Senior Director, People Business Partner

GitLab is the intelligent orchestration platform for DevSecOps. GitLab enables organizations to increase developer productivity, improve operational efficiency, reduce security and compliance risk, and accelerate digital transformation. More than 50 million registered users and more than 50% of the Fortune 100* trust GitLab to ship better, more secure software faster.

The same principles built into our products are reflected in how our team works: we embrace AI as a core productivity multiplier, with all team members expected to incorporate AI into their daily workflows to drive efficiency, innovation, and impact. GitLab is where careers accelerate, innovation flourishes, and every voice is valued. Our high-performance culture is driven by our values and continuous knowledge exchange, enabling our team members to reach their full potential while collaborating with industry leaders to solve complex problems. Co-create the future with us as we build technology that transforms how the world develops software.

*Fortune 500® is a registered trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, used under license. Claim based on GitLab data. Fortune 100 refers to the top 20% ranked companies in the 2025 Fortune 500 list, published in June 2025. Fortune and Fortune Media IP Limited are not affiliated with, and do not endorse products or services of GitLab.

An overview of this role

As the Senior Director, People Business Partners, you'll serve as a strategic business partner to multiple C-level executives. You will lead a team of experienced global PBPs who support executive leadership. You'll report to the VP, People Business Partners and translate business priorities into talent strategies that help GitLab scale a high-performing, values-driven technical organization in a fully remote environment. You'll drive organizational transformation and change management, including designing organization structures, building leadership capability, and embedding scalable people practices.  

What you'll do

• Serve as the senior people partner to several of GitLab's C-level executives and their executive teams, building the trust and credibility needed to shape and execute a global people strategy that accelerates teams' growth, performance, and organizational effectiveness.
• Architect and lead large-scale organizational transformation, including organizational design, workforce planning, and change management with the rigor and urgency required to keep pace with rapid shifts in how AI is reshaping the business and the team.
• Experience advising global engineering teams with on-call responsibilities. 
• Drive talent reviews, succession planning, and leadership pipeline development ensuring the organization has the leadership depth and critical skills needed to execute on its long-term roadmap.
• Bring people analytics to leadership, providing clear line of sight into organizational health including capability gaps, leadership effectiveness, and critical talent retention; translate those insights into strategic recommendations that drive performance and decision-making.
• Provide direct, candid coaching and counsel to executives and senior leaders on leadership effectiveness, team dynamics, and navigating complex organizational and people challenges.
• Partner with Total Rewards, Talent Acquisition, Talent Management & Development, and People Operations to ensure talent needs are reflected in company-wide people programs, policies, and investments.
• Lead, develop, and inspire a high-performing team of People Business Partners — setting a clear vision, building a culture of coaching and accountability, and ensuring each team member is positioned to do their best and most impactful work.

What you'll bring

• Proven track record of leading people strategy through significant organizational transformation, including AI-driven workforce shifts, rapid scaling, or major technology pivots within enterprise technology or SaaS environments.
• Demonstrated ability to operate at the intersection of Product/Engineering, Finance, Total Rewards, and Talent Acquisition building alignment across competing priorities and influencing decisions without direct authority in a fast-moving, global organization.
• Experience building and scaling a People Business Partner team, including raising the bar on strategic impact, and developing PBPs to operate as true business partners to senior leaders.
• Executive-level presence and credibility, with the ability to advise C-suite and VP-level leaders with candor and confidence especially in ambiguous, high-stakes situations. 
• Proven ability to lead effectively across time zones, building aligned, engaged, and accountable teams in a fully remote environment.

About the team

The People Business Partner team at GitLab sits at the intersection of people strategy and business execution. We partner directly with senior leaders to shape talent strategy, drive organizational effectiveness, and build the leadership and cultural foundations that allow GitLab to perform at its best. 

 

The base salary range for this role’s listed level is currently for residents of the United States only. This range is intended to reflect the role's base salary rate in locations throughout the US. Grade level and salary ranges are determined through interviews and a review of education, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities of the applicant, equity with other team members, alignment with market data, and geographic location. The base salary range does not include any bonuses, equity, or benefits. See more information on our benefits and equity. Sales roles are also eligible for incentive pay targeted at up to 100% of the offered base salary.

United States Salary Range$184,800—$380,400 USD

How GitLab Supports Full-Time Employees

• Benefits to support your health, finances, and well-being
• Flexible Paid Time Off 
• Team Member Resource Groups
• Equity Compensation & Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Growth and Development Fund
• Parental Leave 

Please note that we welcome interest from candidates with varying levels of experience; many successful candidates do not meet every single requirement. Additionally, studies have shown that people from underrepresented groups are less likely to apply to a job unless they meet every single qualification. If you're excited about this role, please apply and allow our recruiters to assess your application.

Country Hiring Guidelines: GitLab hires new team members in countries around the world. All of our roles are remote, however some roles may carry specific location-based eligibility requirements. Our Talent Acquisition team can help answer any questions about location after starting the recruiting process.  

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GitLab is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. GitLab’s policies and practices relating to recruitment, employment, career development and advancement, promotion, and retirement are based solely on merit, regardless of race, color, religion, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy, lactation, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression), national origin, age, citizenship, marital status, mental or physical disability, genetic information (including family medical history), discharge status from the military, protected veteran status (which includes disabled veterans, recently separated veterans, active duty wartime or campaign badge veterans, and Armed Forces service medal veterans), or any other basis protected by law. GitLab will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics. See also GitLab’s EEO Policy and EEO is the Law. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know during the recruiting process.