Head of Accountant Partner Program

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 The accounting industry is at an inflection point. AI is fundamentally reshaping how firms operate, advisory services are displacing compliance‑only engagements, and the platforms that win accountant loyalty in the next two years will define the category for the decade after. Gusto's Accountant Partner Program is one of the most strategically important levers in the business, and we need a senior leader to own its full arc — from strategy and program design through enablement and team development. As the Head of Accountant Partner Program, you will own the strategic direction, operational architecture, and multi‑year investment thesis for Gusto's Accountant Partner Program. In addition to your IC ownership of program strategy, you will directly manage two enablement ICs: a Channel Partner Enablement Manager and a Senior Enablement Manager, Accountants. Together this team owns how accounting firm partners and channel partners are activated, onboarded, and trained. You will set the overarching enablement strategy and develop both individuals as the team scales. This role reports directly to the Head of Indirect GTM and operates with wide latitude over objectives, approaches, and program design across the Accountant Partner Program. About the Team The Indirect GTM team at Gusto owns the Accountant Partner Program – Gusto's scaled path to SMB customers through accounting firm partners. The team is lean, cross‑functional, and moves fast. You'll work closely with product, sales, marketing, finance, and operations – and spend meaningful time externally as one of Gusto's spokespersons in the accountant partner community. The program is entering a period of significant investment, and this role sets the agenda for where and how that investment lands. Responsibilities Set the Accountant Partner Program strategy and multi‑year investment thesis – defining where Gusto should place bets across program components, how capital should be allocated, and what the accountant channel looks like at 10x scale. Represent Gusto’s external voice in the accountant partnership space – representing the company at industry events, shaping Gusto's public POV on the future of accounting firm partnerships, and building Gusto's reputation as the standard of excellence in the partner program community. Lead market research and competitive intelligence – maintaining a continuous view of how competitors and the broader industry are evolving, and translating that into strategic recommendations that shape program design and capital allocation. Collaborate with Partner Marketing on program brand and external positioning – identifying and executing on awards, thought leadership, speaking opportunities, and industry partnerships that establish Gusto as the program of choice for accounting firms. Build and own external partner relationships for program benefits – sourcing, negotiating, and operationalizing vendor and platform partnerships (e.g., AI tooling, firm consultants) that deliver tangible, differentiated value to accountant partners. Own the end‑to‑end operationalization of the program internally – consolidating fragmented program components (support, incentives, rev‑share, orchestration, AI agents) into a cohesive, AI‑leveraged operating model with clear ownership and accountability across functions. Own program financial management and ROI – determining how investment is deployed, monitoring performance by tier (CAC:LTV, activation rates, GNARR contribution), and presenting the return story to executive leadership. Lead and develop two enablement ICs – managing the Partner Enablement Manager for Channel and the Senior Enablement Manager for Accountants (responsible for partner onboarding and training). Set the overarching enablement strategy and ensure the team delivers quality and scale. Identify and drive resolution of gaps across adjacent program areas – proactively surfacing where challenges in support, tooling, or partner experience are creating friction and driving cross‑functional resolution. Collaborate with Partner Operations on the partner program tech stack – shaping the architecture of how Gusto manages, orchestrates, and scales accountant partner relationships at volume, including agentic enablement capabilities. Qualifications 15+ years of experience in partner programs, channel strategy, customer/partner support, or business development with a demonstrated track record of building category‑defining programs at scale – ideally with meaningful exposure to the accounting or professional services industry. Proven experience as a principal architect of partner program infrastructure – designed and owned rev‑share structures, tiered benefits, partner incentives, program governance, and multi‑year investment theses. People management experience – managed and developed ICs in partner enablement, channel, or GTM functions, set direction, removed blockers, and grew people while staying close to the work. Enablement fluency – command of partner enablement best practices: onboarding design, CPE programming, certification tracks, and activation at scale. Recognized external expert and thought leader in the accountant channel or partner program space – represented companies publicly, shaped industry POV, and built credibility with partners and vendors. External partnership depth – negotiated complex vendor and platform contracts, managed high‑stakes third‑party relationships, and operationalized partnerships from concept through scale. Operational rigor – consolidated fragmented program operations across complex organizations and built systems and processes that let programs run at scale without breaking. Executive‑level financial acumen – owned program P&Ls, built multi‑year investment models, and presented capital allocation recommendations to senior leadership. AI fluency and strategic foresight – understand how AI is reshaping the accounting industry and partner ecosystems, actively use AI tools, and set Gusto's POV on future directions. Cross‑functional leadership at senior levels – shaped strategy with exec stakeholders, drove outcomes across product, sales, finance, and operations, and built formal networks with key decision makers inside and outside the company. Compensation Target on‑target range for this role is $200,000/yr to $250,000 USD/yr in Denver & most remote locations, $250,000/yr to $300,000 USD/yr for San Francisco, & New York and $250,000 - $280,000 CAD for Toronto. Final offer amounts and the exact base/commission split are determined by multiple factors including candidate location, experience, and expertise and may vary from the amounts listed above. Work Location Gusto has physical office spaces in Denver, San Francisco, and New York City. Employees 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. 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. EEO Statement 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. If you require a medical or religious accommodation at any time during your candidate journey, please contact us. #J-18808-Ljbffr Gusto