Senior Manager, Talent Development

GitLab is an open-core software company that develops the most comprehensive AI-powered DevSecOps Platform, used by more than 100,000 organizations. Our mission is to enable everyone to contribute to and co-create the software that powers our world. When everyone can contribute, consumers become contributors, significantly accelerating human progress. Our platform unites teams and organizations, breaking down barriers and redefining what's possible in software development. Customers get AI benefits at every stage of the SDLC.

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.

Overview of the role

Shape the future of how GitLab's global team grows and thrives. You'll architect and execute a comprehensive talent development ecosystem that accelerates every team member's career trajectory while driving measurable business impact. This is a high-visibility, high-impact role where you'll lead strategic initiatives from vision to execution, working directly with senior leaders across divisions.

What You'll Do

Strategic Vision & Execution

• Craft the near and long-term roadmap aligned to company OKRs and workforce insights, translating bold vision into executable annual plans and quarterly deliverables
• Lead quarterly business reviews and strategic alignment across People Business Partners, Field Enablement, Engineering, People Tech, DIB, and Analytics teams
• Anticipate future talent needs before they become urgent, positioning GitLab ahead of industry trends and skill gaps

Learning Experience Innovation

• Establish design excellence standards using Universal Design for Learning (UDL), inclusive design principles, and AI-integration —leveraging generative AI to rapidly prototype learning content and create adaptive experiences
• Ship high-impact learning experiences through ADDIE/SAM methodologies enhanced with AI-assisted content creation—from AI-generated micro-learning modules to intelligently curated cohort journeys and dynamically personalized program

Performance Revolution: Growth & Impact

• Re-imagine continuous performance as an evolved and innovative assessment approach that replaces traditional annual reviews and integrates personalized growth and development into enhancing performance
• Launch and scale a new process and elevated culture around team and team member growth and impact
• Create insight-driven dashboards that turn performance data into actionable team and individual development plans

AI Skills Revolution

• Embed AI proficiency into day-to-day productivity (across job profiles), GitLab Success Profiles, and career development frameworks
• Curate and deploy adaptive AI curricula that meets teams where they are
• Achieve ambitious targets: org-wide AI proficiency, division-specific proficiency standards

Technical Horsepower and Design Thinking

• Set functional and data strategy for GitLab's talent enablement technology (LMS/LXP and Talent Experience Platform-TXP) as it relates to our broader talent tools ecosystem with planned integration alongside Workday and other People Group technology
• Drive adoption and engagement by strategically deploying quality content and interactive experiences
• Configure advanced features: skills taxonomy, skills tagging, learning analytics, and telemetry

Cross-Functional Partnership Excellence

• Partner with DIB, Compensation, and People Analytics to bolster inclusive learning experiences that directly link skill development to career progression and compensation
• Collaborate with Field Enablement, Digital Success, and Product teams to align talent development initiatives with customer needs and product roadmap priorities
• Influence executive stakeholders across divisions to champion learning culture transformation and secure investment in development programs

Succession Planning & Leadership Pipeline

• Architect development-focused succession planning that identifies high-potential talent and creates targeted acceleration pathways for key talent
• Establish succession readiness dashboards - in partnership with Talent Management - giving leadership real-time visibility into talent pipeline health and development ROI

Data-Driven Innovation

• Build comprehensive analytics stack with experimentation frameworks
• Run continuous A/B tests and feed insights back into strategic roadmap decisions
• Create executive dashboards that translate learning metrics into business impact

What You'll Bring

Learning Technology Expertise

• 10+ years in talent development, performance management, learning experience design, or relevant experience
• Deep fluency with LXP/LMS ecosystems (Cornerstone, EdCast, Workday or similar platforms)
• Hands-on experience with AI-enabled learning technologies and adaptive learning systems

Instructional Design Excellence

• Mastery of ADDIE, SAM methodologies and adult learning science principles
• Proven track record designing and shipping learning experiences for global, distributed teams
• Portfolio of complex program rollouts with measurable business impact

Leadership & Influence (Essential for Future Growth)

• People leadership experience managing teams, even though this role starts as individual contributor
• Exceptional stakeholder influence across Product, Engineering, Field Enablement, People Analytics, and GitLab Executive leadership teams
• Strategic facilitation skills to drive alignment and decision-making in complex, multi-stakeholder environments

Vision-to-Execution Operator

• Strategic thinking with proven ability to set multi-quarter and multi-year vision and translate into tactical execution
• Program management excellence delivering complex initiatives on time
• Managing ambiguity mastery - you thrive even when you don't have every piece of context, understanding that perfect information isn't required to make meaningful progress
• Exceptional decision quality - consistently making sound decisions with incomplete data, balancing speed with thoughtfulness

Innovation & AI-Forward Mindset

• AI openness and proficiency with willingness to experiment and lead by example
• Creative problem-solving with appetite for calculated risks and innovation
• Growth mindset that embraces continuous learning and iteration

Advanced Analytics & Data Fluency

• Advanced analytics skills that turn learning data into executive-level recommendations
• Experience with experimentation and A/B testing in learning environments
• Comfort with learning analytics platforms and building measurement frameworks

Strategic Communication & Executive Storytelling

• Experienced storyteller who translates learning metrics and development outcomes into board-ready narratives that secure investment and champion support
• Leadership presence with ability to facilitate senior leader discussions, lead strategic planning sessions, and influence executive leadership through data-driven storytelling
• Expert at crafting multi-modal communications—from concise executive briefings to immersive quarterly business reviews—that inspire action and demonstrate clear ROI on talent investments

About the Team

The Talent Management & Development team is the driving force behind GitLab's ability to build and maintain continuously learning, high-performing teams. We create and facilitate programs that accelerate growth and unlock potential across the organization. Working closely with People Business Partners and business leaders, we drive organizational capability through innovative learning strategies and development programs.

Our team combines strategic learning design with operational excellence to deliver programs that make a real difference in people's career trajectories and GitLab's success. We're passionate about creating an environment where talent continuously develops and everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential.

This role reports to the Director of Talent Management & Development and manages a lean team while influencing learning culture transformation across the organization.

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.