Strategic Sourcing, Design & Construction

📋 Description

• • OpenAI is at the forefront of AI innovation, and to support our ambitious mission of ensuring general-purpose AI benefits all of humanity, we are rapidly expanding our physical infrastructure. This expansion is critical for powering advanced AI workloads at an unprecedented scale, requiring a robust and disciplined approach to design and construction. The Strategic Sourcing & Procurement function within OpenAI Finance is pivotal in enabling this growth by ensuring we can scale responsibly, securely, and with strong commercial acumen. We operate at the dynamic intersection of cutting-edge research and practical execution, forging essential external partnerships that fuel our progress in research, product development, technology infrastructure, and services.
• • As a leader in this space, you will be instrumental in building and driving a world-class Sourcing and Program Management Office (PMO) function specifically tailored for our capital projects portfolio. Your primary responsibility will be to establish and implement a comprehensive program execution framework. This includes defining and overseeing strategic sourcing initiatives, developing and managing rigorous Request for Proposal (RFP) processes, leading complex commercial negotiations, implementing robust program controls, standardizing processes and documentation, establishing clear reporting mechanisms, managing project risks, ensuring effective vendor governance, and setting high delivery standards across all our global projects.
• • You will essentially design and implement the operating system for how OpenAI executes design and construction projects worldwide. This involves close collaboration with key internal stakeholders, including Real Estate, Engineering, Design, Procurement, Finance, and Project Controls teams. Your efforts will be crucial in safeguarding project schedules, costs, quality, and overall risk mitigation, ensuring that our physical infrastructure development aligns seamlessly with our strategic objectives.
• • Key responsibilities will encompass establishing the PMO operating model, defining governance rhythms, and creating efficient workflows for our global build programs. You will develop sophisticated buying strategies, create and maintain essential program playbooks, establish clear delivery standards, implement RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) frameworks, and document execution Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). A critical part of your role will be to stand up program health dashboards, implement rigorous schedule controls, and ensure standardized, transparent reporting across all project lifecycles.
• • You will lead complex, strategic RFP processes for Real Estate and other construction-related categories, ensuring strict alignment with both business objectives and financial goals. A significant portion of your work will involve managing and negotiating a high volume of strategic deals from inception to completion, leveraging tools like Zip for sourcing intake and Ironclad for contract negotiation. Furthermore, you will partner directly with executive leadership to formulate long-term capital sourcing roadmaps and ensure adequate supplier capacity to meet our ambitious growth plans.
• • Your role extends to managing a diverse global ecosystem of architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as well as service partners crucial for workplace, robotics, and operational support. Establishing key performance indicators (KPIs), performance scorecards, and robust governance models for suppliers across numerous disciplines and sites will be essential. You will collaborate closely with the Legal department to structure scalable commercial frameworks and develop standardized contracting templates.
• • You will also provide critical support for downstream procurement activities, including managing change orders and operational contracting, working in tandem with Buyers and Project Controls. Close collaboration with Project Controls and Finance is required to accurately forecast spend, validate budgets, and maintain real-time cost transparency. A proactive approach to identifying delivery bottlenecks, operational risks, and opportunities for systemic improvement will be highly valued. Ultimately, you will build and implement scalable mechanisms designed to accelerate our speed-to-build while rigorously maintaining high standards of quality, safety, and commercial discipline.