Intermediate Technical Program Manager at GitLab

Overview of the Role

As an Intermediate Technical Program Manager within GitLab's Research & Development organization, you will be instrumental in leading cross-functional initiatives. These programs are designed to enhance team reliability, efficiency, and scalability, spanning multiple product stages and engineering teams. You will transform strategic priorities into actionable plans, align stakeholders, and ensure progress in an all-remote, asynchronous work environment. Leveraging GitLab issues, epics, and handbook-first documentation, you will provide visibility, resolve blockers, and keep complex projects moving across various time zones, collaborating closely with Engineering Leadership.

In your initial year, you are expected to independently manage a portfolio of programs from initial scoping through delivery and retrospectives. You will also contribute to the evolution of Technical Program Management best practices, improving how R&D programs operate at GitLab.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead 1-3 strategic technical programs concurrently, involving multiple engineering teams and product stages, ensuring clear scope, priorities, and desired outcomes.
• Collaborate with engineering leaders and other key stakeholders to align on goals, timelines, and delivery milestones for cross-functional initiatives.
• Manage end-to-end program planning and execution, from initial discovery and scoping through successful delivery, measurement, and post-program retrospectives.
• Facilitate asynchronous collaboration using GitLab issues, epics, and regular handbook updates to keep globally distributed teams aligned and well-informed.
• Proactively identify risks and potential blockers, coordinate their resolution across teams, and escalate issues when necessary to maintain program momentum.
• Organize and lead working group meetings and asynchronous discussions to support decision-making, surface trade-offs, and ensure programs remain on schedule.
• Track and communicate program health through relevant metrics, dashboards, and regular status updates, providing transparency to the Engineering Division and partners.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of Technical Program Management practices by documenting processes, sharing lessons learned, and enhancing how R&D programs are run across GitLab.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Demonstrated experience in technical program management, project management, software engineering, or similar technical roles.
• A solid understanding of the software development lifecycle and Agile methodologies, including how engineering teams plan, build, and deliver software.
• Proven skill in coordinating programs across multiple engineering teams or departments, effectively aligning stakeholders on shared goals, timelines, and milestones.
• Excellent written communication skills, essential for asynchronous, documentation-first collaboration in a fully remote environment.
• Ability to work autonomously in a distributed setting, prioritize tasks, and make progress with minimal supervision.
• Comfortable navigating ambiguity, adept at identifying blockers, and proposing practical solutions to ensure programs advance.
• Familiarity with DevOps practices, Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) pipelines, or platforms like GitLab, with a keen interest in deepening this knowledge.
• An open mind for learning, iterating based on feedback, and applying transferable skills from diverse backgrounds to technical program management challenges.

About the Team

You will join the R&D organization as part of the Technical Program Management function. This small, cross-functional team is responsible for leading high-impact programs that span multiple product stages and departments. The team's primary focus is to bring clarity, alignment, and predictable delivery to complex initiatives affecting many parts of GitLab, utilizing a handbook-first, asynchronous approach with stakeholders across various regions and time zones. You will collaborate closely with engineering leaders and partners across other functions to refine program planning, execution, and communication, contributing to the evolution of shared practices, templates, and tooling for program governance across R&D.

GitLab Employee Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits supporting your health, finances, and well-being.
• Flexible Paid Time Off.
• Access to Team Member Resource Groups.
• Equity Compensation & Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
• Growth and Development Fund for continuous learning.
• Paid Parental Leave.

GitLab actively welcomes interest from candidates with diverse experience levels and understands that many successful candidates may not meet every single stated requirement. The company encourages individuals from underrepresented groups to apply even if they don't meet every qualification, allowing recruiters to assess their applications fairly.

Country Hiring Guidelines: GitLab hires team members globally for remote roles, though some positions may have specific location-based eligibility requirements. The Talent Acquisition team can provide clarification on location eligibility during the recruiting process.

GitLab is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer, committed to merit-based employment regardless of race, color, religion, ancestry, sex, national origin, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other legally protected basis.