Senior Compensation Manager

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 a Senior Compensation Manager at GitLab, you'll lead the design, planning, and execution of compensation programs that help us attract, retain, and reward team members. You'll own recurring programs, including the annual focal merit cycle, and provide guidance and oversight for promotion cycles, quarterly equity grant cycles, and semi-annual bonus programs. Working closely with Total Rewards leadership and partners across People, Finance, and Legal, you'll turn program objectives into clear deliverables, establish processes and controls, and see complex cycles through from planning to closeout. Your work will help ensure accurate, timely delivery and a clear experience for leaders, People teams, and team members.

You'll be based in the United States. We prefer a West Coast location to support collaboration with stakeholders across time zones.

What you’ll do

• Lead compensation programs from design and readiness through approvals, processing, communication, and post-cycle review, including ownership of the annual focal merit cycle and oversight of promotion, quarterly equity, and semi-annual bonus cycles.

• Define program calendars, decision points, responsibilities, controls, and success measures. Coordinate dependencies and keep stakeholders informed of progress, risks, and decisions.

• Ensure compliance with eligibility rules and develop process documentation, manager resources, and communications. Advise People Business Partners, Talent Acquisition, and leaders on program application and exceptions, escalating policy and governance decisions when needed.

• Analyze compensation data and program outcomes, develop recommendations for Total Rewards leadership, and partner with Finance on budgeting, cost modeling, and reconciliation.

• Partner with People Technology and IT systems stakeholders to improve workflows, reporting, and usability.

• Validate inputs and outputs, ensure timely processing, maintain audit and control documentation, and protect confidential compensation information.

• Oversee the annual refresh of global compensation and equity ranges to ensure accuracy, and support compensation partners with program delivery and analysis.

• Lead improvements that reduce program risks and friction, strengthen consistency and transparency, and improve the team member experience. Use clear documentation and asynchronous communication to coordinate work across time zones.

What you’ll bring

• Experience designing and operating compensation programs, with expertise in corporate compensation and public company equity and a record of delivering complex merit, equity, bonus, or promotion cycles accurately from planning through closeout.

• Strong analytical and spreadsheet skills, including interpreting compensation data, building scenarios, checking assumptions, and explaining findings to decision-makers.

• An understanding of compensation governance, data integrity, and controls, with discretion and sound judgment when handling confidential information and sensitive decisions.

• The ability to translate policy and strategy into operating procedures, system requirements, and stakeholder guidance, plus experience with human resources information systems and compensation planning tools such as Pave and Workday, and comfort working on a Mac.

• Attention to detail, practical problem-solving skills, and the persistence to work through complex issues and deliver accurate outcomes. You can learn unfamiliar programs, systems, and business contexts quickly.

• The ability to build trusted partnerships, advise leaders and People teams, resolve…