Project Manager, Recruiting Operations

About the Team

OpenAI’s Recruiting Operations team ensures our hiring processes are seamlessly executed, continuously improved, and aligned with our mission: to hire an incredibly talented, hard-working, and mission-aligned team. We work cross-functionally to deliver a best-in-class candidate experience while supporting our Recruiters, Hiring Managers, and various stakeholders across the organization.

About the Role

As the Project Manager, Recruiting Operations, you’ll coordinate all major Rec Ops initiatives from end to end. Working closely with our Program Managers—each owning a key functional area—you’ll ensure projects stay on track, risks are identified early, and deliverables are met on time. You’ll also serve as the central point for scheduling, resource allocation, and progress reporting. This is a dynamic position where you’ll get to leverage our recruiting technology stack (Ashby for ATS, and Notion for project management, Slack for real-time communication, and Google Docs for collaboration) to uplevel not only our recruiting function but also your own professional skill set.

This role is based in San Francisco, CA, following a hybrid work model of 3 days in the office per week. We offer relocation assistance to new employees.

In This Role, You Will

1. Maintain a Central Roadmap

   • Own and continuously update a unified project roadmap for all Recruiting Operations initiatives, ensuring visibility for team members and stakeholders.

   • Track milestones and deadlines, proactively flagging potential overlaps or constraints.

2. Coordinate Cross-Functional Projects

   • Collaborate with Program Managers (Offers & Support Strategy, Enablement, Interviewer Programs, Tech Stack & Analytics, and Special Projects) to set timelines and resource plans.

   • Lead project kick-offs, status checkpoints, and post-mortems for recruiting ops initiatives.

3. Implement Standardized Processes & Tools

   • Drive adoption of consistent project management practices (templates, charters, risk registers) across Rec Ops.

   • Train and guide team members on best practices for planning, execution, and documentation, ensuring data consistency and accessibility.

4. Identify and Mitigate Risks

   • Anticipate and address project bottlenecks, scope creep, or dependencies early, escalating critical issues to the Recruiting Operations Manager or relevant Program Manager when needed.

   • Use Slack for real-time issue flagging and quick cross-functional alignment.

5. Provide Consolidated Reporting

   • Deliver weekly progress updates to leadership, outlining project statuses, risks, and next steps.

   • Integrate data from Ashby (ATS) and other recruiting analytics tools in collaboration with the Tech Stack & Analytics Program Manager to create cohesive, actionable reports.

6. Manage Cross-Team Scheduling & Allocations

   • Serve as the go-to person for assigning RecOps Specialists to high-priority initiatives.

   • Balance resources effectively, ensuring the right individuals are engaged on the right projects at the right time.

7. Champion Continuous Improvement & Technology Adoption

   • Explore and implement new features that can streamline workflows and raise team efficiency.

   • Encourage a “ship and iterate” approach, running pilots with new technology solutions and gathering feedback for iterative enhancements.

We’re Looking for a Blend of

1. Project Management Expertise

   • 5+ of experience managing complex, cross-functional projects within recruiting, HR, or operational environments.

   • Demonstrated ability to prioritize, plan, and execute multiple initiatives under tight deadlines.

2. Strong Organizational & Communication Skills

   • Comfortable creating clear project documentation (timelines, risk logs, etc.)

   • Proven track record of stakeholder management, with effective collaboration across both technical and non-technical partners.

3. Analytical Mindset & Tool Savvy

   • Adept with project management tools (Asana, Notion) and real-time communication via Slack; familiarity with Ashby (or similar ATS) is a strong plus.

   • Able to leverage data to make process improvements and inform project priorities.

4. Problem-Solving & Risk Mitigation

   • Ability to identify bottlenecks, conflicts, or potential delays early and propose practical solutions.

   • Experience escalating critical issues and driving them to resolution in high-growth, fast-paced settings.

5. Adaptability & Iterative Approach

   • Thrives in an environment where priorities shift quickly, maintaining calm, clarity, and focus.

   • Embraces quick experimentation (“ship and iterate”) to refine processes, seeking feedback at each step.

6. Desire to Continuously Learn & Teach

   • Motivated to explore new technologies, learn best practices, and share insights with the team.

   • Eager to grow personally while modernizing and expanding the efficiency of Recruiting Operations overall.

Why You’ll Love This Role

• High Impact: You’ll orchestrate pivotal initiatives shaping how OpenAI attracts and hires talent.

• Collaboration at Scale: Gain exposure to every facet of Recruiting Operations, working alongside specialized Program Managers and cross-functional teams.

• Growth & Learning: Immerse yourself in a dynamic, mission-driven organization that values experimentation and continuous improvement.

• Mission Alignment: Play a direct role in ensuring OpenAI attracts top talent who are driven to advance our work in AI innovation.

Join Us

We’d love for you to apply! Together, we’ll harness modern tools and collaborative best practices to make an outsized impact on OpenAI’s recruiting success.

About OpenAI

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 do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status. 

OpenAI Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement

For US Based Candidates: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, and requests can be made via this link.

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At OpenAI, we believe artificial intelligence has the potential to help people solve immense global challenges, and we want the upside of AI to be widely shared. Join us in shaping the future of technology.