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

Small business owners wear many hats. HR shouldn't be the one that keeps them up at night. As a Gusto HR Partner, you're the trusted HR expert in their corner, helping them hire well, keep great people, stay compliant, and handle the tough stuff with confidence.

Think of the role as project management with an HR specialty. You'll look after a group of small business clients and guide each one's People work from start to finish. You'll set the plan, keep things moving, and make sure nothing slips. You'll both offer expert advice and get into the weeds. One hour you're helping a founder map out how their team should grow and the next, you're writing a handbook, drafting a performance plan, or sitting in on a difficult conversation to help a manager feel ready.

We use technology for almost everything we do, and AI is how you keep it all manageable. It helps you pull up a client's full story before a call, draft a first version of a policy or coaching plan, check a state law, and move between clients without losing your place. You bring discernment, empathy, and expertise. The tech helps with the rest.

Relationships are the heart of this job. Small business owners need someone they trust, and you'll earn that by showing up, following through, and caring about their success. Your performance is measured by three things: how your book of clients grows, how long those relationships last and the quality of your work you deliver along the way.

Here’s what you’ll do day-to-day

Be their trusted advisor. You're the main point of contact for your clients, offering expert advice as well as managing priorities, timelines, and deliverables across your whole book.
Do the hands-on work. Write and update handbooks, policies, job descriptions, offer letters, and performance and separation documents. Handle onboarding and offboarding, and help with payroll, benefits, and leave.
Coach with confidence. Help owners and managers prepare for hard conversations about performance, conflict, and terminations, and step in to join those conversations when it helps.
Keep clients on the right side of the rules. Run compliance audits, stay on top of federal, state, and local requirements, and flag risks early.
Think strategically. Turn a client's goals into a practical People plan covering hiring, onboarding, development, retention, compensation, and change management.
Build lasting relationships. Learn what makes each client tick, spot what they'll need next, and grow the relationship over time.
Stay curious and champion change. We’re always adding new tools and finding better ways to work. You’ll learn quickly, adapt as things change, and share what you learn with the team. Then you’ll bring that same openness to clients, guiding them through change with clear communication and buy-in.

Here’s what we're looking for

4–8 years of HR experience as an HR Generalist, HR consultant, People Operations Specialist, HRBP, or similar, ideally across different industries and company sizes
Strong project management skills and the ability to keep balance multiple stakeholders and track deadlines