Director, Technical Writing

Job Description:

GitLab is an open core software company that develops the most comprehensive AI-powered DevSecOps Platform, used by more than 100,000 organizations. Our mission is to enable everyone to contribute to and co-create the software that powers our world. When everyone can contribute, consumers become contributors, significantly accelerating the rate of human progress. This mission is integral to our culture, influencing how we hire, build products, and lead our industry. We make this possible at GitLab by running our operations on our product and staying aligned with our values. Learn more about Life at GitLab.

Thanks to products like Duo Enterprise, and Duo Workflow, customers get the benefit of AI at every stage of the SDLC. The same principles built into our products are reflected in how our team works: we embrace AI as a core productivity multiplier. All team members are encouraged and expected to incorporate AI into their daily workflows to drive efficiency, innovation, and impact across our global organisation.

The Director of Technical Writing at GitLab leads the technical documentation function, setting strategic goals and ensuring the delivery of clear, accurate, and user-focused documentation.

You’ll drive impact with the millions of worldwide GitLab docs (docs.gitlab.com) users, enabling product learnability, efficient configuration, ease of use, and troubleshooting. We follow a Git-based, docs-as-code workflow, adopting a Docs-first methodology in our documentation practices. This role reports to the VP of UX and manages a globally distributed team of technical writers, technical writing managers, and engineers. The role collaborates closely with UX, engineering, product management, and community teams to drive documentation excellence in a fast-paced, remote-first environment. 

Key Responsibilities

• Shape and implement the strategic approach, guidelines, and goals for technical writiing across teams

• Hire, retain, mentor, and support a world-class team of Technical Writers, Technical Writing Managers, and Full Stack Engineers

• Advocate for technical writing and documentation best practices throughout the company, ensuring documentation is prioritized and valued

• Oversee the creation, maintenance, and continuous improvement of product documentation, ensuring it is clear, comprehensive, and accessible to diverse audiences, including developers, administrators, and end users

• Drive cross-departmental collaboration to identify documentation needs and deliver impactful content

• Coordinate efforts to improve content strategy, information architecture, and documentation standards to ensure consistency and usability

• Lead data-driven documentation improvements by directing UX research, implementing analytics frameworks, and overseeing design initiatives 

• Identify and implement process improvements, including automation and workflow enhancements, to increase efficiency and quality

• Manage resource allocation and strategic planning for the technical writing function

• Direct staffing strategy, conduct performance reviews, and nurture professional development opportunities across the Technical Writing team

• Serve as a key member of the product leadership team, representing documentation interests in executive forums and directly influencing strategic product decisions

• Ensure the team’s practices align with company values and remote work competencies

Required Qualifications

• Proven experience managing and mentoring teams of technical writers and technical writing managers, ideally in a software or SaaS environment

• Experience with docs-as-code workflows, Git, and modern documentation tooling

• Strong understanding of developer tools, DevSecOps, and open-source software

• Proven track record of implementing data-driven approaches to evaluate documentation quality, user engagement, and content performance

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a strong focus on clarity, organization, and user needs

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field or equivalent practical experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience implementing AI-powered solutions for search optimization, documentation maintenance, and quality assurance

• Experience leading documentation for developer-focused products or platforms

• Track record of driving process improvement and innovation in documentation practices

• Experience working with open-source communities and external contributors

• Ability to shape documentation strategy in a high-growth, rapidly evolving organization

• Familiarity with CI/CD and GitLab

What We Offer:

• Competitive salary and equity compensation
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision benefits
• Generous parental leave and family planning benefits
• Remote-first work culture with flexible work hours
• Learning and development budget to support professional growth
• Opportunities to contribute to open-source projects and communities

Remote-Global

The base salary range for this role’s listed level is currently for residents of listed locations only. Grade level and salary ranges are determined through interviews and a review of education, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities of the applicant, equity with other team members, and alignment with market data. See more information on our benefits and equity. Sales roles are also eligible for incentive pay targeted at up to 100% of the offered base salary.

California/Colorado/Hawaii/New Jersey/New York/Washington/DC/Illinois/Minnesota pay range

$158,600 - $297,400 USD