Channel Partnerships Manager, Investor Ecosystems (VC & PE)

About the Role:

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.

About the Team:

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.

Here’s what you’ll do day-to-day:

• 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

Here’s what we're looking for:

• 5+ years of experience in partnerships, ecosystem development, venture or growth programs, or adjacent roles, with a track record of function-level impact
• 3+ 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 $153,000 to $195,000 USD for Denver, Phoenix, Atlanta metro areas and $180,815 to $230,000 USD for San Francisco & New York and $146,940-$185,000 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.