Senior Special Programs Security Manager (CSSO/CPSO)

The posting, as OpenAI wrote it

ABOUT THE TEAM

The Industrial Security team enables OpenAI’s classified and national security work by building secure, compliant programs that support government customers and protect sensitive information. We partner across Security, Legal, People, Facilities, Engineering, IT, and program leadership to translate complex government requirements into practical operating models that allow important work to move forward responsibly. Our work spans personnel security, classified facilities, special programs, government customer engagement, and the safeguards required to operate in highly regulated environments.

ABOUT THE ROLE

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.

IN THIS ROLE, YOU WILL

• 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.
• 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.

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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.

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