Deal Lead, Special Situations (Semiconductors)

We’re hiring a Deal Lead, Special Situations to help stand up new vertical bets, with a particular focus on partnership development in the semiconductor industry. You will identify where AI can create step-change value for semiconductor companies and ecosystem partners, originate and shape multi-project programs with FDEs and applied researchers, package them into compelling commercial proposals, and execute creative, complex partnerships while keeping executives and cross-functional teams tightly aligned.

Responsibilities

Identify and size high-value partnership opportunities in the semiconductor industry, translating industry pain points into concrete AI-driven commercial theses; Map the semiconductor partnership and competitive landscape, including internal AI teams and AI automation startups, and design differentiated partnership strategies that OpenAI can win and scale; Learn the language, workflows, and commercial dynamics of the semiconductor ecosystem quickly enough to build trust with both technical and business leaders; Work with FDEs and applied researchers to design multi-project programs that combine models, tooling, data, and services into outcomes partners will pay for; Define use cases, scope, sequencing, and success metrics that turn ambiguous opportunities into executable programs; Create the commercial and strategic narratives (decks, demos, proposals, and deal memos) that align partners, executives, and internal teams around a single plan; Articulate why OpenAI is the right partner versus a build-it-internally approach or external AI automation vendors serving the semiconductor market; Structure and negotiate non-standard partnerships, including revenue share, royalties, and bespoke commercial terms, through contract signature; Drive executive-level alignment and decision-making on tradeoffs, resourcing, and risk

Requirements

Have 10+ years in business development, partnerships, corporate development, private equity, or founding roles where you personally drove and closed complex, high-dollar deals from concept through delivery; Have meaningful experience in semiconductors or closely adjacent industries, including an understanding of how large companies in the sector buy, partner, and deploy technology; Can speak credibly with technical teams and learn specialized industry language and concepts very quickly; Can take a vague opportunity and turn it into a clear commercial thesis that customers, executives, and technical teams can buy into and commit budget against; Can develop a sharp view of the competitive market and persuasively explain why OpenAI is better positioned than internal AI automation efforts or semiconductor-focused AI services startups; Excel at building and closing non-standard deals that combine product, services, and long-term strategic value rather than off-the-shelf SKUs; Know how to navigate large, sophisticated buyers, align multiple stakeholders, and keep deals moving when no one has full authority or clarity; Strengthen decisions by framing commercial and technical tradeoffs early so partners and OpenAI leadership can commit with confidence; Maintain momentum as scope, pricing, risk, and partnership structures evolve; Create structure and accountability across cross-functional teams so that deals actually convert into delivered outcomes; Deliver results without waiting for perfect information, adjusting the commercial and execution path as reality changes; Represent OpenAI with credibility and executive presence in customer and partner settings, from first conversation through long-term partnership