Partner Manager

About Gusto

At Gusto, we're on a mission to grow the small business economy. We handle the hard stuff—like payroll, health insurance, 401(k)s, and HR—so owners can focus on their craft and customers. With teams in Denver, San Francisco, and New York, we’re proud to support more than 400,000 small businesses across the country, and we’re building a workplace that represents and celebrates the customers we serve. Learn more about our Total Rewards philosophy. 

About the Role:

We are seeking a Partner Manager to drive the strategy and growth of Gusto 401(k) through our Channel Partner network of Accounting and Advisor Firms. This is a strategic, portfolio management role that goes beyond traditional sales—you will own the full lifecycle of partner relationships, from acquisition to long-term development and expansion.

You'll serve as the primary point of contact for your assigned firms, building structured account plans, leading Quarterly Business Reviews, and coordinating cross-functional resources to grow both new and active partnerships. Success in this role requires balancing sales execution with relationship management and business operations—while leveraging AI-powered tools to prioritize opportunities and maintain a healthy, high-performing book of business within a regulated retirement environment.

Here’s what you’ll do day-to-day:

• Take a portfolio-based approach to your book of business to identify areas of risk and opportunities for revenue growth within your assigned Accounting and Advisor Firms.
• Build detailed plans to lead select Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) within your partner portfolio to identify opportunities for growth, including aligning the Gusto 401(k) Partner Program with each partner's strategic growth objectives.
• Work cross-functionally with senior members of Gusto’s team to strengthen the partner relationship, coordinate joint efforts, and provide input as we evolve our product roadmap and processes.
• Balance both new partner acquisition and the development and expansion of active partners.
• Act as a single point of contact for partners on behalf of aligned cross-functional sales supporting roles, coordinating internal resources to deliver a unified partner experience.
• Coordinate outreach strategy and partner enablement with cross-functional supporting functions to grow 401(k) adoption across your book of business.
• Lead frequent partner discussions—including weekly status calls, upsell conversations, and QBRs—to ensure partners are leveraging Gusto 401(k) to achieve successful outcomes for their clients and their firm.
• Educate Channel Partners on Gusto's partnership program, enabling them to better support their business clients through consultative selling and deep product knowledge.
• Drive awareness and adoption of new or updated Gusto 401(k) features and integrations, showcasing how these advancements can benefit partners and their clients.
• Own accurate lead, account, and activity tracking in Salesforce to support effective pipeline management, partner engagement, and leadership reporting.
• Apply empathy and deep product knowledge to understand client and partner needs and recommend tailored solutions.
• Communicate and report to leadership on sales activity, pipeline progress, partner health, and market trends.

Here’s what we're looking for:

• 5+ years of experience as a Partner Manager, Channel Manager, or other Sales-related function.
• Demonstrated ability to build and execute territory and account plans, including leading QBRs or similar strategic business reviews with external partners or clients.
• A consistent track record of exceeding sales quotas and building long-term client relationships.
• Experience balancing new business acquisition with active account development and retention.
• Strong cross-functional coordination skills—comfortable acting as a central point of contact and aligning internal teams around partner needs and growth objectives.
• Strong ability to articulate contractual, technical, and financial value points to partners, internal senior leaders, and executive leaders.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with comfort engaging stakeholders at all levels—from staff advisors to firm leadership.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities; you think strategically about your book of business, not just individual deals.
• Experience with CRM and Sales Software (e.g., Salesforce, ZoomInfo, Outreach).
• Deep understanding of the 401(k), financial advisor landscape, or workplace benefits space is a plus.

Our target on-target earnings (OTE) compensation for this role is $120,000/yr to $150,000/yr in Denver, Las Vegas, Chicago, Atlanta, Phoenix & most remote locations. This OTE is structured with a target 70% base pay and 30% commission pay with an uncapped commission structure.

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. 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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Personal information collected and processed as part of your Gusto application will be subject to Gusto's Applicant Privacy Notice.