VP of Engineering, Architecture and Transformation at Gitlab

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. Thanks to products like Duo Enterprise and Duo Agent Platform, 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. An overview of this role As the Vice President of Engineering, Architecture and Transformation, you'll create and lead a new Engineering Leadership Team (ELT)-level engineering pillar focused on AI-powered productivity, next-generation architecture and horizontal execution across GitLab. You'll tackle critical cross-cutting problems such as improving engineering productivity with AI tools like Claude Code, solving major architectural challenges like decoupling the monolith and building next-generation primitives and improving responsiveness by embedding a horizontal engineering team into high-priority verticals. You'll lead two new charters: Architecture, Quality and Engineering Excellence and Horizontal Engineering. Together, these charters will define and roll out engineering best practices, serve as "Customer Zero" for GitLab's AI-assisted development workflows and provide dynamic, high-context capacity that accelerates delivery and improves reliability toward targets like 99.99% availability. In your first year, you'll work closely with the ELT and PMO to set and deliver a clear AI and architecture roadmap. You'll establish standards that raise quality and operational efficiency and build a high-trust model for embedded horizontal teams that strengthens GitLab's global, always-on innovation cycle. Some examples of our projects: • The AI-Augmented Delivery Engine: A strategic initiative to use GitLab as "Customer Zero" by integrating state-of-the-art agents—leveraging tools like Claude Code or equivalent open-source models—to automate non-creative tasks like refactoring and MR generation, establishing a blueprint for non-linear productivity gains. • The "Act 2" Alignment Charter: A strategic roadmap co-authored with senior leadership that identifies systemic technical bottlenecks and defines the architectural evolution required to move GitLab from a DevSecOps platform to an AI-autonomous delivery engine. What you'll do • Lead the new Engineering, Architecture and Transformation pillar as part of the ELT, setting a clear vision for horizontal engineering excellence across GitLab. • Drive the definition, adoption and continual improvement of engineering best practices, partnering with Product, PMO and vertical engineering leaders to raise quality, reliability and delivery consistency. • Own the "Customer Zero" charter by championing internal use of GitLab, unblocking teams and directly contributing to code when needed to validate workflows and accelerate critical initiatives. • Define and guide the transition to next-generation, AI-optimized architecture, including the design and rollout of core primitives that enable vertical teams to decouple legacy systems and scale for ultra-scale customers. • Build and lead the Architecture, Quality and Engineering Excellence team to deliver non-linear productivity gains through AI-assisted development, including tools such as Claude Code and GitLab Duo. • Establish and manage the Horizontal Engineering team as a flexible, embedded group that joins target teams, gains deep context in their codebases and delivers high-impact features and fixes during US business hours. • Collaborate across the ELT and senior leaders to identify systemic horizontal challenges, prioritize cross-cutting initiatives and ensure clear technical ownership and accountability for their execution. • Champion an operationally frugal mindset by aligning AI and architectural decisions with cost of goods sold optimization, while maintaining high availability, service reliability targets and a strong culture of engineering excellence. What you'll bring • Large-Scale Engineering Leadership: Proven experience leading large-scale engineering organizations, including horizontal or platform functions that span multiple product areas. • World-Scale Service Operations: Deep background in building, operating and evolving highly available, world-scale services with a strong focus on reliability and quality. • Architectural Expertise: Demonstrated technical depth across modern software architectures, including experience driving major architectural transitions such as decoupling monoliths and defining foundational primitives. • Hands-On Technical Leadership: Hands-on engineering leadership style, with the ability to engage directly in code and technical design when needed while guiding teams from strategy through execution. • AI-Assisted Development: Expertise in AI-assisted development and tooling, with a track record of using AI to improve developer productivity and inform product direction. • Cost-Conscious Architecture: Experience driving COGS-conscious engineering decisions, optimizing architectures and operations for both performance and cost efficiency. • Cross-Functional Influence: Ability to influence without direct authority in a matrixed environment, aligning engineering, product and executive stakeholders around shared outcomes. • Product-Minded Change Leadership: Strong product mindset and change leadership skills, including managing the human side of large technical shifts in similarly complex, high-scale environments. About the team Our ELT-led engineering pillar drives platform-wide impact across GitLab. We partner with product and engineering leaders across all verticals to raise engineering standards and support long-term architectural and AI initiatives. You'll join a small, high-context, globally distributed group that works asynchronously. We also provide responsive coverage during US business hours through embedded engineers who join target teams as full contributors. We focus on solving systemic, cross-cutting engineering challenges and accelerating delivery where capacity or geographic gaps exist, turning GitLab's global footprint into a strategic advantage. How GitLab will support you • Benefits to support your health, finances, and well-being • Flexible Paid Time Off • Team Member Resource Groups • Equity Compensation & Employee Stock Purchase Plan • Growth and Development Fund • 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. 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. Privacy Policy: Please review our Recruitment Privacy Policy. Your privacy is important to us. 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.