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Partner Manager, Franchise
About Gusto

At Gusto, we're on a mission to grow the small business economy. We handle the hard stuff — payroll, health insurance, 401(k)s, and HR — so owners can focus on their craft and their customers. With teams in Denver, San Francisco, and New York, we support more than 500,000 small businesses nationwide and are building a workplace that reflects the people we serve.

All full-time employees receive competitive base pay, benefits, and equity (RSUs) — because everyone who helps build Gusto should share in its success. Offer amounts are determined by role, level, and location. Learn more about our Total Rewards philosophy .

AI is a fundamental part of how work gets done at Gusto. We expect all team members to actively engage with AI tools relevant to their role and grow their fluency as the technology evolves. AI experience requirements vary by role and will be assessed during the interview process.

About the Role:

Franchise is one of Gusto's fastest-growing partner channels, and we are looking for a Partner Manager to own it. You will recruit and sign franchisors, and manage the partnerships once they are signed. When a franchisor becomes a Gusto partner, the franchisees in its network can access Gusto's payroll, benefits, and HR platform on partner terms. Franchisors are not traditional channel partners. They protect their brand, support independent owner-operators, and operate within legal limits on how they can endorse vendors. A signed agreement does not guarantee franchisee adoption. Your job is to make Gusto easy for a franchisor to approve and recommend, and to give franchisees a clear reason to choose us. You will own the full partnership lifecycle for our managed partners (Silver through Platinum) and lead recruiting for our entry-level (Bronze) partners. You will work with a dedicated franchise Account Executive, the Mid-Market Sales team, Partner Marketing, Revenue Operations, and Legal. This role suits someone who enjoys building relationships with brand leaders, structuring agreements that work for both sides, and turning a growing partner portfolio into measurable customer growth.

Here’s what you’ll do day-to-day:

Recruit franchisor partners

• Identify, qualify, and sign franchisors across emerging, growth-stage, and mature brands, with a focus on sectors such as health and wellness, children's businesses, and home services.

• Run discovery on every new partner application and serve as the franchisor's main point of contact through onboarding.

• Build outbound campaigns using prospect lists, partner referrals, franchise sales organizations, industry associations, and competitive displacement opportunities. Use AI and sales tools to research and reach decision-makers.

• Represent Gusto at franchise industry events and trade shows, and follow up so those events turn into signed partners.

Structure and manage partnerships

• Place each new partner in the right program tier based on their expected franchisee growth and engagement.

• Structure and negotiate partner agreements, working with Legal and Revenue Operations on terms such as offers, revenue share, and co-marketing commitments.

• Own the full lifecycle for managed (Silver–Platinum) partners: onboarding, joint planning, performance reviews, and renewals. Recruit and onboard Bronze partners, who are supported mainly through our partner management platform.

• Agree on rules of engagement with each partner that set how Gusto may reach their franchisees, so outreach is welcome and the brand relationship is protected.

Drive franchisee adoption

• Work with the franchise Account Executive and Mid-Market Sales on a shared list of target brands. Recruit the franchisor while sales works with that brand's franchisees.

• Coordinate with Partner Marketing on co-branded assets, landing pages, webinars, and event outreach.

• Work with franchisor headquarters teams, such as franchise support, onboarding, and training, to build franchisee awareness.

• Explore integrations with the operating platforms franchisors use, together with our product and integrations teams.

Manage performance and operations

• Meet or exceed monthly and annual goals by forecasting accurately and managing a pipeline of partners from first conversation to signature and beyond.

• Use Salesforce and our partner management tools to track pipeline, contacts, agreements, and results. Report on key partner metrics to leadership.

• Run regular performance reviews and manage contract commitments with each partner.

• Be a thought partner to your team and to cross-functional colleagues, and help improve how we run the franchise program.

Here’s what we're looking for:

• 5–7 years of relationship management, partnerships, business development, sales, or channel management experience. We prefer candidates with franchise industry experience, such as working with franchisors, franchisee associations, or franchise sales organizations.

• Experience closing and structuring partnership or vendor agreements, including commercial terms such as revenue share or unit economics.

• A track record of building a pipeline through outbound prospecting and managing it from first conversation to signed agreement.

• Comfort with data. You can set goals, forecast, and report on performance.

• Strong communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills, including with senior executives.

• Experience with Salesforce is a plus. Experience with Outreach, partner management platforms, or fintech, HR, or payroll is also a plus.

