Application Guide

How to Apply for Managing Director, Collaborative Capital

at GitLab Foundation

🏢 About GitLab Foundation

The GitLab Foundation is the philanthropic arm of GitLab, a fully remote, high-performing team that operates with a strong bias for action and a culture rooted in CREDIT values. Unlike traditional foundations, it blends philanthropy, impact investing, and technology, actively using AI to scale social impact. Working here means joining a nimble, transparent, and results-driven environment where you can shape the future of collaborative capital.

About This Role

As Managing Director, Collaborative Capital, you will lead the Foundation’s Funds team, owning the strategy, development, deployment, and management of the grantmaking portfolio. You will also drive funding partner attraction and engagement, and oversee grantee support services to maximize social return on investment. This is a leadership team role reporting directly to the President & CEO, where you will contribute to Foundation-wide strategy and decision-making.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might involve leading a Funds team meeting to review pipeline progress, engaging with a prospective funding partner to explore a collaborative capital opportunity, and working with grantee support services to address a challenge. You might also contribute to a Foundation-wide strategic discussion with the leadership team, all while leveraging AI tools to streamline workflows and decision-making.

🚀 Application Tools

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Interview Prep

Practice questions for this role

🎯 Who GitLab Foundation Is Looking For

  • Proven experience leading grantmaking or impact investing portfolios, with a track record of deploying capital effectively and measuring social return.
  • Demonstrated ability to attract, organize, and engage funding partners, including high-net-worth individuals, foundations, and corporate partners.
  • Strong strategic and operational leadership in a remote, fast-paced environment, with comfort navigating ambiguity and evolving priorities.
  • Deep alignment with GitLab Foundation’s CREDIT values and a collaborative, humble, and results-oriented mindset, plus fluency in using AI and emerging technologies to enhance philanthropic work.

📝 Tips for Applying to GitLab Foundation

1

Highlight specific examples of grantmaking portfolios you have managed, including total capital deployed, number of grantees, and measurable social outcomes.

2

Showcase your experience in attracting and stewarding funding partners—quantify the funds raised or partnerships formed.

3

Demonstrate familiarity with GitLab’s CREDIT values and weave them into your application materials to show cultural alignment.

4

Emphasize your ability to lead in a fully remote, high-performing team, including how you use AI and technology to drive efficiency and impact.

5

Address the dual nature of the role: strategic leadership (Foundation-wide) and hands-on execution (grantee support services), providing concrete examples of both.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

In your cover letter, focus on: (1) your direct experience in designing and managing grantmaking strategies that delivered measurable social impact; (2) your success in building and maintaining a network of funding partners, including innovative collaborative capital models; (3) your ability to lead and support a remote team while fostering a culture of curiosity, ownership, and open debate; and (4) your vision for how AI and emerging technologies can amplify philanthropic outcomes, aligning with GitLab Foundation’s forward-leaning approach.

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Study GitLab Foundation’s CREDIT values and recent grantmaking initiatives to understand their strategic priorities and culture.
  • → Research GitLab’s overall corporate structure and how the Foundation integrates with its open source and community development efforts.
  • → Explore the Foundation’s existing funding partners and grantee portfolio to identify gaps and opportunities for collaborative capital.
  • → Investigate how GitLab Foundation uses AI and technology in its operations, and consider how you could contribute to that innovation.
Visit GitLab Foundation's Website →

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 How would you design a grantmaking portfolio from scratch to maximize social return on investment?
2 Describe a time you attracted a major funding partner and how you sustained that relationship.
3 How do you balance strategic leadership with hands-on grantee support in a remote, fast-moving environment?
4 What role do AI and emerging technologies play in modern philanthropy, and how would you integrate them into the Foundation’s work?
5 Give an example of how you’ve navigated ambiguity and evolving priorities while keeping a team aligned and motivated.
Practice Interview Questions →

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Avoid generic statements about passion for philanthropy without concrete examples of managing grants or funding partnerships.
  • Do not overlook the remote-first, high-performance culture—failing to demonstrate ability to thrive in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment is a red flag.
  • Steer clear of focusing only on strategy without showing willingness to roll up your sleeves for grantee support and operational execution.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to GitLab Foundation!

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