Head of Gusto Controls

Gusto•San Francisco, CA

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

Gusto is seeking a Head of Internal Controls to join its Finance, BizOps & Strategy team. This leader will build and scale a forward-thinking internal controls environment supporting the company’s growth and operational maturity, leading a unified program across business process controls and IT controls. The program covers proprietary and third-party systems supporting payroll, health benefits, retirement, and other financial products. The role will build the internal controls team, set program strategy, and embed practical controls into the design and operation of Gusto’s products, systems, and financial processes. The leader will own a risk-based ICFR framework and define an AI-forward approach to internal controls, applying AI to controls work while establishing oversight of AI-enabled financial processes and software development. The position calls for a hands-on leader who can work closely with accounting and technical teams, understand complex systems and data flows, and translate risk into controls without unnecessary operational burden.

Requirements

12+ years of progressive experience in a Big 4 accounting firm, internal audit, or SOX compliance program in a complex, scaling organization.
5+ years of people leadership experience, including hiring, coaching, and developing experienced controls professionals and distributing judgment and institutional knowledge across a team.
Deep knowledge of US GAAP, the COSO framework, and requirements supporting management’s ICFR assessment and external auditor attestation.
Breadth across business process controls and IT controls, with depth in at least one discipline and the judgment to lead experienced specialists across both.
Experience in a technology-driven environment with proprietary applications, automated controls, complex data flows, high transaction volumes, and evolving products.
Ability to establish a long-term strategy and operating model while remaining close to the work to resolve ambiguous risks, challenge conclusions, and guide remediation.
Ability to influence senior leaders, translate technical and financial risks into practical decisions, and work credibly with Product, Engineering, external auditors, and the Audit Committee.
An AI-forward mindset, with active experimentation using AI and automation to improve internal controls work.
Practical understanding of how AI affects the control environment, including risks from AI-generated code and AI-enabled financial processes, and ability to partner with Engineering and business teams on practical oversight.

Nice To Haves

Experience in fintech, payments, payroll, or financial services.
CPA, CIA, CISA, or a comparable professional certification.

Responsibilities

Build and lead Gusto’s internal controls function, bringing business process controls and IT controls together under one program and developing the team.
Own the risk-based ICFR framework across financial processes and supporting systems and data, including scoping, control design, documentation, testing, issue evaluation, and remediation.
Strengthen the control environment for Gusto’s complex operations, proprietary systems, and evolving products.
Partner early with Accounting, Finance, Product, Engineering, Data, Security, and Risk to build control and auditability into new products, systems, and processes while avoiding unnecessary manual work or disruption.
Set the vision for an AI-forward internal controls function, using AI and automation to improve risk identification, evidence evaluation, control testing, and monitoring.
Establish practical oversight for risks introduced by AI-enabled financial processes and software development.
Lead relationships with external auditors and align on risk, scope, testing, evidence, and remediation.
Establish governance and accountability for internal controls, provide training across Gusto, and report program health and effectiveness to senior management and the Audit Committee.