Channel Partnerships Manager, Investor Ecosystems (VC & PE)

Gusto is looking for a VC & PE Partnerships Manager to own and scale our relationships across venture capital (VC) and private equity (PE) firms.

This role sits at the intersection of partnerships, investing, and go-to-market strategy. You’ll own how Gusto engages with the investor ecosystem in a way that is thoughtful, scalable, and aligned with long-term business priorities, and you’ll be accountable for the results of that motion across the function. Rather than managing a broad set of one-off relationships, this role focuses on building high-leverage, programmatic ecosystem partnerships that consistently show up early in a founder’s journey.

You’ll partner closely with teams across various Partnerships teams, Marketing, Events, and Sales to define the right portfolio, engagement model, and success metrics for this motion.

The Channel Partnerships function sits within Gusto’s broader Partnerships organization. We work cross-functionally to extend Gusto’s reach through trusted partners, while ensuring our motions scale sustainably over time. This team acts as a connective layer between the startup ecosystem and Gusto’s go-to-market engine—balancing long-term relationship building with clear ownership, guardrails, and outcomes.

• Own Gusto’s VC & PE partnership strategy end to end, accountable for results across the function

• Define and maintain a clear partner portfolio, including which partners warrant 1:1 investment versus scaled engagement

• Build repeatable, programmatic partnership motions (e.g., portfolio company programs, founder and operator education, marketplace or platform integrations)

• Serve as the Tier 1 point of contact for a core group of high-impact ecosystem partners

• Collaborate closely with Partner Marketing and Events to design scalable programs and moments of engagement

• Partner with Recruit and other internal teams to align on net-new partner sourcing over time

• Track and evaluate ecosystem impact across metrics such as ARR, pipeline influence, and founder reach

• Represent Gusto externally as a credible, recognized voice in the VC & PE ecosystem, and provide thought leadership to internal teams and external partners

• 10+ years of experience in partnerships, ecosystem development, venture or growth programs, or adjacent roles, with a track record of function-level impact

• 4+ years of experience with the venture capital and private equity ecosystem , including founders, operators, and investors

• Proven ability to independently lead complex, cross-functional partnership initiatives that balance relationship depth with scalability

• Strong judgment around where to invest time and where to say “not now”

• Comfort working cross-functionally and influencing without direct authority

• Ability to translate ambiguous inputs into clear strategy and execution plans

• Experience working at or closely with a VC or PE firm, high-growth company, or ecosystem platform

• Background in program design, portfolio engagement, or platform partnerships

• Experience evaluating partnership impact beyond direct revenue attribution

Our cash compensation amount for this role is $185,000 to $200,000 USD for Denver, Phoenix, Atlanta, Chicago metro areas and $215,000 to $235,000 USD f or San Francisco & New York and $170-$190 CAD for Toronto. Final offer amounts are determined by multiple factors including candidate location, experience and expertise and may vary from the amounts listed above.