Program Manager, M&A Recruiting | People

## About the Team The Strategic Initiatives team sits within OpenAI’s Recruiting org and focuses on some of the most dynamic, people-driven areas of the company. We lead efforts across Executive Recruiting, Mergers & Acquisitions, Talent Intelligence, High Impact Talent, and Special Projects. ## About the Role As a Mergers & Acquisitions Program Manager within Recruiting, you’ll be a key partner in managing people XFN from diligence through employee onboarding on M&A deals. This role demands exceptional judgment, speed, and absolute discretion. You’ll operate at the center of some of OpenAI’s most impactful decisions - shaping the future of the company by bringing in extraordinary, mission-aligned talent. We’re looking for someone who thrives in ambiguity, moves seamlessly between strategic thinking and execution, and is energized by complexity, challenge, and pace. ## Responsibilities - Co-design, lead, and scale the M&A People XFN workstream program, driving end-to-end management of timeline, candidate experience, and key touchpoints that enable smooth deal execution and set the stage for positive onboarding and integration. - Build and uplevel playbooks, processes, and communications to support increasing deal volume and complexity, creatively solving for new challenges while ensuring clarity, alignment, and efficiency across cross-functional stakeholders (ex: Recruiting Operations, Comms, Events, etc.) - Deliver a high-impact candidate and acquired team experience, including producing events such as Town Halls, onboarding customizations, and cultural moments that reflect OpenAI’s mission. - Partner closely with senior leaders, founders, and acquired teams, demonstrating executive presence and the ability to navigate sensitive situations and competing priorities. - Lead post-mortem retrospectives for People XFN both at a deal and program level to build repeatable playbooks/process improvement for future deals. - Liaise with Recruiting Operations and cross-functional partners to build and scale efficient M&A recruiting processes and tools. This may include initiatives related to headcount tracking and allocation, offer creation and issuance, confidentiality workflows, etc. - Flex into other high-priority areas of Strategic Initiatives as needed. ## Requirements - 6+ years of relevant industry experience, including at least 4 years leading program management efforts within Mergers & Acquisitions or driving complex, cross-functional initiatives within specialized technical environments. - Strong project management skills, including leading initiatives from project scoping to execution phases and the ability to drive alignment across stakeholders, timelines, and tools. - Strong analytical mindset, leveraging data to evaluate program health, identify risks early, and guide clear, informed decision-making. - High ownership mindset with intellectual curiosity and enthusiasm for technology; thrives in complex, continuously challenging contexts. - Proven success operating with discretion and high judgment on sensitive or high-profile hires. - The ability to zoom out strategically and operate at high altitude, while maintaining precision in execution and attention to detail. - Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to tailor messaging across diverse stakeholders. ## Nice to Have - Familiarity with technical hiring, especially in research or AI domains. - Background in recruiting, education program design, or talent development. - Experience supporting or building community-based programs. - Project Management certification (e.g., PMP or equivalent). ## Benefits This role is based in our San Francisco office and we aren’t considering remote applications at this time. We use a hybrid work model of 3 days in the office with optional work from home on Thursdays and Fridays. We also offer relocation assistance to new employees.