Head of RISE, Gusto
Chief Diversity Officer
$164-275k
Salary is dependent on location. + Equity
2-3 days a week in office
Automated payroll, benefits & HR platform
Job no longer available
Automated payroll, benefits & HR platform
1001+ employees
Job no longer available
$164-275k
Salary is dependent on location. + Equity
2-3 days a week in office
1001+ employees
Company mission
To create a world where work empowers a better life.
Role
Who you are
- 10+ years of deep People Team work, with 5+ years running DEI teams at scale - experience building and managing high performing teams across multiple disciplines of DEI
- Proven leadership in People domains with high operational complexity and in fast-growing, dynamic, change-heavy environments
- Experience as the Head of RISE/Diversity efforts or as a strong #2
- Track record of building representative companies at all levels, from the Board & the C-Suite, to the broader manager and employee population
- Deep understanding of how race and its intersections have impacted tech and corporate environments; and how to enact lasting, systemic changes in representation and equitable outcomes for historically underrepresented populations
- Ability to build strong, effective cross-functional partnerships across the business and drive leader-led progress on RISE
- Results oriented but also employee-focused: You care deeply about the people on your team, helping them to achieve their personal and professional goals, and enabling them to do the best work of their lives
What the job involves
- RISE (Representation, Inclusion, Social Impact and Equity) work is foundational to everything we do at Gusto
- As our business grows and our needs become more complex, it’s vital we continue to evolve our approach to RISE; identifying and enacting proven practices that drive successful business results and increase inclusive and equitable outcomes
- The Head of RISE will be a key partner to the Head of People and work closely with the Head of Gusto and other organizational leaders on Talent Strategy and RISE related program/policy initiatives
- This role is an opportunity to be a true leader in our organization, with a high level of responsibility as well the full support of our executive team
- Internally, you’ll lead Gusto’s RISE efforts, driving improvements in Representation, Inclusion, Social Impact, and Equity. This includes creating, aligning and executing Gusto’s RISE Strategy for the next chapter of company scaling and building
- You will be responsible for setting and guiding progress to RISE Aspirational Goals for each organization, alongside the leader who is accountable for them
- You will create and execute programs around RISE for the broader company, including, but not limited to, our RISE learning journeys for leaders, managers and Gusties, strategic partnerships, our RISE annual report, and more
- Support Gusto’s nine affinity groups through providing resources, guidance and counsel as these communities grow
- You will work cross-functionally across the People team to ensure our People programs and processes (hiring, onboarding, development, promotion, job architecture, total rewards) drive inclusive and equitable outcomes
- You’ll serve as Gusto’s Chief Diversity Officer, externally. As a company that makes a People product, this role is highly visible and you’ll be called on to influence + inform Product development, represent Gusto to our customers, and be a highly engaged and visible thought leader on People topics
- Starting direct team size will be 4 full-time RISE professionals, with room to grow in the future
- Demonstrated Industry Comprehension:
- The Head of RISE will have a combination of professional experiences that could stem from many backgrounds, but always involving DE&I strategies and focus
- They will be able to fly at multiple altitudes, leveraging their experiences as an operator to lead a team of executors while being able to influence senior leadership members on RISE initiatives as they apply to Gusto’s business initiatives and internal teams
- Having a background from a variety of industries plus experience in software technology organizations with a deep partnership with Engineering, Product, Design, and Data Teams will allow for this person to make an immediate impact on our RISE journey
- Data Driven Problem Solving & Influential Partnership:
- The Head of Rise will drive influence when working with Gusto Leaders
- You will leverage your data-driven skills and DEI expertise to educate leaders on RISE practices, facilitate discussions, make recommendations, and provide solutions to the business
- This role will be leveraged to thoughtfully and effectively act as a sounding board for decisions and for rolling out company changes to ensure they are inclusive and welcoming to people of all backgrounds
