Program Manager, Critical Harm Operations

Critical Harm Operations sits within User Safety & Risk Operations and builds enforcement systems for Frontier Risk and Material Harm that are accurate, fast, defensible, and built to scale. We turn policy intent into operational readiness, review standards, quality systems, escalation paths, automation guardrails, and durable cross-functional operating models. We are looking for an exceptional Program Manager to help build durable operating systems and run some of OpenAI’s most complex safety operations. The core need is a high-agency operator who can take an ambiguous problem, create the right structure, align cross-functional partners, and drive the work through execution. This role will move across Critical Harm priorities as needs evolve. You may step into operationalizing national security or violent-activities workflows, support wellbeing and Frontier Risk initiatives, or help scale programs such as Trusted Access. Deep domain expertise is helpful but not required; the strongest candidates will learn quickly, exercise excellent judgment, and make complex programs move.

Responsibilities

Lead strategic operational builds across priority workflows from problem statement to implemented operating model; Translate policy, safety, technical, legal, and operational constraints into workflows, requirements, playbooks, escalation paths, and decision-making structures; Coordinate with User Ops leadership, Product Policy, Integrity, Safety Systems, i2, Legal, Product, Engineering, Support, vendors, and other partners; Move in and out of workflows as priorities shift; Use operational data and frontline signals to identify bottlenecks, quality gaps, capacity needs, ownership failures, and interventions; Drive high-priority escalations and cross-functional decisions to closure; Create mechanisms that make programs run well; Identify where AI tools, automation, lightweight systems, or simpler workflows can improve speed, consistency, and scale

Requirements

8+ years of experience in program management, strategy and operations, product operations, technical program management, trust and safety, support operations, risk operations, implementation, or a related field; A track record of taking complex, ambiguous work from problem framing through launch and scaled operation; Are unusually organized, sharp, and execution-focused; Build trust and drive alignment across teams without direct authority; Are technically and analytically fluent enough to reason about data flows, dashboards, tooling gaps, automation, and failure modes; Communicate clearly with technical, operational, policy, and executive audiences; Operate calmly and flexibly in a fast-moving environment and learn new domains quickly; Experience with vendor operations, QA programs, launch readiness, workflow automation, or AI-assisted operations

Nice to have

Experience in customer support or other high-stakes scaled operations; Deep expertise with national security, violence or other severe-harm domains