SlipstreamJobs tracks this role from the company's public career site. Apply directly on the employer's site.
OpenAI's Compensation team is seeking a Compensation Programs & Operations Lead to own end-to-end program management of cyclical and ad hoc compensation programs globally. This is a senior, hands-on role for a compensation subject-matter expert energized by operations and full program ownership.
You will establish how compensation programs run—defining the calendar, responsibilities, systems requirements, controls, communications, and handoffs that connect program design to employee experience. You'll partner closely with Compensation Partners, HR Business Partners, People Operations, People Technology, Finance, Payroll, Equity Administration, and Legal to drive execution as priorities evolve.
Key responsibilities include:
- Lead the compensation program portfolio, owning the integrated roadmap and calendar for compensation reviews, bonus and equity cycles, promotion-related compensation processes, recognition and retention initiatives, and new program launches.
- Drive programs from planning through completion, defining scope, deliverables, milestones, accountable owners, dependencies, and resource needs. Coordinate work across teams, resolve blockers, and escalate decisions early.
- Translate compensation expertise into practical operations by working with Compensation Partners to turn approved designs into clear eligibility rules, calculations, workflows, approval paths, and exception processes.
- Stay close to analysis and data—build and review models, validate inputs and calculations, investigate discrepancies, and reconcile final outcomes.
- Build reliable execution controls including quality checks, documented approvals, access controls, and audit trails. Coordinate accurate handoffs to Payroll, Equity Administration, and People Operations.
- Shape compensation systems and tooling by translating business needs into requirements, partnering with People Technology on configuration and integrations, leading user acceptance testing, and prioritizing improvements.
- Manage incoming requests and changing priorities through a practical intake and prioritization process for ad hoc compensation initiatives.
- Make programs easier to understand by developing operating guides, manager resources, communications, and training.
- Improve function operations by measuring accuracy, timeliness, manual effort, and stakeholder experience, then running post-cycle reviews to drive process improvements and automation.
Requirements:
- 10+ years of progressive compensation experience, including substantial responsibility for global compensation programs and operations in a complex, fast-growing organization.
- Demonstrated core responsibilities across Compensation Operations Analyst, Compensation Analyst, Compensation Partner, and Compensation Program Manager roles (through separate positions or combination).
- Deep compensation expertise across base pay, incentives, equity, market benchmarking, salary structures, and job architecture, with understanding of day-to-day administration.
- Independent leadership of complex compensation cycles and new initiatives, coordinating multiple teams from planning through implementation and reconciliation.
- Strong analytical skills combined with practical systems experience, including advanced spreadsheet modeling and hands-on work with Workday or comparable HR and compensation platforms.
- Ability to establish priorities and drive progress with incomplete or changing requirements, making thoughtful tradeoffs about speed, accuracy, and capacity.
- Clear communication with senior leaders and cross-functional teams, with ability to influence and make ownership explicit.
- Sound judgment with confidential information and high standards of accuracy, accountability, and service.
