Payroll Design Lead — AI-Driven, High-Impact

Gusto, Inc.; Denver (CO); Hybrid; USD 172,000 - 237,000; Full time

Job summary

Gusto is seeking a Product Design Manager for Payroll to lead design for a high-impact, complex product used by millions of people and businesses. You will shape the long-term UX vision, guide cross-functional teams, and drive AI-enabled improvements that reduce manual work while preserving trust and accuracy.

You will mentor designers, set quality standards, and collaborate with Product, Engineering, Data, and Ops to ensure seamless integration across the payroll experience and the broader

Qualifications

• 8-10+ years of product design experience, with at least 3 years leading and managing design teams.
• Experience designing in complex domains i.e. financial products, healthcare, or similarly regulated environments.
• Experience setting UX direction across multiple teams and influencing product strategy — not just executing on it.
• Proven ability to drive alignment across cross-functional partners and represent design in high-stakes, strategic conversations.
• Deep systems thinking, with a track record of turning interconnected, complex workflows into experiences that feel simple and intuitive.
• Clear, direct communication and storytelling skills, with the ability to explain design decisions and influence partners at all levels.
• A genuine bond to Gusto's mission and the needs of small businesses.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end design for Payroll — shaping experiences that help small businesses pay their teams correctly, on time, and with confidence.
• Define and communicate the long-term UX vision for Payroll, and rally multiple teams around it.
• Partner with Product, Engineering, Data, Ops and others to set strategy and roadmaps.
• Lead product initiatives where AI and automation are central to the user experience, simplifying payroll and reducing manual work without compromising accuracy or trust.
• Collaborate with Research and Data to uncover customer insights and translate them into clear, actionable UX priorities.
• Influence product and technical roadmaps by advocating for design quality, customer needs, and long-term system health.
• Set the quality and judgment standard for all design work — whether AI-assisted or not — including when to push further and when outputs meet the bar.
• Define and scale shared patterns, principles, and standards that promote quality, consistency, and velocity.
• Manage and grow a team of designers, providing mentorship, clear direction, and hands-on support across the team.
• Champion the Payroll experience as the foundation of Gusto's broader People Platform, ensuring seamless integration across Benefits, Time & Attendance, and third-party tools.

Skills

Product design leadership

UX strategy

Cross-functional collaboration

Systems thinking

Communication

Job description

Gusto is seeking a Product Design Manager for Payroll to lead design for a high-impact, complex product used by millions of people and businesses. You will shape the long-term UX vision, guide cross-functional teams, and drive AI-enabled improvements that reduce manual work while preserving trust and accuracy.

You will mentor designers, set quality standards, and collaborate with Product, Engineering, Data, and Ops to ensure seamless integration across the payroll experience and the broader