Government Account Director, Defense

Details

About the team

OpenAI’s mission is to build safe artificial general intelligence (AGI) which benefits all of humanity. Our Go To Market (GTM) team helps customers learn how to leverage and deploy OpenAI’s AI products across their organizations. The GTM team includes Sales, Solutions, Support, Marketing, and Partnerships.

About the role

The Government Sales team helps national security customers understand the transformative impact of highly capable AI models. This role combines technical understanding, strategic vision, partnership management, and value-driven strategy tailored to Defense Community customers. You will drive opportunities through the full defense sales cycle — from pipeline generation to closure — collaborating closely with researchers, engineers, and solution strategists.

This role is based in Washington, DC, uses a hybrid work model (3 days in the office per week), and offers relocation assistance to new employees.

Responsibilities

• Manage a focused set of key Defense Community accounts and develop/execute comprehensive account plans.
• Lead defense customers through their AI adoption journey, from consideration to successful deployment.
• Partner with solutions and research engineering to build and execute complex defense customer programs and projects.
• Own and manage a Defense Community consumption revenue target.
• Oversee revenue forecasting and reporting.
• Analyze key defense account metrics and provide insights to internal and external stakeholders.
• Monitor the defense and national security landscape (agencies, policies, competitors, partners) to inform product roadmaps and corporate strategies.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with solutions, product engineering, government affairs, marketing, communications, business operations, people operations, finance, product management, and engineering.
• Support recruitment and onboarding of team members focused on defense and intelligence accounts.
• Foster the development of company culture within the Defense Community practice.

Requirements

• 10+ years selling platform-as-a-service (PaaS) and/or software-as-a-service (SaaS) specifically into Defense accounts.
• Top Secret clearance.
• Track record of achieving defense revenue targets greater than $2M per year consistently over multiple years.
• Experience designing and executing complex deal strategies within Defense or National Security contexts, including familiarity with government contracting, security clearances, and procurement processes.
• Experience supporting growth in fast-paced, high-performance Defense Community environments.
• Experience working directly with senior defense executives and decision-makers.
• Ability to communicate technical and strategic concepts clearly to defense customers and internal stakeholders.
• Experience leading high-visibility defense customer events, briefings, and industry engagements.
• Experience gathering, distilling, and processing detailed Defense Community market intelligence (agency priorities, policy changes, competitor activities).

Traits that help you thrive

• Customer-centric: motivated to deeply understand defense customers’ priorities and build trusted relationships with senior executives and stakeholders across defense and national security agencies.
• Passion or deep curiosity about artificial intelligence and its strategic implications for defense missions.
• Builder mentality: enjoy establishing systems and processes tailored to defense customer requirements and executing them with precision and agility.
• Excited by new challenges and solving complex, mission-critical defense problems.
• Strategist: deep understanding of defense go-to-market best practices and ability to align internal and external stakeholders to achieve long-term objectives.

Benefits

• Base pay range: $261,000 - $315,000 per year (range may vary by location and individual factors). Total compensation may include equity, performance-related bonuses (if eligible), and additional benefits.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance with employer contributions to Health Savings Accounts.
• Pre-tax accounts for Health FSA, Dependent Care FSA, and commuter expenses.
• 401(k) with employer match.
• Paid parental leave and paid medical/caregiver leave.
• Flexible PTO for exempt employees and up to 15 days annually for non-exempt employees.
• 13+ paid company holidays and coordinated office closures.
• Mental health and wellness support; employer-paid basic life and disability coverage.
• Annual learning and development stipend.
• Daily meals in offices and meal delivery credits as eligible.
• Relocation support for eligible employees.
• Additional taxable fringe benefits (charitable donation matching, wellness stipends) may be provided.

Additional notes

• This role requires background checks consistent with applicable law and access to secure/protected information technology systems.
• OpenAI is an equal opportunity employer and provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities.