Greenhouse ·
full-timeR&D Insights And Operations - Growth
Gusto · San Francisco, CA - Hybrid
Gusto is a company focused on supporting the small business economy by providing integrated payroll, benefits, and HR services. The R&D Insights and Operations role within the Growth team functions as an internal strategy and business operations position. The intern will work closely with the Head of Growth and go-to-market leadership to identify high-leverage opportunities, analyze business data, and build the operational systems necessary to scale the company's self-serve-led growth motion. Day-to-day responsibilities include conducting rigorous analytical research to solve organizational bottlenecks, designing operating rhythms for planning and prioritization, and creating automated workflows using AI tools to streamline coordination between product and go-to-market teams. This position is suited for a candidate who is comfortable working as an individual contributor with an opinionated, data-driven approach to strategy. It requires a builder mindset, strong analytical capabilities regarding attribution and lifetime value metrics, and the ability to bridge the gap between technical product development and sales execution. The role is ideal for someone looking to develop operational rigor and influence strategic decision-making in a fast-paced, growth-oriented environment.
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: We're looking for a builder to help construct a world class Growth organization. This is an opinionated leader that is motivated by creating big picture vision and digging into where the biggest opportunities are, sizing them, and building the systems, rigor, and connective tissue that let Growth and GTM operate cohesively. This is a member of Gusto's Insights & Operations (I&O) team — our internal Strategy/BizOps function — embedded against Growth, partnering closely with our Head of Growth and our CRO-side GTM leadership. This role is intentionally IC-first. You'll start by going deep on the highest-leverage problems in Growth, build a point of view grounded in data, and drive it to outcome. As trust and scope grow, this role is expected to expand — most likely into owning the operating bridge between Growth and our broader go-to-market organization, and potentially into building and leading a small team. About the Team: Gusto's Growth organization is on an ambitious trajectory: we're building toward a much more self-serve-led motion, and the opportunity ahead is significant. As Growth scales, we have a chance to be much more intentional about how it connects to Product and to our go-to-market teams (sales, demand gen, expansion sales, pricing, etc) — building a shared, prioritized roadmap and clear visibility into dependencies from the ground up, rather than retrofitting it later. Here’s what you’ll do day-to-day: Identify and size the highest-leverage opportunities for Growth: go from a fuzzy problem to a clear-eyed analysis of the opportunity, a recommendation on whether to pursue it, and a plan if the answer is yes. Anchor on problems, not headcount: dig into what's actually slowing the Growth organization down, define how to build a best in class engine, size the opportunity, and decide what's worth solving before proposing who or what is needed — not the reverse. Build the operating rhythm for Growth and drive execution against it: planning cycles, prioritization, and a shared, prioritized roadmap that makes trade-offs and dependencies visible across Growth R&D, Product R&D, and GTM. Bring real analytical rigor to how Growth invests — attribution, LTV, and testing/experimentation discipline — so decisions about where to deploy resources are tied clearly to business impact. Close the gap between Growth R&D and go-to-market: build the mechanisms (shared roadmap, dependency tracking, decision forums) that let both orgs operate as one team working toward the same number, rather than two orgs trading requests. Design an operating system anchored in technology vs. humans: build the muscle and mechanisms the Growth org can through automation, and hand off ownership once a system is running Act as a trusted advisor to Growth leadership: pressure-test strategy, surface risks and blind spots early, and bring an opinionated point of view, not just facilitation. Use AI as a default, not an add-on: build reusable, AI-powered workflows for planning, synthesis, and reporting so manual coordination is the exception, not the norm. Spot when a team is optimizing for the wrong thing: recognize when more effort against the current approach won't get us where we need to go, and push teams toward a fundamentally different path rather than a marginal improvement. Raise the bar for how I&O operates, not just how Growth operates: share what's working, question what isn't, and help the broader I&O team build a stronger, more consistent craft. Here’s what we're looking for: 15+ years in operations, business operations, or strategy & ops at a high-growth technology company. This must include time spent building a growth function from an earlier, less mature stage. Direct experience with the discipline behind growth decision-making: attribution and LTV modeling, testing and experimentation, and translating marketing/growth spend into demonstrable business impact. A track record of working at the intersection of growth and go-to-market (or product and sales) — connecting teams with different incentives around a sh
| Role | R&D Insights And Operations - Growth |
|---|---|
| Company | Gusto |
| Location | San Francisco, CA - Hybrid |
| Compensation | Not disclosed |
| Posted | 2026-09-29 |
| Deadline | Rolling |
Typical process for this type of role
A general guide — the exact steps for this specific listing may vary; check the original posting for details.
- 1ApplicationSubmit your resume through the apply link.
- 2ScreeningRecruiter reviews your background against the role.
- 3AssessmentA technical test, assignment, or coding round, depending on the role.
- 4Interview(s)One or more rounds with the hiring team.
- 5OfferOffer letter with compensation and start date.
Before you apply
0/4R&D Insights And Operations - Growth at Gusto: frequently asked questions
- What is the salary for this role?
- Gusto has not stated compensation in the listing. Check the original posting or ask during the application process.
- Is the R&D Insights And Operations - Growth position remote, hybrid or onsite?
- The listing gives San Francisco, CA - Hybrid as the location and does not state a work mode.
- What is the application deadline?
- Gusto has not listed a fixed deadline, so apply early in case the opening is filled.
- How do I apply for the R&D Insights And Operations - Growth role?
- Use the Apply button on this page. It opens the original listing on job-boards.greenhouse.io, where you submit your application with the company.
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