Financial Services Compliance Lead

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.

We’re looking for an experienced financial services compliance professional to lead product compliance support for our consumer financial products, commercial financial services, and payments offerings. In this high-impact, cross-functional role, you’ll serve as a strategic partner and trusted advisor across a wide range of product initiatives requiring compliance expertise and ongoing support. You’ll play a key role in designing and operationalizing scalable compliance solutions that strengthen Gusto’s financial services compliance program while enabling innovation and growth. This role reports to the Head of Financial Services Compliance and will collaborate closely with business leaders, product teams, legal, and compliance stakeholders to enable an effective, scalable compliance framework.

About the Role

Gusto’s Legal & Compliance team partners with product and engineering teams to enable innovation, facilitate responsible company growth, accelerate the Gusto roadmap, and provide compliant products to our customers, through solution-focused counsel on legal and business risks. We are passionate about using groundbreaking technology and excellent service to elevate the experience of small business owners and their employees. Each team member is a true owner and makes a tremendous impact every day.

About the Team

Gusto’s Legal & Compliance team partners with product and engineering teams to enable innovation, facilitate responsible company growth, accelerate the Gusto roadmap, and provide compliant products to our customers, through solution-focused counsel on legal and business risks. We are passionate about using groundbreaking technology and excellent service to elevate the experience of small business owners and their employees. Each team member is a true owner and makes a tremendous impact every day.

Here’s what we’d love to see you bring to the table:

The ideal candidate thrives in a cross-functional, fast-paced environment and is passionate about the intersection of financial services and technology and is excited to build compliant financial services products for our customers. This role requires strong collaboration and a demonstrated ability to work well independently under pressure, while contributing to cross-functional teams. This role also requires a demonstrated ability to build consensus and build strong relationships in addition to having industry leading expertise in financial services regulations, particularly in consumer protection, lending, and payments. You will be an embedded compliance partner to key areas of Gusto's business which will enable financial services offerings and payment solutions for our customers.

Here’s what you’ll do day-to-day:

• Establish deep partnership with key business stakeholders to provide practical, business-oriented compliance guidance on complex regulations in lending, embedded finance, and payments
• Collaborate closely with Product, Engineering, Marketing, Legal, and Compliance teams on new product launches, strategic partnerships, and marketing collateral review to ensure robust compliance alignment and support business growth.
• Assist in the development, implementation, and ongoing enhancement of Gusto’s broader Compliance Management Program to ensure alignment with federal and state regulatory requirements.
• Partner with our Government & Regulatory Affairs team to own Financial Services & Payments change management processes to track, communicate, and implement new regulatory requirements affecting products, services, and business operations.
• Conduct product- and partner-specific program requirements including collaborating with banking partners to design and execute external audit schedules.
• Support vendor onboarding, risk assessments, and due diligence reviews. Serve as a liaison with Gusto’s Payments and Financial Services banking partners for program audits and compliance reporting.
• Oversee consumer protection and Payments compliance controls related to Deposit Account Banking compliance, Lending Compliance, and a wide range of federal and state requirements (e.g. TILA, TCPA, CAN-SPAM, UDAAP, NACHA, Reg E, TISA, etc.)
• Implement and oversee product compliance monitoring, training, risk assessments, and third-party audits for multiple financial services products.
• Work closely with engineering, product, and operations teams to enhance compliance controls, policies, and documentation in response to evolving regulations.
• Support compliance examinations, regulatory inquiries, and responses to findings.
• Assist in identifying, escalating, and resolving compliance issues related to financial services products.

Here’s what we're looking for:

• 10+ years of relevant compliance experience in an in-house legal, compliance, or risk function at a regulated financial institution or Financial Services company.
• Proven experience in building and scaling compliance programs and driving compliance strategy
• Proven ability working as an embedded expert supporting Product, Engineering, Marketing, Legal, and Compliance teams on new product launches, strategic partnerships, and marketing collateral review processes.
• Strong expertise in financial services and payments compliance, including familiarity with consumer protection regulations TILA, TISA, FDCPA, FCRA, ECOA, Reg E, UDAAP, and NACHA.
• Enthusiasm for how technology and AI can streamline and improve compliance processes.
• Experience integrating and reporting product compliance risks and controls into enterprise wide risk and compliance frameworks.
• Ability to issue spot, provide sound judgement calls, and to drive remediation for internal/external audit and examination findings.
• Passion for building products and services for small businesses and their employees
• A “Builder” mindset with a keen interest in leveraging AI forward technology and a history of successful third party interactions (e.g. strategic partners, regulators, etc).
• Strong problem-solving skills with a business-oriented approach to legal and regulatory risks.
• Ability to analyze and distill complex regulations into actionable guidance for business partners.
• A collaborative, adaptable mindset—no job is too big or too small.

This is a high-impact role with opportunities to shape Gusto’s financial services compliance strategy while partnering across the organization to deliver compliant, customer-centric products.

Gusto has physical office spaces in Denver, San Francisco, and New York City. Employees who are 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.

Note: The San Francisco office expectations encompass both the San Francisco and San Jose metro areas.

When approved to work from a location other than a Gusto office, a secure, reliable, and consistent internet connection is required.

Our customers come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds, not just because it's the right thing to do, but because it makes our company stronger. If you share our values and our enthusiasm for small businesses, you will find a home at Gusto.

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. We want to see our candidates perform to the best of their ability. If you require a medical or religious accommodation at any time throughout your candidate journey, please fill out this form and a member of our team will get in touch with you.

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