Strategic Account Executive - Chicago

OpenKrill; United States; Remote; USD 115,000 - 172,000; Full time

Job summary

GitLab is hiring a Strategic Account Executive for the Chicago area to drive enterprise growth by helping large organizations adopt and expand the AI-powered DevSecOps platform. You will guide customers through complex transformations, building trusted partnerships across the full sales cycle.

You will lead multi-stakeholder deals, coordinate with cross-functional teams, and develop repeatable sales motions to generate pipeline and Net ARR in your territory. Travel as needed per policy.

Qualifications

• Experience driving complex B2B software sales cycles in enterprise accounts.
• Background selling into large enterprise accounts in Chicago, US.
• Ability to build trusted C-level relationships across business and technical teams.
• Drive new business and expansion within enterprise accounts through consultative sales motions.
• Experience collaborating with channel/strategic partners to generate pipeline.

Responsibilities

• Lead enterprise accounts across Chicago, acting as trusted technology advisor.
• Coordinate with Solutions Architects, Customer Success, Sales Development, Channel & Alliances, and other specialists to deliver AI-powered DevSecOps solutions.
• Shape long-term customer goals and map to GitLab platform capabilities and business outcomes.
• Build strategic partnerships by understanding customer industry and success metrics.
• Develop and execute strategic account plans, including opportunity mapping and multi-threaded engagement to expand GitLab usage.
• Lead end-to-end customer journeys from discovery to negotiation and successful implementation.
• Support forecasting and pipeline reviews with strategic insights to refine go-to-market approach.
• Prepare and present customer-facing proposals and recommendations that communicate value and partnership path.

Skills

Enterprise sales

Chicago market knowledge

C-level relationships

Multi-stakeholder sales

Channel & Alliances

Strong communication

Travel flexibility

Tools

Salesforce

Job description

GitLab is the intelligent orchestration platform for DevSecOps. GitLab enables organizations to increase developer productivity, improve operational efficiency, reduce security and compliance risk, and accelerate digital transformation. More than 50 million registered users and more than 50% of the Fortune 100 trust GitLab to ship better, more secure software faster.

The same principles built into our products are reflected in how our team works: we embrace AI as a core productivity multiplier, with all team members expected to incorporate AI into their daily workflows to drive efficiency, innovation, and impact. GitLab is where careers accelerate, innovation flourishes, and every voice is valued. Our high-performance culture is driven by our values and continuous knowledge exchange, enabling our team members to reach their full potential while collaborating with industry leaders to solve complex problems. Co-create the future with us as we build technology that transforms how the world develops software.

*Fortune 500 is a registered trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, used under license. Claim based on GitLab data. Fortune 100 refers to the top 20% ranked companies in the 2025 Fortune 500 list, published in June 2025. Fortune and Fortune Media IP Limited are not affiliated with, and do not endorse products or services of GitLab.

Location- Chicago, Illinois

An overview of this role

As a Strategic Account Executive for the Chicago area, you'll drive GitLab's enterprise growth by helping some of the area's most influential organizations adopt, implement, and expand their use of our AI-powered DevSecOps platform. You'll focus on enterprise accounts, guiding customers through complex digital and DevSecOps transformations and driving pipeline generation that translates into measurable Net ARR and long-term expansion. In this role, you'll act as a key connector between customer stakeholders and GitLab's field organization so GitLab is seen as a trusted, long-term partner across the full sales cycle. In your first year, you'll be expected to build a strong enterprise portfolio across your territory, create repeatable sales motions, and consistently forecast and report on deal progress and account health.

What you'll do

• Drive strategic growth by leading GitLab's enterprise accounts across Chicago, serving as a trusted technology advisor to industry leaders in your territory.
• Orchestrate winning sales strategies by bringing together Solutions Architects, Customer Success experts, Sales Development, Channel & Alliances, and other technical specialists to deliver transformative, AI-powered DevSecOps solutions.
• Shape the future of software development by crafting innovative solutions that align GitLab's platform with customers' long-term vision, compliance needs, and business objectives.
• Build deep, strategic partnerships by mastering your customers' industry landscape, success metrics, and growth trajectories so you can position GitLab as their indispensable technology ally.
• Design and execute strategic account plans, including opportunity mapping, stakeholder alignment, and multi-threaded engagement, to expand GitLab usage within new and existing strategic accounts.
• Lead end-to-end customer journeys from initial discovery through evaluation, negotiation, and successful implementation, ensuring a consistent, high-quality experience at every stage of the sales cycle.
• Champion continuous improvement by contributing to forecasting and pipeline reviews, conducting sophisticated win/loss analyses, and sharing strategic insights that refine our go-to-market approach.
• Prepare and deliver compelling customer-facing and internal presentations, proposals, and recommendations that clearly communicate value, business outcomes, and the path to long-term partnership with GitLab.

What you’ll bring

• Experience driving complex B2B software sales cycles with enterprise customers, ideally in DevSecOps, software development tools, or adjacent SaaS solutions.
• Background selling into large, enterprise accounts in Chicago, United States, with the ability to build trusted C-level and senior stakeholder relationships across business and technical teams.
• Knowledge of Chicago enterprise market, including key industries, buying centers, and decision-making dynamics, with the ability to build and nurture a relevant professional network.
• Ability to drive new business acquisition and expansion within enterprise accounts through consultative, multi-stakeholder sales motions that lead to sustainable, long-term customer partnerships.
• Experience collaborating with channel and strategic partners to generate pipeline, co-sell, and support successful customer adoption.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to lead account strategy, influence internal and external stakeholders, and remain calm under pressure.
• Ability to work in line with GitLab's values, use GitLab and Salesforce in your daily work, and travel as needed while following company travel policies.

About the team

The Enterprise Sales team is responsible for driving growth, adoption, and long-term value for GitLab's AI-powered DevSecOps platform with our largest and most strategic customers. As a Strategic Account Executive focused on Chicago, you'll be part of a distributed, all-remote team that works asynchronously across regions and partners closely with GitLab's sales engineering, marketing, and customer success teams. We value transparency, collaboration, and a consultative approach, and we support one another through shared account planning, regular deal reviews, and knowledge sharing focused on enterprise customers across the Chicago region.

Remote-GlobalThe base salary range for this role’s listed level is currently for residents of the United States only. This range is intended to reflect the role's base salary rate in locations throughout the US. 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, alignment with market data, and geographic location. The base salary range does not include any bonuses, equity, or benefits. 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.

United States Salary Range$114,800-$172,200 USD

How GitLab Supports Full-Time Employees

• 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

Please note that we welcome interest from candidates with varying levels of experience; many successful candidates do not meet every single requirement. Additionally, studies have shown that people from underrepresented groups are less likely to apply to a job unless they meet every single qualification.

Country Hiring Guidelines: GitLab hires new team members in countries around the world. All of our roles are remote, however some roles may carry specific location-based eligibility requirements. Our Talent Acquisition team can help answer any questions about location after starting the recruiting process.

Privacy Policy: Please review our Recruitment Privacy Policy. Your privacy is important to us.

GitLab is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. GitLab’s policies and practices relating to recruitment, employment, career development and advancement, promotion, and retirement are based solely on merit, regardless of race, color, religion, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy, lactation, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression), national origin, age, citizenship, marital status, menta