Director, Technical Writing

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