Senior Director, Professional Services

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 the rate of human progress. This mission is integral to our culture, influencing how we hire, build products, and lead our industry. We make this possible at GitLab by running our operations on our product and staying aligned with our values. Learn more about Life at GitLab.

An overview of the role 

A Senior Director of Professional Services is a high-level executive role responsible for overseeing the delivery of services to clients and ensuring the satisfaction and success of those clients. This position typically requires a blend of leadership, strategic planning, and client management skills, along with deep industry knowledge. 

What you’ll do

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of professional services managers, architects, engineers, and other staff.
• Foster a culture of high performance, continuous improvement, and customer-centricity within the team.
• Set clear goals and objectives for the professional services team and ensure alignment with overall company strategy.
• Oversee the delivery of professional services to ensure they meet client expectations and contractual obligations.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key clients, acting as a senior point of contact for escalations and critical issues.
• Ensure client satisfaction and drive client success, leading to renewals, upsells, and positive referrals.
• Develop and execute the professional services strategy, including service offerings, delivery models, and go-to-market plans.
• Collaborate with sales, product, and customer support teams to align on client needs and ensure cohesive service delivery.
• Identify new service opportunities and drive innovation in service delivery to enhance client value and competitive positioning.
• Manage under the professional services P&L, including budgeting, forecasting, and financial performance tracking.
• Ensure services are delivered efficiently and cost-effectively, optimizing resources and maximizing profitability.
• Develop pricing strategies for services that reflect value delivered and market conditions.
• Establish and enforce best practices, standards, and methodologies for service delivery.
• Continuously assess and improve service delivery processes to increase efficiency, quality, and customer satisfaction.
• Implement metrics and KPIs to measure and improve the effectiveness of the professional services team.
• Work closely with product development teams to ensure services are aligned with product capabilities and roadmap.

What you’ll bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field; a Master’s degree or MBA is often preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in professional services, consulting, or a related field, with at least 5 years in a leadership or management role.
• Proven track record of successfully managing large-scale service delivery projects and teams, preferably in a technology or software company.
• Strategic thinking and business acumen, with the ability to develop and execute a services strategy that aligns with company goals.
• Financial acumen, including experience managing budgets, forecasts, and P&L.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to make data-driven decisions.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams and senior executives.Demonstrated progressive experience managing, leading and/or delivering professional services
• Proven experience building and leading a team of 50+ people in fast-paced, growing company
• Demonstrated progressive experience with a subscription-based business model, delivering on-premises and SaaS solutions
• Experience managing technical, cross-functional professional services teams (e.g., consulting, implementation, trainers, project managers) and delivery partners
• Demonstrated experience building and scaling a professional services business with accountability for financial targets
• Experienced with software development lifecycle (i.e., SDLC), agile, DevOps, software development tools, technologies (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes), and/or cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure)
• Ability to be an evangelist for GitLab customers and serve according to GitLab’s values
• Ability to travel up to 20%
• Ability to use GitLab
• Ability to travel if needed and comply with the company’s travel policy

How GitLab will support you

• Benefits to support your health, finances, and well-being
• All remote, asynchronous work environment
• Flexible Paid Time Off
• Team Member Resource Groups
• Equity Compensation & Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Growth and development budget 
• Parental leave 
• Home office support

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.