Partner Manager, Franchise

Gusto•Denver, CO

About The Position

Gusto is hiring a Partner Manager to own its fast-growing franchise partner channel. The role recruits and signs franchisors and manages partnerships after signing, making Gusto’s payroll, benefits, and HR platform available to franchisees on partner terms. The Partner Manager will make Gusto easy for franchisors to approve and recommend while helping franchisees understand why they should choose Gusto. The position owns the full partnership lifecycle for managed Silver–Platinum partners and leads recruitment of Bronze partners. It works closely with a dedicated franchise Account Executive, Mid-Market Sales, Partner Marketing, Revenue Operations, Legal, and other teams to structure agreements, support partner performance, and drive franchisee adoption. The role is suited to someone who builds relationships with brand leaders, negotiates mutually beneficial agreements, and grows a partner portfolio into measurable customer growth. The posted cash compensation for the Denver metro location is $120,410–$150,000. The role is eligible for an annual bonus and may be eligible for quarterly incentive programs. Gusto has offices in Denver, San Francisco, and New York City, with designated in-office days approximately 2–3 days per week or more depending on role for employees based in those locations. Approved work outside a Gusto office requires a secure, reliable, and consistent internet connection.

Requirements

5–7 years of experience in relationship management, partnerships, business development, sales, or channel management.
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, including setting goals, forecasting, and reporting on performance.
Strong communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills, including with senior executives.
AI fluency: use AI tools in daily work to research and prioritize prospects, draft and personalize outreach, analyze partner performance, and speed up routine tasks; apply sound judgment to outputs and be able to describe how AI workflows are built, refined, and checked.
Be a quick learner who collaborates well.
Be self-directed and resourceful, and thrive in a fast-paced, changing environment while thinking strategically and executing tactically.
Be able to manage a high volume of work while remaining responsive to partners and teammates.

Nice To Haves

Franchise industry experience, such as working with franchisors, franchisee associations, or franchise sales organizations.
Experience with Salesforce.
Experience with Outreach, partner management platforms, or fintech, HR, or payroll.

Responsibilities

Identify, qualify, recruit, and sign franchisors across emerging, growth-stage, and mature brands, with a focus on health and wellness, children's businesses, and home services.
Run discovery for new partner applications 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 to convert event contacts into signed partners.
Place new partners in an appropriate program tier based on expected franchisee growth and engagement.
Structure and negotiate partner agreements, coordinating with Legal and Revenue Operations on offers, revenue share, and co-marketing commitments.
Own onboarding, joint planning, performance reviews, and renewals for managed Silver–Platinum partners.
Recruit and onboard Bronze partners, who are supported mainly through the partner management platform.
Agree on rules of engagement with partners that define how Gusto may contact franchisees while protecting partner brand relationships.
Coordinate with the franchise Account Executive and Mid-Market Sales on target brands, recruiting franchisors while sales works with their franchisees.
Work with Partner Marketing on co-branded assets, landing pages, webinars, and event outreach.
Work with franchisor headquarters teams, including franchise support, onboarding, and training, to build franchisee awareness.
Explore integrations with franchisors' operating platforms alongside product and integrations teams.
Meet or exceed monthly and annual goals by forecasting accurately and managing a partner pipeline from first conversation through signature and beyond.
Use Salesforce and partner management tools to track pipeline, contacts, agreements, and results.
Report key partner metrics to leadership, run regular performance reviews, and manage contract commitments.
Contribute as a thought partner to the team and cross-functional colleagues, and help improve the franchise program.