About OpenAI Foundation
AI is already changing how people work, learn, and access care. It has the potential to unlock extraordinary benefits—faster medical breakthroughs, accelerated scientific discovery, more personalized services in healthcare and education, new tools for creativity and invention, higher productivity and economic growth, improved public services like transportation systems, and so much more. But building powerful systems to benefit humanity is only a part of the work of our mission. Advanced AI models will also present new challenges that are already surfacing, and we need to be prepared to identify these challenges and develop solutions to address them. These are the two dimensions of what we’re building the Foundation to do. We aim to enable the use of AI to find solutions to humanity’s hardest problems, transform what people are capable of, and deliver real benefits in people’s lives—while working hard with partners to be ready for new challenges, and to help make society resilient, as AI advances. This work is just beginning. Over the next year, as we quickly ramp up, the Foundation expects to invest at least $1 billion across life sciences and curing diseases, jobs and economic impact, AI resilience, and community programs. This includes early investments toward our previously announced $25 billion commitment to curing diseases and AI resilience.
About the Role
The OpenAI Foundation is hiring a senior Chief of Staff for its Civil Society & Philanthropy (CSP) team: a detail-oriented operating partner, strategic thought partner and trusted deputy. You’ll partner with the Head of Civil Society & Philanthropy to set priorities, build effective systems and keep the team moving. With a detailed grasp of the portfolio and relationships across teams, you’ll exercise sound judgment and represent the Head when needed. The role has three components: 1) team operations and systems (you’ll have oversight of internal AI tools and processes and enable the team’s success), 2) strategic partnership and representation, and 3) end-to-end project ownership.
What you’ll do
Drive programs from idea to execution
- Own selected projects end to end, translating goals into priorities, plans, owners, milestones and deliverables
- Maintain visibility across the portfolio and Foundation teams, connecting dependencies and sustaining momentum
- Catch dropped commitments, identify blockers early, and resolve or escalate them with good judgment
Keep the team running smoothly
- Build and maintain practical systems for planning, tracking, communication and accountability
- Own the team meeting rhythm, preparation and follow-up so decisions become action
- Use AI to improve team workflows, including building or adapting internal tools and processes where useful, and verifying their outputs
Support strategy, planning and decisions
- Be a thought partner on team strategy, planning, priorities and allocation of people and resources
- Represent the Head in leadership discussions, offsites and partner meetings, surfacing risks and decisions and ensuring follow-through
- Surface risks and decisions, and help shape the team’s contributions to leadership discussions and offsites
Lead cross-functional efforts
- Build trusted relationships across Foundation teams (e.g., finance, legal, communications support as well as other foundation teams) and external partners.
- Lead cross-team initiatives as needed, spanning technical enablement, grantmaking and AI-native philanthropy
Contribute to team growth
- Support hiring and onboarding as the team expands
- Help build a strong, collaborative, and mission-driven team environment
What we’re looking for
- Prior Chief of Staff experience is strongly preferred. We also welcome candidates at different career stages with compelling evidence of comparable operating responsibility.
- A track record of independently leading ambiguous, cross-functional projects from strategy to results, including budgets and resource allocation
- A low-ego, hands-on approach and a desire to serve as the team’s full-time Chief of Staff for at least two years, supporting its work across a broad portfolio.
- Exceptional attention to detail, strong organizational instincts and consistent follow-through
- Practical, hands-on AI fluency: experience applying AI in real workflows, understanding its limitations, and verifying its outputs. Candidates must pass an AI fluency test as part of the hiring process.
- Clear communication, discretion and senior judgment; ability to build trust, challenge constructively and represent a leader credibly
- Ability to collaborate in person in line with the Foundation’s office schedule, with flexibility for team needs and occasional travel
Nice to have
- Experience assessing new opportunities, weighing tradeoffs and turning ideas into practical plans
- Experience working across complex subject matter, functions and communities
- Familiarity with civil society, philanthropy or the societal impacts of AI
Why this role
AI is advancing quickly, and the stakes are high. This role offers the chance to help the Civil Society & Philanthropy team turn its priorities into impact, strengthen how the Foundation operates, and contribute to ensuring AI benefits society.
