Washington, DC · Remotefull timeRemotemid$183k–$248kH1B: no
OpenAI Senior Special Programs Security Manager at OpenAI leads SCI and SAP security operations and serves as CSSO or CPSO for government customers. Responsible for managing classified program security, facility accreditation, and government relationships.
Responsibilities
As a Senior Special Programs Security Manager, you will lead security operations for OpenAI’s Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) and Special Access Programs (SAP), serving in customer-designated roles such as Contractor Special Security Officer (CSSO) or Contractor Program Security Officer (CPSO). You will help shape how OpenAI operates across the Intelligence Community and other national security environments, building the relationships, processes, and security foundations required to support classified work at scale.
We’re looking for someone who brings deep special programs expertise, sound operational judgment, and the credibility to work directly with government customers and senior internal stakeholders. This is a hands-on leadership role for someone comfortable navigating ambiguity, helping build the function, mentoring future team members, and finding compliant paths forward when mission needs and security requirements intersect.
This role is based in San Francisco, CA, or Washington, DC. We use a hybrid work model of three days in the office per week and offer relocation assistance to new employees. Additional onsite presence and occasional travel may be required based on classified program, facility, and government customer needs.
This position requires active Top Secret eligibility, current SCI access, and a current counterintelligence (CI) polygraph at the time of application. Candidates must also be able to obtain and maintain additional customer-required accesses, including a full-scope polygraph if required.
Lead SCI and SAP security operations across the program lifecycle, including access administration, indoctrinations and debriefings, security plans, classification requirements, incident reporting, inspections, and program closeout.
Qualification
Active Top Secret eligibilityCurrent SCI accessBackground in fast-paced AIAdvanced certifications such as ISP®Experience using Security ControlsWe are an equal opportunity employerFor additional information
Required
Active Top Secret eligibility
Current SCI access
Current counterintelligence (CI) polygraph
Ability to obtain and maintain additional customer-required accesses, including a full-scope polygraph if required
Serve as the designated CSSO, CPSO, or equivalent program security official for assigned government customers and classified programs.
Build and maintain trusted relationships with Intelligence Community and Department of Defense customers, government security officers, program security officers, and other external security stakeholders.
Oversee the establishment, accreditation, operation, modification, and inspection readiness of Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities and Special Access Program Facilities.
Translate government regulations, contract requirements, DD Forms 254, security classification guides, and customer direction into practical policies, procedures, and operating decisions.
Coordinate closely with personnel security, information systems security, classified IT, Facilities, Legal, and program teams to establish clear ownership and integrated safeguards.
Lead self-inspections, security inquiries, corrective actions, customer assessments, and escalation of risks that could affect access, accreditation, or program execution.
Advise Industrial Security leadership, independently represent the security function, and provide operational continuity across critical programs and customer relationships.
Preferred
Background in fast-paced AI, R&D, or high-tech environments.
Advanced certifications such as ISP®, CPP®, or SPeD.
Bachelor’s degree in Security Management, Criminal Justice, or similar
Experience using Security Controls, Threat Switch, SIMS or similar software is preferred.
OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. We push the boundaries of the capabilities of AI systems and seek to safely deploy them to the world through our products. AI is an extremely powerful tool that must be created with safety and human needs at its core, and to achieve our mission, we must encompass and value the many different perspectives, voices, and experiences that form the full spectrum of humanity.
We are an equal opportunity employer, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other applicable legally protected characteristic.
For additional information, please see OpenAI’s Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement.
Background checks for applicants will be administered in accordance with applicable law, and qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment consistent with those laws, including the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, and the California Fair Chance Act, for US-based candidates. For unincorporated Los Angeles County workers: we reasonably believe that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship with the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment: protect computer hardware entrusted to you from theft, loss or damage; return all computer hardware in your possession (including the data contained therein) upon termination of employment or end of assignment; and maintain the confidentiality of proprietary, confidential, and non-public information. In addition, job duties require access to secure and protected information technology systems and related data security obligations.
