[Hiring] Senior Ecosystem Sales Manager @GitLab

Role Description

The Ecosystem Sales Manager (ESM), Japan is a senior, market-facing role responsible for building and scaling GitLab's partner business in Japan across the full breadth of the ecosystem: hyperscalers, large Japan-centric system integrators (SIs), and born-in-the-cloud / AI-native partners.

• Build and scale GitLab's partner-sourced and influence business in Japan across hyperscalers, large Japan-centric SIs, and born-in-the-cloud/AI partners.
• Develop deep, strategic (not transactional) relationships with a focused set of priority partners — joint business plans, QBRs, and named executive sponsorship.
• Own hyperscaler relationship management and Marketplace motion with AWS and/or GCP.
• Build and grow relationships with major Japan SIs (e.g., SoftBank, Fujitsu, Hitachi, NTT) and market-making channel/born-in-the-cloud partners and emerging AI-native partners.
• Drive partner-sourced pipeline and bookings, and carry a quota tied to partner-sourced/generated revenue.
• Partner closely with the Japan sales team to ensure partner-sourced opportunities are properly identified, supported, and closed.
• Work with the Japan and APJ Ecosystem team to help shape and refine the Japan Ecosystem coverage model.
• Contribute to partner enablement, certification, and go-to-market programs suited to the Japan market.
• Report on partner engagement health, pipeline contribution, and progress against strategic-partner milestones.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in channel/alliance/partner management or ecosystem sales, ideally within enterprise software, DevOps, or cloud infrastructure.
• Extensive, well-rounded experience scaling a business through partners across hyperscalers, large Japan-centric SIs, and born-in-the-cloud/AI-native partners — not narrowly specialized in just one partner type.
• Direct experience managing hyperscaler relationships (AWS, GCP, and/or Azure) including Marketplace motion.
• A strong, credible existing network among Japan's major SIs and cloud-native/channel partners, with a track record of moving relationships from transactional to strategic.
• Comfort carrying a partner-sourced revenue quota and being measured on pipeline origination, not just deal closure.
• Strong stakeholder management skills — able to align internal sales, marketing, and partner-side stakeholders around joint goals.
• Native or business-fluent Japanese and strong business English (for regional collaboration with APJ leadership).
• Based in or willing to relocate to Tokyo.

Nice to Have

• Prior experience at or with a hyperscaler (AWS, GCP) in a partner or alliances capacity.
• Familiarity with GitLab, DevSecOps, or adjacent developer-tooling ecosystems.
• Experience helping design or reset a partner coverage model, comfortable building process rather than only inheriting one.

What Success Looks Like (First 6–12 Months)

• Joint business plans and an active engagement cadence (e.g., QBRs) in place across priority hyperscaler, SI, and cloud-native/AI partners.
• Demonstrable movement of key partner relationships from transactional to strategic engagement.
• Growing partner-sourced pipeline and bookings against quota.
• Credible input into finalizing the Japan Ecosystem coverage model, grounded in on-the-ground partner relationships.

Benefits

• 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.