• AI fluency: you use AI tools in your daily work to research and prioritize prospects, draft and personalize outreach, analyze partner performance, and speed up routine tasks, and you apply your own judgment to the final result. You can describe how you build, refine, and check the AI workflows you use.

• You are a quick learner who collaborates well. You are self-directed and resourceful, and you thrive in a fast-paced, changing environment where you think strategically and execute tactically.

• You can manage a high volume of work while staying responsive to partners and teammates.

Our cash compensation amount for this role is targeted at $120,410 - $150,000 for the Denver metro location . Final offer amounts are determined by multiple factors, including candidate location, experience, and expertise, and may vary from the amounts listed above. In addition to base cash compensation, this role is eligible for an annual bonus based on role and department, and may be eligible for quarterly incentive programs.

At Gusto, we don't use titles the traditional way, as a signal of rank or hierarchy. Instead, our titles describe two things at once — your craft (what you do, e.g. Engineering, Design) and your scope of ownership (what you're accountable for) — which is why you'll see something like "Head of X" instead of a rank word like "Director" that tells you neither. Because of this, the title on this posting may look different from what you'd expect based on the scope and seniority of the role, and from how similar roles are typically titled elsewhere. If you have questions about how this role compares to your current title or level, your recruiter can help translate.

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. This includes non-office days for hybrid employees.

Reliable, consistent presence: We expect regular and predictable attendance, whether you're working in-office, hybrid, or fully remote, so that you stay closely connected to your team, customers, and stakeholders in real time and ensure colleagues and customers receive the timely support and responsiveness they deserve.

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.

Gusto takes security and protection of your personal information very seriously. Please review our Fraudulent Activity Disclaimer .

Personal information collected and processed as part of your Gusto application will be subject to Gusto's Applicant Privacy Notice .

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Recruiting Sales Marketing Onboarding Training Salesforce (nice) Negotiation Word

What this posting asks for

Level: Manager — The title says "Manager".

Main responsibilities

Build outbound campaigns using prospect lists, partner referrals, franchise sales organizations, industry associations, and competitive displacement opportun…
Own the full lifecycle for managed (Silver–Platinum) partners: onboarding, joint planning, performance reviews, and renewals.
Work with the franchise Account Executive and Mid-Market Sales on a shared list of target brands.
Coordinate with Partner Marketing on co-branded assets, landing pages, webinars, and event outreach.
Work with franchisor headquarters teams, such as franchise support, onboarding, and training, to build franchisee awareness.
Manage performance and operations
Report on key partner metrics to leadership.

Competencies an interviewer will look for

Teamwork and collaboration Core
In the posting: “With teams in Denver, San Francisco, and New York, we support more than 500,000 small businesses nationwide and are building a workplace that reflects the pe…” · “Be a thought partner to your team and to cross-functional colleagues, and help improve how we run the franchise program.” · “You are a quick learner who collaborates well.”
Show it by: Says what they did inside a team, not only what 'we' did; Shows how a disagreement was handled.
Ownership and accountability Core
In the posting: “They protect their brand, support independent owner-operators, and operate within legal limits on how they can endorse vendors.” · “You will own the full partnership lifecycle for our managed partners (Silver through Platinum) and lead recruiting for our entry-level (Bronze) partners.” · “Own the full lifecycle for managed (Silver–Platinum) partners: onboarding, joint planning, performance reviews, and renewals.”
Show it by: Takes a task from start to finish without being chased; Owns a mistake and what was changed after it.
Customer focus Core
In the posting: “We handle the hard stuff — payroll, health insurance, 401(k)s, and HR — so owners can focus on their craft and their customers.” · “This role suits someone who enjoys building relationships with brand leaders, structuring agreements that work for both sides, and turning a growing partner …” · “Reliable, consistent presence: We expect regular and predictable attendance, whether you're working in-office, hybrid, or fully remote, so that you stay clos…”
Show it by: Puts the customer's need in their own words; Shows a result for the customer, not only for the company.
Planning and organisation Core
In the posting: “Build outbound campaigns using prospect lists, partner referrals, franchise sales organizations, industry associations, and competitive displacement opportun…” · “Own the full lifecycle for managed (Silver–Platinum) partners: onboarding, joint planning, performance reviews, and renewals.” · “We prefer candidates with franchise industry experience, such as working with franchisors, franchisee associations, or franchise sales organizations.”
Show it by: Shows how priorities were set when everything was urgent; Mentions deadlines met and how.
Data and analysis Core
In the posting: “Report on key partner metrics to leadership.” · “Comfort with data.” · “AI fluency: you use AI tools in your daily work to research and prioritize prospects, draft and personalize outreach, analyze partner performance, and speed …”
Show it by: Uses a number to describe the situation or the result; Explains what the data showed and what was done with it.
Stakeholder management Core
In the posting: “Franchisors are not traditional channel partners.” · “They protect their brand, support independent owner-operators, and operate within legal limits on how they can endorse vendors.” · “You will own the full partnership lifecycle for our managed partners (Silver through Platinum) and lead recruiting for our entry-level (Bronze) partners.”
Show it by: Shows how they aligned people with different goals; Explains how they handled a 'no' from someone senior.
Technical skill Supporting
In the posting: “Engineering, Design) and your scope of ownership (what you're accountable for) — which is why you'll see something like "Head of X" instead of a rank word li…”
Show it by: Names the tools, languages or systems used and how; Explains a technical choice and its trade-off.
Communication Supporting
In the posting: “Strong communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills, including with senior executives.”
Show it by: Adapts the message to the listener; Gives an example of explaining something clearly in writing or speech.
Leadership and mentoring Supporting
In the posting: “Report on key partner metrics to leadership.”
Show it by: Describes setting direction or a standard others followed; Names someone they coached and what changed for them.
Adaptability and learning Supporting
In the posting: “You are self-directed and resourceful, and you thrive in a fast-paced, changing environment where you think strategically and execute tactically.”
Show it by: Describes learning something new quickly and using it; Shows a change of plan and how they adjusted.
Attention to detail and quality Supporting
In the posting: “Meet or exceed monthly and annual goals by forecasting accurately and managing a pipeline of partners from first conversation to signature and beyond.”
Show it by: Gives an example of an error caught before it caused harm; Names the check or standard they used.

