Senior Special Programs Security Manager (CSSO/CPSO)

OpenAI; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

OpenAI’s Industrial Security team is seeking a Senior Special Programs Security Manager to lead security operations for SCI and SAP programs. You will serve in CSSO or CPSO roles for government customers, shaping how OpenAI operates across intelligence and national-security environments.

The role demands deep special programs expertise, strong operational judgment, and the credibility to work directly with government customers and senior internal stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Active Top Secret clearance and SCI access required.
• Experience with Special Access Programs (SAP) / Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) programs preferred.
• Ability to collaborate with government customers and internal teams across security, legal, facilities, IT, and program leadership.

Responsibilities

• Lead SCI and SAP security operations across the program lifecycle, including access administration and accreditation.
• Serve as CSSO or CPSO or equivalent program security official for assigned government customers.
• Build trusted relationships with Intelligence Community and DoD customers and external security stakeholders.
• Oversee accreditation, operation, modification, and inspection readiness of SCI facilities and SAP facilities.
• Translate government regulations and customer direction into practical security policies and procedures.
• Coordinate with personnel security, classified IT, Facilities, and legal teams to establish clear ownership of safeguards.
• Lead self-inspections, security inquiries, corrective actions, and customer assessments.
• Advise Industrial Security leadership and maintain continuity across critical programs and customer relationships.
• Mentor and develop security personnel, establishing staffing, governance, and operating rhythms for growth.
• Enable classified work through risk-informed decisions while maintaining authority to stop or redirect when needed.

Skills

Security leadership

Policy development

Stakeholder management

Risk assessment

Job description

About The Team

The Industrial Security team enables OpenAI's classified and national security work by building secure, compliant programs that support government customers and protect sensitive information. We partner across Security, Legal, People, Facilities, Engineering, IT, and program leadership to translate complex government requirements into practical operating models that allow important work to move forward responsibly. Our work spans personnel security, classified facilities, special programs, government customer engagement, and the safeguards required to operate in highly regulated environments.

About The Team

The Industrial Security team enables OpenAI's classified and national security work by building secure, compliant programs that support government customers and protect sensitive information. We partner across Security, Legal, People, Facilities, Engineering, IT, and program leadership to translate complex government requirements into practical operating models that allow important work to move forward responsibly. Our work spans personnel security, classified facilities, special programs, government customer engagement, and the safeguards required to operate in highly regulated environments.

About The Role

As a Senior Special Programs Security Manager, you will lead security operations for OpenAI's Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) and Special Access Programs (SAP), serving in customer-designated roles such as Contractor Special Security Officer (CSSO) or Contractor Program Security Officer (CPSO). You will help shape how OpenAI operates across the Intelligence Community and other national security environments, building the relationships, processes, and security foundations required to support classified work at scale.

We're looking for someone who brings deep special programs expertise, sound operational judgment, and the credibility to work directly with government customers and senior internal stakeholders. This is a hands-on leadership role for someone comfortable navigating ambiguity, helping build the function, mentoring future team members, and finding compliant paths forward when mission needs and security requirements intersect.

This role is based in San Francisco, CA, or Washington, DC. We use a hybrid work model of three days in the office per week and offer relocation assistance to new employees. Additional onsite presence and occasional travel may be required based on classified program, facility, and government customer needs.

This position requires active Top Secret eligibility, current SCI access, and a current counterintelligence (CI) polygraph at the time of application. Candidates must also be able to obtain and maintain additional customer-required accesses, including a full-scope polygraph if required.

In This Role, You Will

• Lead SCI and SAP security operations across the program lifecycle, including access administration, indoctrinations and debriefings, security plans, classification requirements, incident reporting, inspections, and program closeout.
• Serve as the designated CSSO, CPSO, or equivalent program security official for assigned government customers and classified programs.
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with Intelligence Community and Department of Defense customers, government security officers, program security officers, and other external security stakeholders.
• Oversee the establishment, accreditation, operation, modification, and inspection readiness of Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities and Special Access Program Facilities.
• Translate government regulations, contract requirements, DD Forms 254, security classification guides, and customer direction into practical policies, procedures, and operating decisions.
• Coordinate closely with personnel security, information systems security, classified IT, Facilities, Legal, and program teams to establish clear ownership and integrated safeguards.
• Lead self-inspections, security inquiries, corrective actions, customer assessments, and escalation of risks that could affect access, accreditation, or program execution.
• Advise Industrial Security leadership, independently represent the security function, and provide operational continuity across critical programs and customer relationships.
• Mentor and develop special programs security personnel while establishing the staffing, metrics, governance, and operating rhythms needed to support continued growth.
• Enable classified work through risk-informed decisions while maintaining the judgment and authority to stop or