Senior Compensation Manager

GitLab

6d•$139,200 - $235,200•Remote

About The Position

As a Senior Compensation Manager at GitLab, you will lead the design, planning, and execution of compensation programs that help attract, retain, and reward team members. You will 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 with Total Rewards leadership and partners across People, Finance, and Legal, you will turn program objectives into deliverables, establish processes and controls, and manage complex cycles from planning through closeout to ensure accurate, timely delivery and a clear experience for leaders, People teams, and team members. The role is based in the United States, with a preference for a West Coast location to support collaboration across time zones. GitLab describes its roles as remote, though some roles have location-based eligibility requirements. The Compensation team consists of 2 Global Compensation Partners and a Lead Total Rewards Program Manager who collaborates with the Compensation and Benefits teams. The team provides compensation programs for more than 40 countries and works with People Business Partners, Talent Acquisition, People Operations, and People Technology across a distributed workforce.

Requirements

Experience designing and operating compensation programs, with expertise in corporate compensation and public company equity.
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.
Understanding of compensation governance, data integrity, and controls, with discretion and sound judgment when handling confidential information and sensitive decisions.
Ability to translate policy and strategy into operating procedures, system requirements, and stakeholder guidance.
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 persistence in working through complex issues and delivering accurate outcomes.
Ability to learn unfamiliar programs, systems, and business contexts quickly.
Ability to build trusted partnerships, advise leaders and People teams, resolve ambiguity, and move decisions forward without relying on formal authority.
Strong written and verbal communication skills and ability to coordinate with global partners across time zones using asynchronous practices.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting a global, distributed workforce, including partners in India or other locations outside the United States.
Experience with compensation-cycle communications.
Experience in a software or technology company.

Responsibilities

Lead compensation programs from design and readiness through approvals, processing, communication, and post-cycle review.
Own the annual focal merit cycle and oversee promotion, quarterly equity, and semi-annual bonus cycles.
Define program calendars, decision points, responsibilities, controls, and success measures; coordinate dependencies and communicate 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.