T&E Events Lead

OpenAI is a leading artificial intelligence research and deployment company dedicated to advancing AI technologies for the benefit of humanity. Known for pushing the boundaries of AI safety, innovation, and ethical deployment, OpenAI creates powerful AI systems designed to assist people worldwide. The company fosters a diverse and inclusive work environment, valuing a broad range of perspectives to help shape a future where AI benefits all. OpenAI is committed to equal employment opportunity and offers reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, emphasizing compliance with various employment laws and policies to ensure fairness and transparency.

Within the Procurement organization at OpenAI, the focus is on responsible, compliant, and efficient spending to support the company’s mission. The Procurement team plays a critical role in managing the company’s travel, expense, and event-related operations, ensuring these functions run smoothly and in accordance with internal controls and regulatory requirements. Reporting directly to the Head of Travel & Expense (T&E), this role is instrumental in crafting and scaling the company’s global events strategy, optimizing processes and partnerships across multiple cross-functional teams including Accounting, Finance, and Procurement Operations.

The role of the Global T&E and Events Strategy Lead is a blend of strategic leadership and hands-on execution. This individual is responsible for owning the global strategy around Travel & Expense events and related procurement activities, setting process roadmaps, leading platform deployment and lifecycle management, and driving cost optimization through process standardization. The position requires a balance between program leadership and detailed operational tasks, with approximately 50% of time split between these responsibilities.

Key responsibilities include developing and managing corporate travel and event strategies, partnering with internal stakeholders such as Events teams and Executive Business Partners, and ensuring compliance with stringent controls aligned with SOX and other regulations. This role involves managing event policies related to room blocks, venues, group meals, payments, and reconciliation, as well as spearheading sourcing initiatives, contract negotiations, vendor selection, and supplier strategy optimization for corporate events.

Additionally, the position demands expertise in process design, governance, and audit readiness, including ownership of SOP documentation, controls alignment, and policy enforcement. A critical part of the role involves integrating various programs—such as travel, expense, procurement cards, and budgeting—into a unified workflow to enhance event program management.

Data accuracy and systems integration are also key, with responsibility for ensuring seamless coordination across ERP, analytics, travel, tax, payroll, and related systems. The ideal candidate has extensive experience in strategic meeting management programs (SMMP), global travel and expense management, and has worked with enterprise platforms like Oracle Fusion, Planned, Cvent, and Navan.

This full-time, hybrid role is based in San Francisco, California, requiring three days a week in the office and offering relocation assistance. The compensation ranges from $216,000 to $240,000 USD annually, plus equity offers. Candidates who thrive in scaling, high-growth environments and who have strong technical and controls mindsets will find this opportunity rewarding and impactful, helping to lead OpenAI’s mission through effective and compliant travel, expense, and events management.