Government Affairs Lead; Small Business Healthcare and HR Policy

Government Affairs Lead (Small Business Healthcare, Benefits, and HR Policy)

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As a Government Affairs Lead, you are a senior policy leader with deep expertise in small business healthcare, benefits, and HR policy and are highly proficient in using AI as a core part of your work. You will drive Gusto’s policy agenda with a focus on strengthening the regulatory and legislative environment for small and medium‑size businesses—especially in areas that shape how they hire, pay, retain, and provide benefits for their teams.

You will apply in‑depth functional knowledge and AI‑enabled analysis to develop solutions to complex policy challenges, particularly those impacting healthcare affordability and access, payroll and HR operations, benefits administration, workplace compliance, and the evolving employer–employee relationship. You will also work across the organization to anticipate and engage on other policy issues affecting Gusto’s customers, using AI to surface trends, synthesize information quickly, and model potential impacts.

This role requires understanding the interrelationships between policy disciplines—from healthcare and labor regulation to taxation, benefits, and the future of work—and the ability to deliver creative, effective strategies for multifaceted issues.

• Develop comprehensive government affairs strategies focused on small business healthcare, tax, HR, and benefits policy, aligning with Gusto’s broader business objectives.
• Use AI tools to monitor, summarize, and forecast legislative and regulatory developments, and to identify emerging policy risks and opportunities.
• Guide the creation of new policy approaches that position Gusto as a thought leader in areas such as healthcare affordability, payroll modernization, and the future of work.
• Lead complex policy change initiatives using AI‑driven research, synthesis, and scenario analysis across issues affecting healthcare, benefits, HR compliance, payroll, employment law, and other customer‑relevant domains.
• Evaluate regulatory or legislative proposals, understand impact across Gusto’s products, and design strategies for navigating policy change from proposal to implementation.
• Serve as a subject‑matter expert on small‑business healthcare and employment policies and translate complex requirements into actionable recommendations.
• Partner with Product, Legal, Compliance, and Operations to translate policy developments—especially in healthcare, HR, and employment—into product roadmaps and operational plans.
• Embed AI‑enabled workflows into policy monitoring, risk assessment, and internal communication to increase speed, coverage, and consistency.
• Represent Gusto before federal and state policymakers, regulators, and key stakeholders on issues including healthcare access, small business benefits, HR and employment compliance, and tax policy.
• Lead industry working groups and coalitions, shaping both strategy and substance.
• Build and leverage networks across government, industry associations, think tanks, and small‑business advocacy groups.
• Advise teams across Gusto on complex and emerging policy issues, particularly in healthcare, HR, tax, and employment.
• Promote a culture of responsible AI use within Government Affairs by sharing best practices, templates, and workflows.
• Provide mentorship and leadership, potentially directing team members and ensuring delivery of tactical and strategic policy objectives.

• A minimum of 8 years in government affairs or public policy, or 6 years with a Master’s degree, or 3 years with a PhD and demonstrated expertise in a relevant policy area.
• Strong preference for experience in small business healthcare, benefits, labor, HR/employment, and/or tax policy.
• Deep knowledge across multiple policy disciplines with a strong foundation in issues affecting small businesses.
• Demonstrated success navigating policy change management in contexts that impact business operations.
• Proficiency using AI tools (large language models, AI research…