GitLab Implementation Audit & Optimization

Our self-hosted GitLab instance has grown quickly and the cracks are beginning to show. I now need a full, end-to-end review of the entire implementation—from the way pipelines are defined to how repositories are organised and, most urgently, how user access is controlled.

Current Version - 18.7

Current pain points
• Access permissions are inconsistent and hard to trace.
• Merge-request approvals don’t always follow our intended flow.
• User-role management has become manual and error-prone.

Beyond those control issues, I’m sure other inefficiencies have crept in, so I’d like fresh eyes on the entire setup.

Scope of work
1. Audit the existing GitLab configuration, including runners, CI/CD pipeline definitions, repository structure and visibility levels, group/project settings and any custom hooks.
2. Deliver a concise report that highlights security gaps, performance bottlenecks and governance weaknesses, with clear, actionable recommendations.
3. Reconfigure user roles, access permissions and approval rules so they mirror our desired governance model.
4. Optimise pipelines and repository management where obvious quick wins are identified.
5. Provide a knowledge-transfer session so my team understands the new structure and can maintain it moving forward.

Acceptance criteria
• A written audit report with prioritised recommendations.
• Updated GitLab configuration pushed to a merge request and successfully applied.
• Permission matrix that maps each team to their new role.
• One-hour walkthrough call (recorded) explaining all changes.

The environment is running the latest stable GitLab on our own servers; SSH access and administrative credentials will be provided once we kick off.