Global Travel & Expense Lead

About the Team

OpenAI Finance is responsible for ensuring the organization is set up for success in pursuit of its mission. The Procurement team is responsible for empowering our employees and executives with seamless travel experiences, efficient expense management systems, and cost-effective solutions. Our mission is to deliver exceptional operational support while driving compliance, cost savings, and process improvements.

About the Role

We are hiring a Global Travel & Expense Lead to lead and scale OpenAI’s global T&E operations, ensuring they meet the demands of a rapidly growing organization. This role will oversee travel and expense policies, vendor negotiations, and high-touch executive travel support while driving automation and process efficiencies. The Global Travel & Expense Lead will play a critical role in ensuring operational excellence and delivering strategic insights that align with OpenAI’s financial objectives.

This role is based in San Francisco, CA. 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:

• Strategic Scaling of T&E Operations:

  • Build and lead a global travel and expense program that scales alongside OpenAI’s rapid growth.

  • Continuously evaluate and enhance policies, processes, and systems to support a global workforce.

  • Anticipate the future needs of the organization and proactively implement improvements.

• Global Travel Management:

  • Oversee the global travel program, ensuring alignment with corporate policies and objectives.

  • Develop, implement, and maintain corporate travel policies, ensuring compliance with industry regulations and company standards.

  • Continuously monitor and improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the travel program.

• Expense Management Leadership:

  • Lead the expense reporting function, ensuring compliance with global financial and tax regulations.

  • Partner with Finance to analyze expense trends and optimize spend.

  • Implement tools and systems to streamline workflows and enhance the user experience.

• Vendor Management & Negotiations:

  • Establish and maintain relationships with travel service providers (airlines, hotels, rental car agencies, travel agencies).

  • Lead contract negotiations to secure competitive rates, discounts, and benefits.

  • Manage travel supplier performance through service level agreements (SLAs) and regular reviews.

• Data-Driven Insights & Reporting:

  • Develop key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure T&E program effectiveness.

  • Provide actionable insights to leadership on trends, compliance, and opportunities for cost savings.

  • Report on program performance to ensure alignment with organizational goals.

• Compliance & Risk Management:

  • Ensure adherence to all internal and external travel policies and regulations.

  • Monitor changes in global travel regulations and make necessary adjustments to company policies.

  • Oversee duty-of-care responsibilities, ensuring employee safety and security during travel.

• Process Improvement:

  • Drive continuous improvement in travel processes and technology to enhance efficiency.

  • Recommend and implement new technology to enhance accuracy, reduce errors, and improve operational efficiency.

• Executive Travel Support:

  • Provide high-touch, customized travel support for executives, VIPs, and key stakeholders.

  • Ensure a seamless, stress-free travel experience by managing complex itineraries and addressing any travel-related issues in real-time.

• Traveler Support & Communication:

  • Proactively communicate travel program changes, updates, and guidelines to employees.

  • Ensure a positive travel experience through excellent customer service and timely problem resolution.

• Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement:

  • Build and lead a high-performing team to execute travel and expense program initiatives.

  • Build strong relationships across the organization, ensuring alignment and buy-in for T&E initiatives.

You might thrive in this role if you have: 

• Education: 

  • Bachelor’s deg