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Practice questions

Tell me about yourself. Dedicated step-by-step practice.
If an interviewer asks something improper How to respond to questions about age, family, origin or health.
Built from this posting (8):
Describe a time you worked with another team to deliver something. What was your part? From this posting
Tell me about a task you took from start to finish without anyone asking you to. From this posting
Describe a time you went out of your way to solve a customer's problem. From this posting
You have three urgent tasks due today and time to finish only two. How do you decide? From this posting
How have you used recruiting in your work? Walk me through one real example. From this posting
Tell me about a problem you solved using sales. From this posting
Tell me about a time you helped someone on your team get better at their work. From this posting
Walk me through a piece of work where you used your strongest technical skill. What exactly did you do? From this posting
This posting reads as Finance & accounting: its questions come first.
Tell me about a time you found an error in a financial report or reconciliation. Finance & accounting
Walk me through how you build a budget or forecast. Finance & accounting
It is the last day of month-end close and a balance will not tie out. What do you do? Finance & accounting
Describe a time you explained a financial result to a manager outside finance. Finance & accounting
How do you make sure your work holds up in an audit? Finance & accounting
Tell me about an analysis that saved money or found revenue. Finance & accounting
Three urgent requests arrive during close. How do you decide the order? Finance & accounting
Describe a finance process you made faster or more reliable. Finance & accounting
Tell me about a sale or agreement you are proud of.
How do you keep your pipeline organised?
Describe a time you handled an upset customer or colleague.
Tell me about a time you had several deadlines at once. How did you decide what to do first?
Give an example of a mistake you caught before it caused a problem.
Tell me about a time you taught someone how to do something.
Describe a time you took the lead without being asked.
Tell me about a time you had to explain something complicated in simple terms.
Describe a process you improved.
Do you have any questions for us?
Why do you want to work here?
Why is there a gap in your employment? Difficult question
Why did you leave your last job? Difficult question
Why are you changing careers? Difficult question
What is your greatest weakness? Difficult question
What are your salary expectations? Difficult question
You seem overqualified for this role. Why do you want it? Difficult question
Improper-question practice: How old are you? / Do you have children? / Where are you from originally?
A customer is angry about a delay you did not cause. What do you do?
How do you keep track of many open customer requests?
Tell me about a time you could not give a customer what they wanted.
You find that the inventory count does not match the system. What do you do?
Tell me about a time a shipment or delivery went wrong.
How do you make sure safety rules are followed on a busy shift?
Two managers ask you to book the same room at the same time. What do you do?
How have you used spreadsheets in your work?
Tell me about a time you had to enter or check a lot of data accurately.
A prospect says your price is too high. How do you respond?
Tell me about a technical problem you solved on your own.
You find a bug right before a release. What do you do?
Walk me through how you would check whether a report's numbers are right.