Senior Director, Technical Program Management
WFA Digital Insight
The demand for skilled technical program managers has surged 25% in the last year, driven by the need for efficient DevSecOps solutions. As a senior director at Gitlab, you'll be at the forefront of this trend, guiding a team of technical program managers and shaping the company's engineering division. With over 50 million registered users, Gitlab is a leader in the industry, and this role offers a unique opportunity to work with a high-performance team. Before applying, candidates should be aware of the company's emphasis on AI-driven productivity and its commitment to innovation and collaboration.
Job Description
About the Role
As a Senior Director of Technical Program Management at Gitlab, you will play a critical role in overseeing the company's engineering technical program management function. Your primary responsibility will be to guide a team of technical program managers and drive strategic programs that span horizontal productivity initiatives, customer-facing feature delivery, and security vulnerability remediation. You will report directly to the Chief Technology Officer and work closely with cross-functional teams to deliver complex, high-impact work.The ideal candidate will have experience in technical program management, engineering leadership, or a combination of both in complex technical organizations. You will be expected to build, scale, and develop a technical program management function or team, and have a track record of delivering complex programs across multiple stakeholders.
Gitlab is a leader in the DevSecOps industry, and this role offers a unique opportunity to work with a high-performance team. The company's commitment to innovation and collaboration is reflected in its values and continuous knowledge exchange, enabling team members to reach their full potential while collaborating with industry leaders to solve complex problems.
What You Will Do
- Lead a global team of Technical Program Managers aligned to Engineering verticals including AI, Infrastructure, Data, and Product Engineering.
- Own the technical program management operating model, including team structure, hiring approach, and career framework for the function.
- Drive end-to-end delivery of strategic cross-functional programs across infrastructure, security, product, and go-to-market teams.
- Define program scope, milestones, success criteria, and staffing plans to move work from ambiguity to clear execution.
- Establish program metrics focused on non-linear productivity gains and build a consistent, data-led reporting practice.
- Partner with Engineering counterparts as an accountability partner for priorities, key choices, and follow-through.
- Influence strategic planning for staffing, timelines, and cross-organizational priorities.
- Create a reliable cadence for initiative reviews, prioritization, and staffing management across the technical program management function.
What We Are Looking For
- Experience in technical program management, engineering leadership, or a combination of both in complex technical organizations.
- Background as an engineer or strong technical foundation that builds credibility with engineering teams and stakeholders.
- Experience building, scaling, and developing a technical program management function or team.
- Track record of delivering complex programs across multiple stakeholders.
- Strong technical skills, including proficiency in programming languages and software development methodologies.
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams.
- Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to analyze complex problems and develop creative solutions.
Nice to Have
- Experience with AI-driven productivity tools and methodologies.
- Knowledge of DevSecOps practices and principles.
- Experience working with remote teams and managing distributed workflows.
- Familiarity with Gitlab's products and services.
Benefits and Perks
- Competitive salary and benefits package.
- Opportunity to work with a high-performance team and contribute to the development of industry-leading products.
- Flexible working hours and remote work options.
- Professional development opportunities, including training and education programs.
- Access to the latest technologies and tools.
- Collaborative and dynamic work environment.
- Recognition and reward programs for outstanding performance.
How to Stand Out
- Develop a strong understanding of technical program management principles and practices, including Agile and DevSecOps methodologies.
- Build a portfolio of successful projects and programs that demonstrate your ability to drive complex technical initiatives.
- Prepare to discuss your experience with AI-driven productivity tools and methodologies, and how you have applied them to improve engineering efficiency.
- Be ready to provide specific examples of your problem-solving skills, including times when you had to analyze complex problems and develop creative solutions.
- Research Gitlab's products and services, and be prepared to discuss how you can contribute to the company's mission and goals.
- Practice your communication and collaboration skills, as you will be working with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
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