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About the Team
GitLab's APJ Ecosystem team builds and scales the partner (channel, alliance, and hyperscaler) motion across the region. Japan is a strategic market for GitLab, and this hire is central to strengthening our partner ecosystem there — deepening a smaller number of high-value partnerships rather than spreading thin across many transactional ones.
About the Role
The Ecosystem Sales Manager (ESM), Japan is a senior, market-facing role responsible for building and scaling GitLab's partner business in Japan across the full breadth of the ecosystem: hyperscalers, large Japan-centric system integrators (SIs), and born-in-the-cloud / AI-native partners. We are looking for someone with the range and seniority to credibly own strategic partner relationships across all of these partner types, and to help grow our business through these partners.
This is a senior individual-contributor role for someone who has already built a career scaling partner-sourced and influenced revenue in Japan — someone who knows the hyperscaler ecosystem (AWS & GCP), has deep, credible relationships with Japan's major SIs, and understands how to engage newer-generation cloud-native and AI partners as they become an increasingly important part of the go-to-market.
What You'll Do
- Build and scale GitLab's partner-sourced and influence business in Japan across hyperscalers, large Japan-centric SIs, and born-in-the-cloud/AI partners.
- Develop deep, strategic (not transactional) relationships with a focused set of priority partners — joint business plans, QBRs, and named executive sponsorship.
- Own hyperscaler relationship management and Marketplace motion with AWS and/OR GCP.
- Build and grow relationships with major Japan SIs (e.g., SoftBank, Fujitsu, Hitachi, NTT) and market-making channel/born-in-the-cloud partners and emerging AI-native partners.
- Drive partner-sourced pipeline and bookings, and carry a quota tied to partner-sourced/generated revenue.
- Partner closely with the Japan sales team to ensure partner-sourced opportunities are properly identified, supported, and closed.
- Work with the Japan and APJ Ecosystem team to help shape and refine the Japan Ecosystem coverage model.
- Contribute to partner enablement, certification, and go-to-market programs suited to the Japan market.
- Report on partner engagement health, pipeline contribution, and progress against strategic-partner milestones.
What We're Looking For
- 15+ years of experience in channel/alliance/partner management or ecosystem sales, ideally within enterprise software, DevOps, or cloud infrastructure.
- Extensive, well-rounded experience scaling a business through partners across hyperscalers, large Japan-centric SIs, and born-in-the-cloud/AI-native partners — not narrowly specialized in just one partner type.
- Direct experience managing hyperscaler relationships (AWS, GCP, and/or Azure) including Marketplace motion.
- A strong, credible existing network among Japan's major SIs and cloud-native/channel partners, with a track record of moving relationships from transactional to strategic.
- Comfort carrying a partner-sourced revenue quota and being measured on pipeline origination, not just deal closure.
- Strong stakeholder management skills — able to align internal sales, marketing, and partner-side stakeholders around joint goals.
- Native or business-fluent Japanese and strong business English (for regional collaboration with APJ leadership).
- Based in or willing to relocate to Tokyo.
Nice to Have
- Prior experience at or with a hyperscaler (AWS, GCP) in a partner or alliances capacity.
- Familiarity with GitLab, DevSecOps, or adjacent developer-tooling ecosystems.
- Experience helping design or reset a partner coverage model, comfortable building process rather than only inheriting one.
What Success Looks Like (First 6–12 Months)
- Joint business plans and an active engagement cadence (e.g., QBRs) in place across priority hyperscaler, SI, and cloud-native/AI partners.
- Demonstrable movement of key partner relationships from transactional to strategic engagement.
- Growing partner-sourced pipeline and bookings against quota.
- Credible input into finalizing the Japan Ecosystem coverage model, grounded in on-the-ground partner relationships.
How GitLab Supports Full-Time Employees
- 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
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.
