Corporate Development & Partnerships Deal Lead

About Gusto 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: We are looking for a full stack Deal Lead to join Gusto’s Corporate Development and Partnerships team. The ideal candidate brings experience driving growth for software and financial technology companies through M&A and strategic partnerships, along with curiosity around using AI to accelerate that work. In this role, you will shape Gusto’s Build, Buy, Partner strategy and lead end to end transactions, leveraging AI tools to enhance market analysis, deal sourcing, and execution. Your contributions will play a key role in accelerating Gusto’s growth as we empower more than 400,000 small and mid sized businesses to take care of their people. About the Team: The Corporate Development and Partnerships team is a high impact group responsible for defining Gusto’s Build, Buy, Partner strategy and driving growth through M&A and strategic partnerships. As a small but mighty team, we use technology, data, and AI to uncover opportunities faster, strengthen decision making, and deliver results that expand Gusto’s impact. Here’s what you’ll do day-to-day: M&A and Partnership Strategy: Collaborate with product and executive leaders to refine strategy and roadmaps, using AI tools to assess markets, identify whitespace, and evaluate Build, Buy, Partner options. Deal Sourcing: Apply AI driven market mapping and data synthesis to identify and prioritize high potential targets and partners across industries. Deal Execution: Lead the end to end transaction process, leveraging AI for due diligence analysis, financial modeling, and scenario planning to support negotiations and decision making. Market and Competitive Intelligence: Use AI to monitor strategic trends, startup activity, and competitive shifts in real time to inform Gusto’s growth strategy. Business Case Development: Utilize AI assisted drafting and analysis tools to create clear, data informed deal memos, financial models, and executive presentations. Stakeholder Alignment: Generate concise, AI enabled updates that keep cross functional partners informed and aligned throughout each deal phase. Here’s what we're looking for: Experience: 10+ years of relevant experience in corporate development, partnerships, investment banking, venture capital, or private equity, including at least 3 years at a high growth software or fintech company. Deal Leadership: Proven ability to manage M&A and partnership deals end to end, now leveraging AI tools to increase speed, accuracy, and insight. Product Minded: Strong product intuition and ability to collaborate with product and engineering teams on strategy. Analytical Strength: Exceptional modeling and analytical skills, with interest in integrating AI to enhance data analysis and forecasting. Strategic Communicator: Skilled at distilling complex information into actionable insights and communicating across all levels of the organization. Our cash compensation range for this role is $190,215 to $234,599 in San Francisco, CA. Final offer amounts are determined by multiple factors, including candidate location, experience and expertise, an