Director, Strategic Partnerships

Job description

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 Director, Strategic Partnerships, you will own GitLab's relationships with its two major cloud infrastructure partners: AWS and Google Cloud. This is a single-threaded owner role, reporting to the VP, Corporate Development & Strategic Partnerships. You will shape partnership strategy from the top down and drive execution from the ground up, this is as much about running the weekly grind of a partnership as it is about setting its direction, turning strategic relationships into durable business outcomes. You will own the commercial relationship end-to-end: managing GitLab's cloud infrastructure spend and consumption commitments, and leading renewal negotiations for enterprise agreements (e.g., EDPs, MACCs, or equivalent) before they come due. You will also own the technical and go-to-market side of each relationship: driving product integrations, shaping joint go-to-market strategy, and connecting GitLab's product roadmap and AI strategy to concrete partner initiatives. This is not a co-sell, channel, or revenue-through-partners role. Success here looks like disciplined commercial ownership, technical integration depth, and renewal outcomes that protect and grow GitLab's position, not partner-sourced pipeline or quota attainment. This role sits close to GitLab's evolving AI strategy and the future of our AI-powered DevSecOps platform. You will develop a clear point of view, represent these partnerships with senior stakeholders, and personally drive the day-to-day work that spans multi-year planning and weekly execution, chasing down blockers, keeping workstreams on track, and doing the detailed follow-through yourself rather than delegating it. What you'll do • Serve as the primary owner and point of contact for GitLab's cloud infrastructure partnerships with AWS and Google Cloud, personally accountable for the direction, operating rhythm, and outcomes of each. • Own the full commercial lifecycle of each relationship: negotiating rates and terms, tracking consumption against committed spend, and leading renewal negotiations well ahead of contract expiration. • Manage cloud infrastructure spend as a standing responsibility, partnering with Finance/FinOps on forecasting, true-ups, and cost optimization across both hyperscalers. • Drive product integrations with each partner, working directly with engineering and product management counterparts on both sides to identify, scope, and deliver joint technical initiatives. • Develop and lead joint go-to-market strategy for each partnership, connecting GitLab's business priorities, product roadmap, and AI strategy to concrete partner initiatives, and then own getting those plans executed. • Build strong working relationships across partner organizations, including executives, product management, engineering, sales, and marketing stakeholders. • Run a disciplined operating cadence across complex initiatives, with clear priorities, owners, timelines, coordination points, and follow-through you drive yourself. • Coordinate cross-functional work inside GitLab to support partnership goals, aligning teams across product, engineering, sales, marketing, finance, and the executive group. • Translate partner opportunities and requests into actionable internal plans, including roadmap discussions, integration needs, commercial terms, and executive recommendations. • Track and communicate measurable partnership outcomes such as spend efficiency, consumption trends, renewal terms secured, integration progress, and joint go-to-market execution. • Represent the partnerships at the executive level by preparing clear recommendations, briefing executives, and helping drive alignment on investments, trade-offs, and next steps. What you'll bring • Significant experience owning strategic partnerships, alliance relationships, or vendor/commercial relationships in enterprise software, cloud, and/or AI, with a track record of being in the details, not just setting direction. This experience should reflect owning one or a small number of relationships in depth, not administering a large multi-partner channel ecosystem. • Direct experience managing enterprise cloud commercial agreements (e.g., EDP, MACC, or similar consumption/spend commitments) with at least one major hyperscaler, including experience owning a renewal cycle from expiration planning through negotiation and close. • Experience driving product or technical integrations with a cloud partner, and shaping joint go-to-market strategy that connects a product roadmap to partner initiatives. • Strong ownership mindset with the ability to operate as a si