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. 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. Responsibilities 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. Qualifications 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 an 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, and may vary from the amounts listed above. 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 application procedures. #J-18808-Ljbffr