OpenAI· Legal· San Francisco, New York City, Seattle, and Washington, DC
Senior Counsel, Sanctions and Trade Compliance
Comp$297K – $330K
Classified Tasks (18)
Automate 0%Augment 78%Human-Only 22%
Augment (14)
AI assists, human decides
Manage and evolve OpenAI’s sanctions compliance program.
leadership
Map out sanctions screening architecture and workflow designs.
technical
Work cross-functionally with colleagues on monitoring, metrics, and continuous improvement of compliance processes.
operational
Manage sanctions compliance policy and strategy for OpenAI’s platform.
leadership
Develop compliance systems that scale globally as the company and technology evolve.
technical
Collaborate on adjacent trade compliance and security issues.
communication
Partner with Finance, Integrity, GRC, and Engineering to implement sanctions screening and controls embedded into business workflows.
operational
Own compliance documentation and reporting, including policies, standards, dashboards, metrics, and escalation frameworks.
administrative
Enable rapid monitoring, assessment, and improvement of compliance processes through documentation and reporting.
analytical
Work with cross-functional teams to understand and integrate compliance systems and tools.
technical
Ensure compliance checks are seamless, reliable, and adaptable as OpenAI evolves.
operational
Manage and coordinate vendors and third parties supporting compliance operations.
operational
Assist in developing trade compliance training materials for cross-functional partners and business teams.
communication
Explore and deploy AI tools to enhance and streamline trade compliance efforts.
technical
Human-Only (4)
Requires human judgment
Develop overall sanctions compliance strategy.
leadership
Advise cross-functional teams on U.S. and international sanctions compliance requirements for OpenAI products and services.
communication
Develop sanctions compliance strategies and processes at global scale for multiple jurisdictions and products.
leadership
Lead ongoing reviews and conduct risk assessments to ensure effectiveness of compliance controls and processes.
analytical
Job description
Senior Counsel, Sanctions and Trade Compliance | OpenAI Careers ## Senior Counsel, Sanctions and Trade Compliance Legal - San Francisco, New York City, Seattle, and Washington, DC Apply now(opens in a new window) **About the Team** OpenAI's Legal team plays a crucial role in furthering OpenAI's mission by tackling innovative, fundamental legal issues in AI. If you're passionate about doing significant and unique work in the legal and compliance field, this team is for you. The team comprises professionals from diverse fields, including technology, AI, privacy, IP, corporate, employment, tax law, regulatory, and litigation. **About the Role** As a member of our Security Legal team, you will be responsible for managing and evolving OpenAI’s sanctions compliance program, from developing an overall compliance strategy, mapping out screening architecture and workflow designs, and working cross functionally with colleagues on monitoring, metrics, and continuous improvement. You will manage sanctions compliance policy and strategy for one of the most closely watched and globally impactful technology platforms in the world, and have real ownership and the chance to develop systems that scale globally as the company and our technology continues to evolve. You’ll also collaborate on adjacent trade compliance and security issues. This role can be hybrid or remote and based in San Francisco, Washington, D.C., New York, or Seattle. We use a hybrid work model of 3 days in the office per week and offer relocation assistance to new employees. **In this role you will:** * Advise cross-functional teams on compliance and legal requirements applicable to OpenAI’s products and services under U.S. and international sanctions regimes. * Develop sanctions compliance strategies and processes at a global scale for a frontier AI company operating across jurisdictions and products. * Partner closely with cross-functional teams across Finance, Integrity, GRC, and Engineering to implement sanctions screening and controls that are deeply embedded into business workflows. * Own compliance documentation and reporting, including policies, standards, dashboards, metrics, and escalation frameworks to enable rapid monitoring, assessment, and improvement of compliance processes * Work with cross-functional teams to deeply understand and integrate compliance systems and tools, ensuring compliance checks are seamless, reliable, and adaptable as OpenAI evolves. * Lead ongoing reviews and risk assessments to ensure the continued effectiveness of our compliance controls and processes. * Manage and coordinate vendors and other third parties who support OpenAI’s compliance operations. * Assist in the development of trade compliance training materials for our cross-functional partners and business teams. * Explore and deploy AI tools to enhance and streamline OpenAI’s trade compliance efforts. **You might thrive in this role if you:** * Have 10+ years of experience in the trade compliance field, including developing and implementing trade compliance programs at a large, technology-focused company. * Hold a J.D. from an accredited law school and maintain an active license to practice law, in good standing, in at least one U.S. jurisdiction. * Bring a sophisticated understanding of how US and international sanctions laws apply to multinational US companies. * Have successfully embedded comprehensive compliance programs and incorporated compliance processes into complex business workflows without slowing innovation. * Enjoy learning new systems and becoming the go-to expert in the systems and technical tools required for your job. * Are highly skilled at program management, including organizing complex systems, tasks, processes, and documentation. * Communicate in a way that builds trust with cross-functional teams, from engineers to business leaders. * Have a strong sense of ownership, are inquisitive and enthusiastic ab