Strategic Sourcing Lead, Professional Services

OpenAI

Strategic sourcing lead managing OpenAI’s professional services procurement strategy. Negotiating supplier agreements, building category mechanisms, and improving value, risk, and execution.

Posted 8/5/2026full-timeSan Francisco • California • 🇺🇸 United StatesSenior💰 $234,000 - $260,000 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates extensive experience in strategic sourcing and category management, particularly in Professional Services, with a strong focus on negotiation, stakeholder influence, and data-driven decision-making. Proficient in building scalable category mechanisms and utilizing AI to enhance sourcing workflows.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Strategic SourcingProfessional Services Category ManagementComplex NegotiationsAI-Driven Sourcing WorkflowsFinancial and Analytical Fluency

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Category Strategy DevelopmentSourcing End to EndContract NegotiationSupplier GovernanceData AnalysisPerformance MeasurementRisk ManagementCost AvoidanceMarket AnalysisReporting

Soft Skills

Stakeholder InfluenceStructured ThinkingClear CommunicationCollaborationAccountability

Industry Keywords

ConsultingAdvisory ServicesManaged ServicesProject-Based WorkContingent LaborSupplier SegmentationNegotiation PlaybooksIntake MechanismsChange ControlsAudit Rights

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Own and continuously evolve the Professional Services category strategy and execution roadmap.
Own multiple complex sourcing workstreams end to end.
Build trusted partnerships with senior stakeholders and clarify tradeoffs.
Lead complex negotiations and design commercial structures, including master services agreements, statements of work, milestone- and outcome-based pricing, rate cards, acceptance criteria, change controls, audit rights, and termination protections.
Build scalable category mechanisms, including intake and tiering, category plans, preferred-partner models, supplier segmentation, negotiation playbooks, approval pathways, and escalation mechanisms.
Strengthen the supplier ecosystem through competitive sourcing, consolidation, performance governance, business reviews, and value-realization plans.
Partner with Finance and Accounting to improve spend visibility, forecasting, approval discipline, invoice-to-contract alignment, accounting treatment, and auditability.
Partner with Legal, People, and Extended Workforce to distinguish professional services from contingent labor and reduce co-employment, scope, intellectual-property, and delivery risk.
Produce executive-ready reporting on pipeline health, savings, cost avoidance, cycle time, supplier performance, renewal exposure, risk, forecast accuracy, and realized business value.
Drive reliable execution through documentation, clean data, timely approvals, and process improvements.
Use AI to redesign sourcing workflows, including intake, market and supplier analysis, negotiation preparation, contract and spend analysis, documentation, reporting, and decision support.

Requirements

What you’ll need

8+ years of progressive experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, or category management, with significant depth in Professional Services.
Experience owning Professional Services category strategy and sourcing end to end, from intake and competitive sourcing through contracting, governance, renewals, and long-term supplier strategy.
Experience leading complex, high-stakes services negotiations.
Understanding of consulting, advisory, managed services, and project-based work.
Understanding of boundaries between professional services, contingent labor, and full-time hiring.
Experience building or improving category operating mechanisms such as intake, tiering, preferred-partner models, playbooks, reporting, or supplier governance.
Demonstrated experience using AI to redesign sourcing workflows while preserving human review and controls.
Ability to influence senior stakeholders through structured thinking, sound judgment, and clear communication of tradeoffs.
Strong financial and analytical fluency.
Ability to turn imperfect spend, supplier, and performance data into clear decisions and measurable outcomes.
Ability to operate through ambiguity, rapid change, and limited structure.
Hands-on ownership, accountability, humility, and team-first collaboration.
Ability to work from the San Francisco office three days per week.

Benefits

Comp & perks

Equity
Performance-related bonus(es) for eligible employees
Medical, dental, and vision insurance for you and your family
Employer contributions to Health Savings Accounts
Pre-tax accounts for Health FSA, Dependent Care FSA, and commuter expenses (parking and transit)
401(k) retirement plan with employer match
Paid parental leave up to 24 weeks for birth parents and 20 weeks for non-birthing parents
Paid medical and caregiver leave up to 8 weeks
Flexible PTO for exempt employees
Up to 15 days annually for non-exempt employees
13+ paid company holidays
Multiple paid coordinated company office closures throughout the year
Paid sick or safe time
Mental health and wellness support
Employer-paid basic life and disability coverage
Annual learning and development stipend
Daily meals in offices
Meal delivery credits as eligible
Relocation support for eligible employees
Charitable donation matching
Wellness stipends