About the RoleAs Engagement and Outreach Lead, you will help lead OpenAI's efforts to build trusted, long-term relationships with third-party organizations, civic and community leaders, and mission-aligned networks that help ensure AI benefits everyone. This role blends strategic partnership and policy development with visible public engagement and coalition-building. You'll represent OpenAI across education, workforce, technology policy, civic, and public-interest ecosystems - listening to diverse perspectives, co-designing programs, and translating community insight into action across our product, policy, and social impact work.
Reporting to the U.S. Partnerships Lead, Global Affairs, you'll help shape how OpenAI shows up in communities at local, state and federal levels -leading engagement strategies, partnerships, and public outreach efforts that build understanding of AI, expand opportunity, and strengthen resilience. This role requires strategic vision, deep relationship instincts, and comfort engaging at all levels - from grassroots organizations to national convenings and thought leaders.
This role will involve:- Developing and leading a proactive engagement strategy that strengthens OpenAI's relationships with a range of stakeholders, including community groups, parent organizations, workforce organizations, educators, youth programs, teen safety organizations, unions, consumer, technology policy organizations and civic innovators.
- Serving as a visible ambassador for OpenAI - representing the company at public forums, conferences, convenings, and in media or influencer collaborations.
- Building durable partnerships with third-party organizations that advance shared goals in key areas, including but not limited to, education, workforce development, AI safety, and mental health.
- Establishing ongoing mechanisms for feedback loops between community partners and OpenAI's internal teams (Policy, Safety, Product, Legal, Communications, and OpenAI Academy).
- Designing and overseeing multi-stakeholder pilots that test AI use cases for public benefit - ensuring they are measurable, inclusive, and scalable.
- Leading program scoping, partner recruitment, budgets, and impact measurement; building repeatable playbooks and toolkits that enable regional replication.
- Collaborating closely with colleagues across OpenAI to ensure community input informs product development, safety practices, and external narratives.
- Coordinating with internal experts and cross-functional teams to address issues of content integrity, data governance, mental health and wellbeing, privacy, and AI resilience.
You'll thrive in this role if you:- Are a seasoned leader at the intersection of technology and public policy, comfortable working in dynamic, fast-paced, and rapidly evolving environments.
- Inspire and develop diverse teams, empowering colleagues to excel while maintaining accountability and high ethical standards.
- Are willing to roll up your sleeves - with humility and good nature - and do the work with teammates in a high-energy, start-up, campaign environment.
- Enjoy building coalitions and thrive both independently and as part of a high-performing, peer-led team.
- Are a strong communicator and public advocate who can translate complex technical and policy concepts into compelling narratives for diverse audiences.
- Embrace cross-functional collaboration and can unify technical, legal, commercial, and operational stakeholders around a shared mission.
We're looking for a blend of:- 8-10+ years of experience in partnerships, public engagement, or external affairs with a track record of leading large-scale, high-impact initiatives.
- Demonstrated success cultivating and managing relationships across sectors-community, government, nonprofit, labor, or philanthropic.
- Excellent public speaking, facilitation, and media engagement skills.
- Strategic thinker and builder who can design programs, lead teams, and execute with discipline.
- Strong organizational and project management skills; comfort navigating complex, fast-moving environments.
- Active listener with cultural fluency and empathy; able to earn trust across diverse audiences.
- Willingness to travel frequently to build relationships and oversee on-the-ground programs.
- Experience representing an organization publicly-media, conferences, or thought-leadership platforms.
- Background working with unions, workforce programs, education institutions, or mental health initiatives.
- Familiarity with community-centered design, participatory research, and program evaluation.
