Senior Program Manager, Critical Harm Operations

OpenAI; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 252,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

OpenAI is seeking a highly capable Program Manager for Critical Harm Operations in San Francisco. You will build durable operating systems, align cross-functional partners, and drive complex safety programs from problem framing to scalable execution.

The role requires 8+ years of program management or related experience, exceptional organization, and the ability to navigate ambiguous problems with structured, data-driven approaches.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in program management, strategy and operations, product operations, technical program management, trust and safety, risk operations, or related field.
• Proven track record of taking complex, ambiguous work from framing through launch and scaled operations.
• Outstanding organizational skills with strong execution focus and ability to manage many moving parts.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic builds from problem to operating model with milestones, owners, risks, and success metrics.
• Translate policy, safety, technical, legal, and operational constraints into executable workflows, requirements, playbooks, escalation paths, and decision-making structures.
• Coordinate with User Ops leadership, Policy, Integrity, Safety Systems, i2, Legal, Product, Engineering, Support, vendors, and others to resolve dependencies and keep work moving.
• Move programs in and out as priorities shift and ensure durable ownership by right teams.
• Use data and frontline signals to identify bottlenecks, quality gaps, capacity needs, and escalation points.
• Drive high-priority escalations to closure with clear context and ownership.
• Create roadmaps, decision logs, status updates, risk registers and executive communications.
• Identify where AI tools, automation, or lightweight systems can improve speed, consistency, and scale.

Skills

Program management

Cross-functional collaboration

Operational planning

Risk management

Stakeholder alignment

Data analysis

Vendor operations

AI safety operations

Job description

OpenAI is seeking a highly capable Program Manager for Critical Harm Operations in San Francisco. You will build durable operating systems, align cross-functional partners, and drive complex safety programs from problem framing to scalable execution.

The role requires 8+ years of program management or related experience, exceptional organization, and the ability to navigate ambiguous problems with structured, data-driven approaches.