Head of Workplace Operations & Physical Security

About Gusto

Gusto is a modern, online people platform that helps small businesses take care of their teams. On top of full-service payroll, Gusto offers health insurance, 401(k)s, expert HR, and team management tools. Today, Gusto offices in Denver, San Francisco, and New York serve more than 400,000 businesses nationwide.

Our mission is to create a world where work empowers a better life, and it starts right here at Gusto. That’s why we’re committed to building a collaborative and inclusive workplace, both physically and virtually. Learn more about our Total Rewards philosophy

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About the Role:

As the Head of Workplace Operations & Physical Security at Gusto, you will play a key leadership role in shaping and scaling workplace programs that support employee well-being, safety, and operational excellence across our global footprint. Reporting to the Head of the Environment Team, you will lead the development and optimization of strategic programs in Facilities Operations, Environmental Health & Safety (EHS), and Physical Security.

This role focuses on building and evolving global workplace frameworks, policies, and vendor strategies that ensure scalable, consistent service delivery and compliance. You will lead cross-functional initiatives, drive process improvements, and empower a team of operators to deliver exceptional employee experiences.

This role is ideal for someone who thrives in fast-moving environments, can bring structure to ambiguity, and knows how to build programs that scale without adding unnecessary complexity.

About the Team:

The Environment Team is Gusto’s Workplace and Real Estate arm, focused on designing and delivering exceptional employee experiences across our five homebase offices — Denver, San Francisco, Scottsdale, New York City, and Toronto — as well as a network of flexible workspaces.

We empower the strategies behind Facilities Operations, Real Estate, Physical Security, and Office Experience, crafting spaces that reflect Gusto’s values and help employees do their best work. Each location is intentionally designed to feel personal and purpose-driven — enabling our teams to thrive and deliver meaningful impact to our customers.

We work closely with partners across Community & Inclusion, IT, Finance, and other cross-functional teams to create the best possible employee experience — one that is thoughtful, inclusive, and supports Gusto's mission at every level.

Here’s what you’ll do day-to-day:

Program Design & Strategy

• Develop and evolve scalable workplace programs across facilities operations, EHS, and physical security ensuring consistency across multiple sites and geographies and that support a distributed, hybrid workforce.
• Develop frameworks for core services (e.g., preventive maintenance, workplace services, vendor performance) and partner with local teams to operationalize them.
• Establish and continuously refine operating models, service level agreements (SLAs), and performance metrics across Facilities, EHS, and Security functions.
• Lead the evolution of physical security and EHS programs through policy creation, training, audits, and reporting mechanisms.
• Create and maintain global playbooks, service standards, and policies that guide workplace operations and vendor execution across all Gusto locations.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Real Estate, People, Legal, and IT to ensure alignment between physical environments and the employee experience.

Facilities Operations Leadership

• Lead the creation of systems and structures for preventative maintenance, space operations, office services, and vendor management.
• Partner with operational teams to assess current practices, identify gaps, and roll out initiatives to improve efficiency, AI and automation technology, sustainability, and experience.
• Collaborate on workplace design standards and tools that support hybrid work and a high-performing, inclusive employee environment.

Environmental Health & Safety (EHS)

• Own the strategic development of EHS programs and policies that ensure compliance, reduce risk, and promote well-being.
• Lead the strategic development of incident response, training, and reporting systems in partnership with Legal and HR.
• Establish scalable global safety training, audits, and reporting mechanisms to support company growth.

Physical Security Strategy

• Define the strategic roadmap for physical security, including access control systems, emergency response protocols, and visitor management.
• Manage key vendor relationships and ensure compliance with security standards and regulatory requirements.

Team & Vendor Leadership

• Lead and coach a team of workplace professionals and third-party providers, fostering a high-performance, service-oriented culture.
• Oversee third-party vendor strategy, including RFPs, contract negotiations, and long-term partnerships that align with program goals.
• Build strong partnerships with key vendors, holding them accountable to service-level agreements, cost targets, and Gusto values.

Measurement & Optimization

• Define and track KPIs related to facilities performance, safety, compliance, and employee satisfaction — using data to inform priorities and iterate on programs.
• Champion continuous improvement, pushing for simplicity, automation, and long-term sustainability in how we operate.
• Use insights and feedback loops to drive continuous improvement in service quality, compliance, and employee satisfaction.

Here’s what we're looking for:

• 7+ years of experience in program management within workplace services or facilities management and physical security, preferably within a fast-paced, technology environment.
• Strong program development skills — you know how to build systems, processes, and policies that scale without creating red tape.
• Familiarity with EHS and physical security standards and regulations (OSHA, SOX, etc.).
• A strategic mindset with an operator’s discipline — able to zoom out for big-picture planning and zoom in on executional details.
• A collaborative, low-ego style — you build trust quickly and work across functions with ease.
• Comfort with ambiguity and change — you’re energized by figuring things out as you go, and bringing others along.
• Proficiency in Google Workspace, Coupa, Jira and Asana is a plus