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OpenAI is seeking a Head of Finance for its data center operations. In this director-level role, you will serve as the finance leader for OpenAI's self-built data center efforts, partnering across infrastructure, real estate, energy, construction, procurement, and finance teams to evaluate opportunities and turn proposed sites into sound investment decisions and funded projects.
You will own the full development lifecycle of data center projects: evaluating opportunities, building investment cases, forecasting capital needs, managing construction budgets, and determining optimal financing structures. Your responsibilities include leading financial evaluation of proposed data center and power infrastructure projects (site economics, development costs, capacity phasing, lifecycle costs, risks); building and owning project-level financial models and capex forecasts that integrate construction schedules, power delivery, equipment procurement, contingencies, and funding needs; establishing capital budgets and financial controls for active builds, tracking commitments, actual spending, change orders, and forecasts to completion; partnering with development, engineering, energy, construction, and procurement leaders on cost and timing decisions; working with Treasury, Corporate Finance, Tax, and Legal to evaluate financing options (project/construction debt, leases, joint ventures, partnerships); preparing investment recommendations and capital approval materials for senior leadership; and building a portfolio view of project costs, cash requirements, milestones, and financial performance through project completion.
You will also be expected to hire, lead, and develop a high-performing finance team supporting these efforts.
REQUIREMENTS:
- 10+ years of experience in strategic finance, infrastructure finance, project development, or related fields
- Prior experience as finance leader for large-scale data center builds or major electric generation projects, with direct ownership of investment analysis, capital budgets, and financial decisions through development and construction
- Prior experience in investment banking or private equity (strongly preferred)
- Strong command of project finance, capital project economics, capex and cash flow forecasting, budget management, and financing structures for large infrastructure assets
- Excellent financial modeling skills with ability to test assumptions, quantify uncertainty, and recommend paths forward
- Working knowledge of construction cost drivers and risks (utility/power timelines, procurement, contracts, change orders)
- Ability to work closely with technical and construction teams while communicating clearly with senior finance and business leaders
- Strong track record of hiring, leading, and developing high-performing teams
