Senior Manager, Technical Program Management

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Remote from: UK, USA, Canada
Salary: USD 140k–210k / yr
Department: Project & Program Management
Employment: Full Time
Experience: Director
Published: 1 Nov 2026
Apply before: 1 Dec 2026
Listing views: 14
Application actions: 1

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AI Summary

The role, at a glance.

GitLab is seeking a senior people leader to build and lead a centralized Technical Program Management function within Engineering. The role manages TPM staffing, coaching, performance, standards, operating cadences, and long-term function strategy. It partners closely with Product, Engineering, Security, and GTM leaders to prioritize high-impact programs, manage dependencies, and improve execution. Success requires senior IC TPM experience, proven people leadership, strong stakeholder influence, and the ability to establish scalable PMO practices in a distributed organization.

Role DNA

A quick view of the complexity, pace, ownership and collaboration implied by the job description.

Job Complexity

5/5

EasyHard

Pace & Pressure

5/5

RelaxedFast-paced

Autonomy Level

5/5

GuidedFull ownership

Communication Load

5/5

IndependentCollaborative

AI insightThis is a high-seniority leadership role that combines people management, PMO creation, resource planning, and cross-functional delivery across a complex engineering organization. The manager must influence senior stakeholders without direct control of every program while building new operating mechanisms.

Salary analysis

Estimated compensation compared with the broader US market for similar roles.

Estimated job median (per year)Market rate

$175,000

US market range (per year)$150k–$220k

0$242.00k

AI insightThe yearly pay period is inferred from the job context; it was not explicitly stated by the employer. The employer discloses a US base-salary range of $140,000–$210,000 USD. The yearly cadence is inferred from the professional US base-pay range and role level because the posting does not explicitly state an annual period. A reasonable estimated US market range for a senior technical program management leader is $150,000–$220,000 USD per year.

Core skills

Skills and capabilities most closely associated with this opportunity.

Technical program management People management PMO development Strategic planning Resource planning Cross-functional leadership Engineering operations Stakeholder management Risk management KPI development Program governance Process improvement Team coaching Product delivery AI productivity tools

Sample interview questions

How would you establish a new centralized TPM function while maintaining trust with existing Engineering and Product teams?

I would begin with stakeholder interviews and an inventory of active programs, delivery pain points, and current planning rituals. I would define a lightweight service model, common program artifacts, decision rights, and measurable success criteria, then pilot the approach on a few high-priority initiatives. Regular feedback loops and visible delivery improvements would help the PMO earn trust before broader standardization.

Describe how you would prioritize TPM staffing across competing strategic programs.

I would use a transparent prioritization framework based on business impact, customer commitments, technical risk, cross-team dependency complexity, and executive sponsorship. I would review program health and capacity regularly with Engineering and Product leadership, make trade-offs explicit, and rebalance assignments when priorities change. This keeps staffing aligned to company objectives rather than to the loudest request.

How do you coach TPMs to drive outcomes when they do not directly manage the teams delivering the work?

I coach TPMs to create alignment through clear outcomes, shared plans, ownership mapping, evidence-based status reporting, and proactive risk escalation. I encourage them to build credibility by understanding technical context and by making dependencies and decisions visible. I also provide feedback on facilitation, executive communication, conflict resolution, and influencing skills.

What metrics would you use to evaluate the effectiveness of a TPM organization?

I would combine outcome and operational measures, such as milestone predictability, delivery of intended business outcomes, dependency and risk resolution time, stakeholder satisfaction, and quality of program retrospectives. At the team level, I would also assess capacity allocation, program portfolio balance, and growth against defined TPM competencies. Metrics should guide improvement rather than create unnecessary reporting overhead.

Tell us about your approach to resolving a conflict between Product and Engineering leadership over a program timeline or scope.

I would first ensure both groups share the same customer objective, constraints, assumptions, and decision deadline. I would use data to clarify scope, technical risk, capacity, and the consequences of each option, then facilitate a decision with accountable leaders. Once agreed, I would document the trade-off, communicate it broadly, and update the program plan and risk posture.

Opportunity details

About this role.

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

We’re looking for an experienced Sr Manager, Technical Program Management to lead a team of TPMs in our Engineering org. Our R&D PMO is a new team within GitLab Engineering, so this is a great opportunity to help build out a new function and define the future of Program Management at GitLab.

This individual will be responsible for leading a team of TPMs of varying levels, all working on different areas of the Product. The Sr. Manager, Technical Program Management will work closely with Product and Engineering leadership to ensure that TPMs are assigned to high priority programs and that they are successfully delivering results for customers. In addition to managing a team, this leadership position will also contribute to the long-term operational success of the R&D organization by partnering with leaders to develop new planning cadences and other improvements to our ways of working.

What You’ll Do

Responsible for directly GitLab team members performing in the role of Technical Program Manager. Lead and mentor a team of Technical Program Managers, including providing regular feedback to foster their growth and ensure their success.
Responsible for staffing requirements for the PMO, in partnership with the Director of Technical Program Management and the Product and engineering Leadership groups. Align TPM team resourcing / assignments with the company’s business objectives.
Create and maintain program management standards for elements including program documentation, project plans, status reports, post-mortems as well as a team direction north star; work to continuously improve and iterate on these processes.
Create and maintain a long-term strategy and vision for the Program Management function, in alignment with broader company goals. Develop and expand upon the job family, CDF, and long-term hiring and growth objectives for the Technical Program Management function.
Build strong relationships with cross-functional stakeholders including Engineering, Product, Security, and GTM teams.
Identify and mitigate risks, resolve conflicts, and remove obstacles for the Technical Program Management team to ensure timely program delivery.
Establish and track key performance indicators (KPIs) for programs and team members and hold the team accountable for meeting commitments.
Lead strategic planning with direct influence over staffing decisions, project timelines, and planning stakeholders.
Demonstrate leadership as expected of Managers across GitLab and Embody our CREDIT values in your work

What You’ll Bring

Prior experience as a people manager and as an IC TPM, ideally in a position of seniority
Ability to prioritize and delegate work effectively
Proven track record of successful collaboration with internal and external stakeholders
Experience developing and executing on strategic team development plans
Ability to coach others on driving cross functional product-driven initiatives, without direct control of the programs
Proven ability to position oneself and the team as trusted partners and thought leaders
More information about the Sr Manager Job Family is available in our handbook.

About the team

Our Technical Program Management function is relatively new to GitLab; we are building out a PMO that is centralized within Engineering and looking for strong TPMs that are interested in developing a newly formed PMO and standardizing on best practices for the business. You can learn more about the PMO in our handbook page.

The base salary range for this role’s listed level is currently for residents of the United States only. This range is intended to reflect the role’s base salary rate in locations throughout the US. Grade level and salary ranges are determined through interviews and a review of education, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities of the applicant, equity with other team members, alignment with market data, and geographic location. The base salary range does not include any bonuses, equity, or benefits. See more information on our benefits and equity. Sales roles are also eligible for incentive pay targeted at up to 100% of the offered base salary.

United States Salary Range

$140,000—$210,000 USD

How GitLab Supports Full-Time Employees

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.

Country Hiring Guidelines: GitLab hires new team members in countries around the world. All of our roles are remote, however some roles may carry specific location-based eligibility requirements. Our Talent Acquisition team can help answer any questions about location after starting the recruiting process.

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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. See also GitLab’s EEO Policy and EEO is the Law. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know during the recruiting process.