Director, Data Science - GitLab

About GitLab

GitLab is the intelligent orchestration platform for DevSecOps, enabling organizations to increase developer productivity, improve operational efficiency, reduce security and compliance risk, and accelerate digital transformation. More than 50 million registered users and over 50% of the Fortune 100 trust GitLab to ship better, more secure software faster.

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.

Overview of the Role

As Director, Data Science, you'll lead GitLab's Product, Sales, and Finance Data Science teams and report to the VP of Data & Insights. You have two mandates:

1. Make Data Science a driver of growth: Connect the team's work to GitLab's biggest priorities: supporting product innovation, ensuring launches are improved and scaled with data, improving product adoption through GTM motions, and growing the consumption business. Ensure work changes decisions at the executive level.
2. Set the bar for great data science: Define what makes a great Data Scientist at GitLab, from business partnership to technical rigor, and develop managers who build teams that achieve that standard.

You lead through your managers with an overall team size of 12 (including data scientists and analysts), steering direction across the data organization and staying close enough to the work to pressure-test critical analyses and models.

What You'll Do

• Build trusted relationships with executives across Product, Finance, and GTM, acting as a strategic thought partner to shape business questions.
• Own investment and prioritization across teams, making trade-offs visible to senior leaders.
• Lead high-impact, cross-functional programs (such as driving new product adoption and consumption business growth) from strategy through measurable business impact.
• Coach and mentor managers and senior ICs to build leadership succession.
• Hold a high talent bar, ensuring every teammate becomes a trusted partner in their domain.
• Set org-wide standards for metric definition, causal inference, predictive modeling, and the integration of AI.
• Foster a high-trust culture of urgency, accountability, and open communication.
• Partner with Analytics Engineering, Data Engineering, and other data teams on a shared data and AI roadmap.

What You'll Bring

• 12+ years in data science, product analytics, or a related field, including 6+ years leading teams and 3+ years managing managers in B2B SaaS or tech.
• Proven track record of scaling a data science or analytics organization into an executive-level strategic partner.
• Strong business acumen across product and go-to-market, with experience connecting data initiatives to revenue and growth.
• Executive presence: ability to communicate complex findings and trade-offs clearly to the C-suite.
• Deep expertise in statistics, experimentation, and causal inference, alongside technical depth in SQL, Python, and ML to pressure-test analyses.
• Clear point of view on how AI is reshaping data science and analytics, with experience leading teams through that shift.
• Ability to thrive in an all-remote, asynchronous company and embody GitLab's core values.

Nice to Have

• Experience with developer tools, DevSecOps, or product-led growth products.
• Experience with usage-based or consumption pricing models.
• Experience merging or restructuring data science and analytics teams.
• External or internal thought leadership in data science or analytics.
• Advanced degree in a quantitative field.

Compensation & Benefits

• US Base Salary Range: $209,600 — $314,400 USD
• Equity compensation & Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)
• Comprehensive health and wellness benefits
• Flexible Paid Time Off
• Growth and Development Fund
• Parental leave
• Team Member Resource Groups