OpenAI · 3 weeks ago
Hardware Procurement Operations Lead (Controls & Integrations)
San Francisco
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level, Lead/Staff
$240K/yr - $240K/yr
10+ years expOpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. The Hardware Procurement Operations Lead will co-design, build, and run the procurement operations backbone for OpenAI’s hardware programs, ensuring compliance and audit readiness while leading a small team and collaborating across various functions.
Agentic AIArtificial Intelligence (AI)Foundational AIGenerative AIMachine LearningNatural Language ProcessingSaaS
Responsibilities
Co-design and maintain the operating model with BU and functional leaders—defining what is standardized vs. BU-specific, clarifying central vs. embedded responsibilities, and documenting RACI/DRIs and escalation paths
Build the operating system (policies, playbooks, tiered approval lanes, templates) so prototype speed and production-grade controls can coexist
Define and run escalation paths, exception handling, and operating cadences to keep launches moving while maintaining compliance and audit readiness
Stand up and run the launch operational readiness (back-office) cadence for hardware programs—defining required controls, SLAs/DRIs, and cross-functional handoffs across supplier onboarding, purchasing/receiving signals, landed cost, and CapEx/asset tagging
Operationalize supplier onboarding/vendor master controls, PO lifecycle governance, receiving/inspection signals, 3-way match readiness, and tooling/CapEx capture controls
Ensure Finance-grade visibility via required part/PO metadata and reconciliation routines so Finance can track materials, receipts, liabilities, and supplier payments
Define requirements and controls for logistics partner performance (with Logistics leadership), including landed-cost visibility, invoice reconciliation, and SLA measurement
Define and ensure controls/data handoffs for finished-goods flows with manufacturing partners (e.g., title transfer, reporting cadence, data ingestion)
Run operational readiness forums and unblock paths across Procurement, Logistics, Finance/Accounting, Legal, Security/TPRM, and Trade; document DRIs and outcomes tied to launches/milestones
Serve as primary cross-functional escalation point for centrally owned procurement-ops issues that block launches; partner with BU leads on BU-owned execution topics
Define requirements, workflows, and controls for hardware procurement ops; partner with Enterprise Platform Technology and BU teams to design/deliver integrations across intake, onboarding/risk, and select ERP module rollouts
Partner with Finance Systems and Accounting to define metadata and reconciliation processes so the org can reconcile materials, spend, receipts, and payments; deliver interim controls where integrations are not yet in place
Define/recommend/govern procurement-required BOM/AVL attributes (with BU engineering/supply chain) and maintain interim reconciliation workbooks where systems are incomplete
Convene cross-functional forums with Legal, Security/TPRM, Trade, and Finance to resolve time-sensitive sourcing/compliance questions, route exceptions, and document DRIs/outcomes for audit readiness
Maintain a direct procurement operations / supply chain enablement risk register and drive mitigations for supplier, trade, and regulatory risks
Establish audit-ready evidence practices for key controls (supplier onboarding, approvals, receipts/3-way match, landed cost, CapEx tagging, and exceptions)
Hire and lead a small enablement team (e.g., Procurement Systems Admin, 3PL/4PL, supplier onboarding readiness/RM, embedded pod leads to support BUs)
Translate execution pain points into structural fixes; champion change management through coaching, training, and pilots
Build strong operating rhythms and partnerships with BU teams, Finance/Accounting, Legal, Security, Trade, and Enterprise Platform Technology
Embed automation and AI into intake, onboarding, PO-to-fulfillment, inventory visibility, and dashboards to reduce manual work, improve cycle times, and strengthen compliance
Define and track Procure-to-Pay operational KPIs; continuously improve workflows and controls based on data and user feedback
Qualification
Required
Experience running direct procurement operations and supply chain operations in fast-moving hardware organizations (NPI → production)
Practical experience with ERP and PLM/MRP integrations, plus asset accounting concepts (tooling/capitalization)
Strong bias for action; delivers pilots that are production-useful within 60–180 days
Collaborative operating style; partners with BUs to co-design responsibilities while owning the operating system and delivery
Working knowledge of trade, compliance, and supplier quality
10+ years in procurement ops, supply chain ops, or hardware manufacturing environments with NPI and BOM experience
Proven experience delivering ERP direct-materials configurations and at least one PLM/MRP implementation or pilot
Experience supporting contract manufacturing and logistics motions
Strong people leadership and track record of building/scaling enablement teams
Company
OpenAI
OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company that develops advanced AI models, including ChatGPT. It is a sub-organization of OpenAI Foundation.
201-500 employees
H1B Sponsorship
OpenAI has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (1)
2024 (1)
2023 (1)
2022 (18)
2021 (10)
2020 (6)
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageTotal Funding
$79BKey Investors
The Walt Disney CompanySoftBankThrive Capital
2025-12-11Corporate Round· $1B
2025-10-02Secondary Market· $6.6B
2025-03-31Series Unknown· $40B
Leadership Team
Sam Altman
CEO & Co-Founder
Greg Brockman
President, Chairman, & Co-Founder
Recent News
2026-01-09
The Motley Fool
2026-01-09
Company data provided by crunchbase