

Head of Compliance and Enterprise Risk Management

About Gusto

Gusto is a modern, online people platform that helps small businesses take care of their teams. On top of full-service payroll, Gusto offers health insurance, 401(k)s, expert HR, and team management tools. Today, Gusto offices in Denver, San Francisco, and New York serve more than 400,000 businesses nationwide.

Our mission is to create a world where work empowers a better life, and it starts right here at Gusto. That’s why we’re committed to building a collaborative and inclusive workplace, both physically and virtually. Learn more about our Total Rewards philosophy .

Job Summary

Gusto is seeking a highly experienced and strategic compliance leader to join our team as Head of Compliance and Enterprise Risk Management. In this role, you would empower our corporate compliance functions, including payroll, financial crime, financial services and health care compliance, and policy and regulatory affairs to hold Gusto accountable and responsible for managing and thriving under a complex regulatory environment. You will ensure that our employees understand our compliance requirements and are appropriately trained on relevant laws and regulations. You would also work closely with and advise our Legal, CX, Engineering, Product and Design and other teams on our platform of product offerings and features to ensure that our products are compliant with various laws, regulations, third party requirements, and our own standards. You should have a deep understanding of regulatory requirements, risk management, and the ability to navigate complex regulatory landscapes. You will work closely with regulators, manage licensing processes, and manage audits and examinations to ensure that the organization meets all compliance obligations. You will empower and lead a multi-disciplinary team of compliance experts. You will be the center of building and maintaining a compliance culture at Gusto to help us grow and scale our business.

Here’s what you’ll do day-to-day:

Lead our compliance function and team to promote a strong compliance culture; oversee framework and program for enterprise risk management and work with leaders to ensure effective implementation.
Build and maintain a robust compliance management system that effectively encapsulates our financial services, healthcare, tax, payroll, and other offerings.
Oversee the compliance risk management framework that incorporates risk assessment, training, monitoring, testing, issue management, and reporting. Create and build a policies and procedures program.
Advise the business on products and features and advise on remediation of compliance issues. You will work closely with our Legal, CX, Engineering, Product & Design and other teams to help develop and remediate our products and processes through the creation of clear feedback loops to influence long term product success.
Evaluate business objectives and regulatory developments, and propose compliance solutions within risk tolerance and regulatory requirements.
Lead the regulatory function and strategy, including managing state and federal licenses and examinations and audits and implementing action plans, corrective actions or program improvements, in coordination with key stakeholders.
Lead the policy and government affairs function responsible for developing a robust regulatory change management program and leading on policy and government relations initiatives.
Design, implement and maintain an enterprise risk management program that aligns with industry regulations, best practices and Gusto’s business needs. Lead enterprise risk reporting with the Board of Directors and senior leadership.
Mature complaint management process and reporting.
Be a strong champion of technology (including AI) and analytics to improve risk mitigation and build compliance programs.

Here’s what we’re looking for:

12+ years of regulatory compliance experience in a highly regulated industry such as payroll, tax, insurance, insurtech, fintech or financial services. Strong regulatory compliance experience in the financial services industry is highly preferred.
Strong knowledge of relevant laws and regulations and experience building scalable compliance programs in areas of anti-money laundering/KYC/EDD, money movement, payments and financial services products, including use of technology and outsourcing to scale capabilities.
Significant experience developing, training and retaining a high-performing team, as well as a strong track-record of grooming successors.
Robust experience enhancing compliance programs to meet the needs of a heightened regulatory landscape.
Experience with building and maintaining credible relationships with state and federal regulators and leading regulatory examinations and audits.
Experience developing and delivering a comprehensive compliance program identifying, monitoring and controlling regulatory risks in a highly-complex, integrated organization.
Proven experience in developing, implementing and scaling enterprise risk management frameworks and compliance programs.
Experience advising the business on compliance risks associated with building product offerings in highly regulated industries.
Enhanced knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, and agency rules that pertain to the financial industry.
Expert knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, production methods, and coordination of resources.
Significant experience presenting to regulators, Executive and Senior Management, the Board of Directors, and audit and risk committees.
Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, with the ability to assess and mitigate compliance risks effectively.
Fluency translating complex issues into practical, risk adjusted, business-oriented advice.
Aptitude and appetite for identifying, developing and implementing critical process improvements.
Exemplary communication skills and proven ability to educate, inspire, and drive commitment cross-functionally.

Location and Travel

Gusto has physical office spaces in Denver, San Francisco, and New York City. All Gusto roles posted in these metro areas come with the expectation of working from the office on designated days approximately 2-3 days per week (or more depending on role and business travel expectations). 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 role would include travel ~5-7 trips annually.

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.

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. Gusto considers qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. Gusto is also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. We want to see our candidates perform to the best of their ability. If you require a medical or religious accommodation at any time throughout your candidate journey, please fill out this form and a member of our team will get in touch with you.

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Our customers come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire people from a wide variety of backgrounds, not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it helps us to build better products, better serve our customers, and makes our company stronger.

In addition to the information required to consider your application, below is a set of demographic questions that help us identify areas for improvement in our process and further support the development and execution of our diversity efforts and programs as well as to create a more inclusive environment for all employees.

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