Manager, Renewals

An overview of this role

Reports to: Director, Renewals

This is a first-line people-management role focused on the day-to-day execution and coaching of individual contributors — typically early-career to mid-level Renewals Managers and Associates — rather than long-range strategic decision-making. The Manager, Renewals implements functional plans into tactical processes, makes routine operational decisions for their team, and relies primarily on their own experience to guide direct reports' task execution and career growth. Their sphere of influence is largely limited to their direct reports and primary stakeholders, and they escalate cleanly to more senior leaders when decisions or progress are blocked.

What You’ll Do

• Manage the day-to-day work of a team of individual-contributor Renewals Managers/Associates, most of whom are at early-career to mid-level stages.
• Implement functional renewals plans and strategy into tactical, day-to-day processes for a book of business.
• Maintain accurate visibility into team renewals performance in the CRM/renewals system for forecasting and reporting.
• Deliver precise forecasting for their renewal segment alongside Field Sales Leadership and the Geo Director, incorporating projections for churn and growth opportunities.
• Partner with Sales, Customer Success, and Finance to keep renewals and expansion opportunities moving, escalating unusual or high-risk situations appropriately.
• Solve renewal and team problems of moderate complexity by following GitLab's processes and policies and selecting the relevant solution.
• Demonstrate and coach business acumen — pricing, contract terms, whitespace, and expansion motion — to team members.
• Make routine operational decisions covering the team's day-to-day renewals operations, typically of lower complexity and risk, and escalate cleanly to appropriate levels when decisions or progress are blocked.
• Provide prioritization guidance to team members, helping them balance what is urgent and important to deliver quality key results and protect revenue and retention.
• Maintain and reinforce a clear renewal strategy for the team, ensuring alignment with broader Division and Company-wide priorities.
• Establish goals and tasks, set performance expectations, drive accountability, monitor progress, and ensure timely, relevant information is cascaded to the team.
• Enable the capacity and efficiency of team members by removing blockers and streamlining day-to-day renewals workflows.
• Clearly communicate team objectives and how they reflect Division and Company-wide strategy and priorities.
• Proactively identify and fill talent gaps on the team; care personally for team members and provide candid, real-time feedback and coaching.
• Recognize and proactively address engagement and retention needs, and foster an environment of open feedback and dialogue within the team.
• Rely on your own experience to advise direct reports on career growth, with a focus on building task-level skills.
• Coach team members on skills and behaviors aligned with GitLab's Operating Principles and high-performance culture, and weigh how prospective hires will amplify GitLab's values.
• Regularly demonstrate, model, and coach GitLab's remote working best practices, including excellent remote presentation skills.

What You’ll Bring

• Prior experience as a renewals, customer success, or sales professional, with exposure to renewal motions.
• Experience managing or mentoring early-career to mid-level individual contributors, or clear readiness to step into first-line people management.
• Strong understanding of GitLab's (or a comparable SaaS company's) renewals processes, pricing, and contract fundamentals, with developing business acumen to coach others.
• Ability to translate functional plans and strategy into clear, tactical day-to-day team processes.
• Sound judgment on routine operational decisions, with the discipline to escalate cleanly when issues exceed the team's scope.
• Strong prioritization skills and the ability to help others balance urgent versus important work.
• Demonstrated people-leadership instincts: goal-setting, accountability, feedback, coaching, and fostering trust and engagement.
• Genuine care for team members' growth, paired with candid, real-time feedback delivered productively.
• Alignment with GitLab's Values and Operating Principles, and the ability to coach others toward a high-performance culture.
• Excellent written, verbal, and remote presentation communication skills, with a bias toward action.
• Comfort operating in a fully remote, asynchronous work environment.
• The ability to travel for events such as trainings, team offsites, customer meetings, etc.

About the team

We are dedicated to driving customer retention and growth by managing the end-to-end renewal process for a large portfolio of customers. Our mission is to deliver a seamless, efficient, and positive renewal experience that supports long-term customer success. We leverage automation, data-driven insights, and close collaboration with Customer Success and Sales teams to proactively engage customers, identify risks and opportunities, and ensure timely renewals. We operate in a global, asynchronous environment, utilizing tools like Salesforce, Gainsight, and Gong to coordinate efforts and maintain high standards of customer satisfaction. Learn more about our approach and best practices in the Renewals Manager Handbook.

How GitLab will support you

• 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
• Home office support