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:
As a Retirement Compliance Specialist, you'll serve as a subject-matter expert on ERISA compliance and 401(k) plan administration within Gusto's Retirement Services organization. This role will be part of the Retirement Compliance team that focuses on the work that needs specialist judgment: independent quality assurance, training, complex corrections, and consultation on ambiguous or high-risk plan provisions.
You'll be a trusted resource across the business, translating dense legal plan documents and ERISA requirements into guidance that Sales, Conversion Ops, and Customer Experience teams can act on confidently
About the Team:
The Retirement Compliance team ensures every 401(k) plan Gusto administers stays compliant with IRS and ERISA requirements, from conversion through ongoing operation. We utilize AI to shift towards higher-value, specialist work: quality assurance, training, escalation support, and complex ERISA analysis. You'll work closely with Conversion Ops, Sales, and Legal & Compliance, and you'll help shape the tools and processes the broader organization relies on as this transition continues.
Here’s what you’ll do day-to-day:
- Serve as the ERISA/compliance escalation point for Conversion Ops and Sales on complex plan provisions, eligibility questions, and Adoption Agreement interpretation.
- Own end-to-end quality assurance for the plan review process — validating each build against the signed Adoption Agreement, and developing the internal tooling and business rules that support the review process at scale.
- Conduct plan reviews for new and converting 401(k) plans, translating complex legal plan documents into clear, accurate guidance for internal teams and customers.
- Build and deliver internal training and reference materials so Conversion Ops, Sales, and Customer Experience teams can handle routine plan questions independently.
- Partner with Legal & Compliance on regulatory interpretation and sign-off for higher-risk plan changes.
- Identify and champion opportunities to use AI tools and automation to reduce manual review time while strengthening accuracy across plan setup and compliance workflows.
Here’s what we're looking for:
- 3–5 years of experience in 401(k)/defined contribution plan administration, compliance, or ERISA
- Strong working knowledge of IRS and ERISA regulations governing retirement plans, including eligibility, testing, and corrections.
- Experience reviewing plan documents (Adoption Agreements, plan provisions) and translating them into operational guidance.
- Comfort partnering cross-functionally with Sales, Conversion Ops, and Legal & Compliance on ambiguous, escalated issues.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills — able to distill complex ERISA concepts for audiences without a compliance background.
- Experience building training materials or documentation for non-specialist teams.
- AI literacy: comfortable using and helping refine AI-assisted tools for plan review and setup, and identifying where automation can responsibly take on routine work.
- Exceptional attention to detail and organizational skills, even under deadline pressure.
- Professional designations such as QKA, QPA, CRPS, or C(k)P are a plus, but not required.
Our cash compensation range for this role is $62,400 to $78,000/year in Phoenix, $67,755 to $83,000/year in Denver and $74,285 to $91,000 in LA. Additional locations will vary based on our geographical pay approach. Final offer amounts are determined by multiple factors, including candidate location, experience, and expertise, and may vary from the amounts listed above.
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.
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.
Skills Required
- 3-5 years of experience in 401(k) or defined contribution plan administration, compliance, or ERISA
- Strong working knowledge of IRS and ERISA regulations governing retirement plans, including eligibility, testing, and corrections
- Experience reviewing plan documents, including Adoption Agreements and plan provisions, and translating them into operational guidance
- Experience partnering cross-functionally with Sales, Conversion Ops, and Legal & Compliance on ambiguous or escalated issues
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex ERISA concepts to non-specialists
- Experience building training materials or documentation for non-specialist teams
- Comfort using and refining AI-assisted tools for plan review and setup, and identifying appropriate automation opportunities
- Exceptional attention to detail and organizational skills under deadline pressure
- Professional designation such as QKA, QPA, CRPS, or C(k)P
What the Team is Saying
Gusto Compensation & Benefits Highlights
-
Inclusive Benefits Coverage — Core medical, dental, and vision are described alongside family planning and fertility support, gender‑affirming care, and mental‑health resources. Feedback suggests the package is positioned to meet diverse needs rather than a one‑size‑fits‑all approach.
-
Parental & Family Support — Paid parental leave, adoption assistance, a post‑parental return‑to‑work program, and family‑care supports are highlighted. These offerings indicate an emphasis on supporting growing families through multiple life stages.
-
Leave & Time Off Breadth — Paid vacation, sick leave, bereavement, holidays, and sabbaticals are featured in company materials. Feedback suggests time‑away programs are a meaningful part of the overall package.
Gusto Insights
What We Do
Gusto is a modern, online small business platform that helps small businesses take care of their teams. On top of full-service payroll, Gusto offers health insurance, 401(k)s, expert HR, and team management tools. Today, Gusto offices in Denver, San Francisco, and New York serve more than 400,000 businesses. 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.
Why Work With Us
We help small businesses—the backbone of the economy—thrive. Everything we do ladders up to empowering entrepreneurs and supporting their teams. Gusto empowers builders at every level to take initiative and make things better. You'll be solving meaningful challenges that shape the future of work.
Gallery
Gusto Teams
Gusto Offices
Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
We’ve built an inclusive, connected culture—no matter where you live. Whether near an office or remote, you’ll find opportunities to connect, grow, and belong. Employees work from the office on 2 designated days per week.