- You will also take charge in ensuring that all Gusties are aligned with the RISE goals and that we are collectively fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment for all
- Builder Mentality:
- The Head of RISE has a builder mindset and sets ambitious RISE goals while enabling the company to accomplish those goals
- You will own, improve, and drive our RISE programs across the company and be the leadership liaison to our Affinity Groups
- You will partner with our communications team on internal and external narratives as the primary spokesperson for our RISE program
- You will also facilitate diverse hiring practices in partnership with our Talent Team to ensure the entire Gustie experience is disciplined on our RISE practices and goals to create a consistent Gustie experience that reflects our culture
- People Leadership:
- Build and engage a diverse team of equity and inclusion officers
- The Head of RISE finds joy and fulfillment from mentoring and developing their team
- Create Clarity:
- The Head of RISE is an expert communicator and has the ability to help the company navigate sensitive issues
- Having the ability to create clarity in the way they communicate and operate will be a key attribute to be successful in this role
- Beyond creating clarity, the Head of RISE will thrive on building deep relationships with all organizational leaders and be able to drive thoughtful and strategic partnership on RISE initiatives
- This person will be the face and voice of RISE at Gusto, for Gusties, Gustomers, and outside parties
- It’s important that the Head of RISE strikes a balance between being direct and real with finesse and tact to inspire the masses
Otta's take
Xav Kearney
CTO of Otta
For many small businesses, vital administrative tasks such as payroll, taxes, and benefits are manual tasks that take time and energy which many SMB owners don’t have. The three co-founders of Gusto – all coming from small business backgrounds – collaborated on a Fintech company that would handle employee payments, benefits administration, and compliance support specifically for small businesses.
The company may have started slowly, as the founders focused on nailing each individual aspect of Gusto’s operations, but has now skyrocketed to unicorn status with more than 200,000 customers and a multi-billion dollar valuation. In 2021, Gusto began acquiring other companies to strengthen its offering and its position in a competitive market, including two other fintech startups, Ardius and Symmetry.
Through its continued acquisitions and fundraising efforts, the company has carved out a strong position for itself in the space. Although Gusto has found itself impacted by the macroeconomic situation, through the significant effect it has had on its clientele, the company still appears positive for the future after raising funds in 2023 that will see it reach key profitability benchmarks. It continues to consolidate its platform, for example by integrating with OpenComp to grant its users access to the company's Compensation Intelligence Platform.
Insights
Company
Funding (last 2 of 8 rounds)
May 2022
$55m
SERIES E
Aug 2021
$175m
SERIES E
Total funding: $706.1m
Company benefits
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits, plus a variety of mental health resources
- Flexible vacation - Gusties are encouraged to take the time off they need to continue doing great work
- Fertility treatments, parental leave, pregnancy termination, caregiving, gender-affirming surgery, hormone treatments, transgender-inclusive services, and more
- If you work at one of our homebases, enjoy food, drinks, and good conversation — on us
- Celebrate 5 or 10 years at Gusto and take a month off to recharge
- Take advantage of internet, phone, commuter, and wellness stipends each month, along with a WFH stipend and cash for anniversaries
Company values
- Embody a service mindset - Never stop advocating for the needs of others
- Dream big, then make it real - Be ambitious. Show and do, rather than tell and talk
- Be proud of the how - Ensure deep integrity in everything you do
- Embrace an ownership mentality - Take initiative to leave things better than you found them
- Debate then commit - Share openly, question respectfully, and once a decision is made, commit fully
Company HQ
Central Waterfront, San Francisco, CA
Founders
Joshua Reeves
(CEO)Studied Electrical Engineering at Stanford and went onto co-found Gusto in 2011.
Tomer London
(CPO)Has a PhD in Electrical Engineering from Stanford. Was a Researcher at Intel, and then interned at Bump Technologies. Co-founded Vizmo, a mobile self-service technologies company, in 2008. Co-founded Gusto in 2011.
Edward Kim
(Head of Engineering)Studied Electrical Engineering at Stanford. Was Senior Project Engineer at Volkswagen of America Electronics Research Lab and then co-founded Picwing, a printed photos company, in 2008. Co-founded Gusto in 2011.
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