Engineering Manager, Runner SaaS (CI/CD)

This Engineering Manager role for our Runner SaaS group is 100% remote.

GitLab Runner is an application that works with GitLab CI/CD to run jobs in a pipeline. Each week, GitLab Runners process millions of jobs for gitlab.com. The Runner service is written in Go.

Currently, we have a single Runner group focused on the application development and management of the infrastructure needs of our shared runners used to run CI/CD jobs on gitlab.com. In order to further invest in the growth of the Runner group, we are creating a second Runner team focused on supporting these shared runners, and will be hiring an Engineering Manager to help lead the Engineering effort.

As a Backend Engineering Manager in our Runner SaaS group within the Verify stage, you'll manage a team of Backend Engineers who implement solutions to operate the different types of CI Runners supported on gitlab.com, encompassing both application development and infrastructure management efforts. One of the primary charters of this team is to ensure feature development and maintenance work can be prioritized accordingly. For example, this currently involves supporting multiple types of Runners, supporting the infrastructure of shared runners on gitlab.com, and ensure proper versioning upgrades are being done.

Some useful links:

• Runner Group Page
• Verify Stage Direction
• Runner 'Letter from the Editor'

What you'll do in this role

• Manage and grow the Backend Engineers in the Runner SaaS group
• Collaborate with the Product Manager to help inform planning and author project plans for epics, and influence the overall direction of SaaS Runners
• Build an understanding of SaaS Runners, including their operational and performance challenges on gitlab.com. Be able to help manage requests or coordinate any incidents that arise, collaborating with team members across the organization.
• In addition to the Product Manager, work with the rest of the team (e.g. Engineers, Software Engineers in Test) to ensure the team direction is clear, and the team is delivering value aligned with business needs. 
• Run agile project management processes. We work iteratively and release monthly.
• Maintain empathy for the team by keeping awareness of engineering processes and practices. Examples may include:
  • evaluating individual workflow during one on ones
  • ensuring production readiness reviews are being conducted
  • collaborating with internal stakeholders throughout the department, as the single point of contact for any internal Runner requests
• Actively seek and hire globally-distributed talent
• Contribute to the sense of psychological safety on your team
• Foster technical decision making on the team, but make final decisions when necessary
• Draft quarterly OKRs and Engineering KPIs

You should apply if you bring:

• Knowledge of CI/CD
• Experience scaling SaaS products
• An ability to operate within our view on leadership
• Demonstrated experience as a People Manager with a servant leadership mindset
• Technical credibility: The team works with Golang and deploys the Runner service onto VMs themselves. While we don't require hands-on cloud infrastructure or development experience in these areas, it's helpful to understand how SaaS applications are built and deployed
• Exquisite brokering skills: you'll need to regularly collaborate with your team and internal stakeholders within the organization
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• You share our values, and work in accordance with those values

Also, we know it’s tough, but please try to avoid the ​​confidence gap​.​​ You don’t have to match all the listed requirements exactly to be considered for this role.

Culture at GitLab

The culture here at GitLab is something we're incredibly proud of. Some of the benefits you'll be entitled to vary by the region or country, however all GitLab team members receive unlimited paid-time-off (PTO). Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DIB)  are fundamental to the success of GitLab. We strive to create a transparent environment where all team members feel their voices are heard and welcomed. Ultimately, our goal is to have a team that is representative of our users.