Partnerships Operations Lead, OAI for Government
About this role
Managing the end-to-end operating cadence for partner opportunities takes center stage in this role, guiding transactions from intake and qualification through approvals, contracting, launch, and expansion. The Partnerships Operations Lead serves as operational connective tissue across the public-sector team at OpenAI, collaborating closely with Account Directors, Solutions Architects, Revenue Operations, and Deal Desk to move initiatives forward. Establishing clear readiness criteria and capturing customer context ensures a smooth handoff to Technical Success.
OpenAI for Government helps public-sector institutions utilize advanced artificial intelligence responsibly for critical missions. The Partnerships team builds the external ecosystem and internal operating mechanisms required to deliver that work at scale. A strong candidate combines the relationship instincts of a growth-oriented builder with the rigor of an exceptional business operator, thriving in ambiguity while creating processes from scratch.
What you will do
- Manage the complete operating cadence for partner-sourced and partner-influenced opportunities from intake through expansion.
- Build and improve operating processes, stage gates, decision rights, and standard procedures for partner execution.
- Operationalize government partner motions such as cloud providers and resellers by translating requirements into clear workflows.
- Coordinate deal execution across account, revenue operations, legal, finance, security, and product teams.
- Establish consistent handoffs to Technical Success by standardizing readiness criteria, use cases, and success plans.
- Unblock complex deals by surfacing issues early, managing exceptions, and driving necessary approvals.
- Maintain the operational source of truth for contract milestones, pipeline data, and partner launches.
- Identify and implement workflow and tooling improvements that reduce cycle time and remove friction.
What you need
- Minimum of seven years of experience in operations, Revenue Operations, Sales Operations, Deal Desk, or complex program management.
- Track record of building operating processes and cross-functional workflows from the ground up in fast-moving environments.
- Experience supporting the end-to-end deal lifecycle in enterprise technology, public sector, or regulated fields.
- Exceptional program management skills to coordinate multiple high-priority workstreams and deadlines.
- Strong systems and data orientation, including familiarity with CRM, reporting, workflow, and collaboration tools.
- Ability to balance detailed execution with systems-level problem solving while maintaining accuracy and accountability.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to influence cross-functional teams without formal authority.
Nice to have
- Experience operating partner, alliance, channel, or co-sell programs in enterprise technology, cloud, or AI.
- Familiarity with public-sector procurement, government contracting, and customer implementation handoffs.
Benefits
- Offers Equity
Skills and tech stack
Questions candidates ask
What is the compensation for this role?
The salary range for this position is $221K to $266K. The compensation package also includes offers of equity.
Where is the position located?
This role is located in Washington, DC.
What kind of background is required for applicants?
Candidates need at least 7 years of experience in operations, Revenue Operations, Sales Operations, Deal Desk, go-to-market business operations, or complex program management. Experience supporting the end-to-end deal lifecycle in enterprise technology, public sector, or regulated environments is also required.