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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.
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An overview of the role
As Senior Director, Associate General Counsel, you'll own the vision, strategy, and execution of GitLab's corporate and compliance legal function at a senior leadership level, reporting to the Chief Legal Officer. You'll be a key member of the Legal leadership team and a trusted executive partner to the CFO, People organization, and broader E-Group on corporate governance, securities, equity, compliance, ethics, and M&A matters. You'll set the tone for how corporate legal operates as a strategic business enabler, accountable for the programs, judgment, and infrastructure that let GitLab operate as a scaled public company with rigor and speed.
This role spans corporate governance, securities compliance, compliance, ethics, equity plan administration, executive compensation, and M&A, building and leading a team of corporate attorneys and paralegals as GitLab's corporate and compliance legal needs continue to grow. This is a role for a seasoned legal leader who has operated inside a public company, who knows what great governance looks like at scale, and who is ready to shape the corporate legal function for a company operating at the intersection of DevSecOps, AI, and enterprise SaaS.
What You'll Do
- Define and execute the long-term strategy for GitLab's corporate and compliance legal function, aligning legal priorities with the company's public company obligations, governance standards, and growth trajectory
- Serve as a primary legal executive partner to the CFO, People leadership, and E-Group, advising on corporate governance, securities matters, equity strategy, executive compensation, and M&A at the highest levels of complexity and materiality
- Build, lead, and develop a high-performing team of corporate attorneys and paralegals, fostering a high-performance, async-first culture as the function scales
- Advise on, draft, and maintain templates, policies, and processes for corporate law matters, including securities filings, governance documentation, equity plan administration, executive compensation, and M&A transactions
- Own GitLab's ongoing SEC reporting and disclosure obligations, working closely with Finance, Accounting, and external auditors on legal issues relevant to accounting treatment and public company disclosure
- Lead legal support for equity plan administration, partnering with Stock Administration, People, and Total Rewards on plan design, grant practices, and compliance
- Monitor and analyze changes in corporate and securities law, assess legal risk, and propose creative, practical solutions that account for GitLab's culture, brand, and business priorities
- Anticipate legal issues and risks tied to GitLab's continued scale, building the processes and systems needed to minimize potential impact
- Champion AI-enabled legal workflows within the corporate legal team, driving adoption of tools that make governance, disclosure, and contract review faster and more consistent
- Manage outside counsel relationships across corporate, securities, and M&A matters, ensuring efficient and effective use of external resources
- Serve as a senior voice on cross-functional initiatives involving Legal, Finance, People, and Investor Relations, influencing decisions that shape how GitLab operates as a public company
What You'll Bring
- 8+ years of combined law firm and in-house legal experience, with substantial tenure leading corporate legal matters at a multinational, publicly traded technology company
- J.D. or U.S. law degree equivalent with bar admission in good standing in at least one U.S. state
- In-house public company experience with strong working knowledge of the '33 Act and '34 Act, and demonstrated experience managing SEC reporting and disclosure obligations
- Proven success partnering across business units, including Finance, Stock Administration, Accounting, People, and Marketing, to resolve complex business and risk management issues while weighing non-legal variables such as culture, brand, communications, government relations, tax, and insurance
- Experience advising executives and the board on corporate governance, securities, equity compensation, and M&A matters
- Demonstrated fluency in applying AI tools to legal workflows, with a track record of driving adoption across a team rather than just individual use
- Practical, creative problem-solving approach that emphasizes addressing business needs while protecting GitLab's interests
- Proactive, dynamic, and results-driven leader with strong attention to detail and familiarity working across time zones and cultures
- Outstanding interpersonal and executive communication skills, with the ability to interface effectively across all business functions with a responsive, service-oriented attitude
- Sound, practical business judgment and demonstrated ability to lead in a fully remote, asynchronous environment
About the Team
The Corporate and Compliance Legal team partners with Finance, People, and the broader E-Group to support GitLab's obligations as a public company. You'll join and lead a globally distributed team that works asynchronously and closely with internal stakeholders and outside counsel on governance, securities compliance, equity administration, and M&A. Our focus includes maintaining rigorous public company processes, keeping pace with evolving securities and corporate law requirements, and strengthening enablement through clear documentation, training, and AI-supported workflows.
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.
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.
