Account Director, Startups Pursuits

📌 Core Information

🔹 Job Title: Account Director, Startups Pursuits

🔹 Company: OpenAI

🔹 Location: San Francisco, CA

🔹 Job Type: Full-Time, Hybrid (3 days in office)

🔹 Category: Research Services

🔹 Date Posted: May 7, 2025

🔹 Experience Level: 10+ years

🔹 Remote Status: On-site (San Francisco, CA)

🚀 Job Overview

Key aspects of this role include:

• Managing a portfolio of startup accounts and developing comprehensive account plans
• Collaborating with solutions architects to drive successful technical engagements with startups
• Owning a consumption revenue target and managing forecasts
• Analyzing key account metrics to create reports and provide insights
• Serving as an advocate for improving the startup experience building with OpenAI

ASSUMPTION: This role requires a balance of strategic planning, technical understanding, and customer relationship management. It's ideal for someone with a strong background in sales, a passion for AI, and experience working with startups.

📋 Key Responsibilities

✅ Manage a portfolio of startup accounts, developing and executing strategies for a comprehensive account plan

✅ Partner with solutions architects to drive successful technical engagements with startups, accelerating their product development process

✅ Own a consumption revenue target and manage consumption revenue forecasts

✅ Analyze key account metrics to create reports and provide insights to internal and external stakeholders

✅ Collaborate with solutions, marketing, communications, business operations, people operations, finance, product management, and engineering

✅ Serve as an advocate for improving the startup experience building with OpenAI, synthesizing product feedback from insights captured from our work with startups

✅ Closely monitor the industry landscape and startup landscape and contribute to corporate strategies

✅ Support the recruitment and onboarding of other teammates and support the development of company culture

ASSUMPTION: This role involves a high degree of cross-functional collaboration and requires strong communication skills to work effectively with various teams and stakeholders.

🎯 Required Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent experience

Experience: 10+ years selling platform-as-a-service, cloud, or other API products

Required Skills:

• Proven experience working in or around the startup ecosystem
• Ability to communicate technical concepts to customers and internal stakeholders
• Experience gathering, distilling, and processing complex market intelligence
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Excellent communication and presentation skills

Preferred Skills:

• Experience working directly with C-level executives and startup founders
• Passion or deep curiosity in artificial intelligence
• Strong strategic planning and execution skills

ASSUMPTION: While a degree is preferred, equivalent experience will be considered. The ideal candidate will have a strong sales background, a deep understanding of the startup ecosystem, and a genuine interest in AI.

💰 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $290,000 - $290,000 (This is the provided salary range, but it's recommended to include an industry-standard range for comparison, e.g., $250,000 - $350,000 for a senior sales role in the tech industry in San Francisco)

Benefits:

• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) plan with company matching
• Generous time off and paid holidays
• Parental leave
• Professional development opportunities

Working Hours: Full-time (40 hours/week), with a hybrid work arrangement of 3 days in the office per week

ASSUMPTION: The provided salary range is likely to be competitive for a senior sales role in the tech industry in San Francisco. However, it's essential to consider the cost of living and market trends when evaluating compensation.

📌 Applicant Insights

🔍 Company Context

Industry: OpenAI operates in the research services industry, focusing on artificial intelligence and machine learning. The company is dedicated to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity.

Company Size: OpenAI has 201-500 employees, which means it's a mid-sized company where applicants can expect a structured yet agile work environment.

Founded: OpenAI was founded in 2015, making it a relatively young company with a strong focus on innovation and growth.

Company Description:

• OpenAI is a research and deployment company dedicated to creating safe artificial general intelligence (AGI) that benefits all of humanity.
• The company puts alignment of interests first, ahead of profit, and is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• OpenAI believes in the potential of AI to help people solve immense global challenges and wants the upside of AI to be widely shared.

Company Specialties:

• Artificial intelligence and machine learning

Company Website: openai.com

ASSUMPTION: OpenAI's mission and values make it an attractive employer for candidates passionate about AI and its potential impact on society.

📊 Role Analysis

Career Level: This role is at the senior level, requiring extensive experience and a proven track record in sales and account management.

Reporting Structure: The Account Director reports directly to the Head of Startups Go To Market and works cross-functionally with various teams within OpenAI.

Work Arrangement: This is a hybrid role, with employees expected to work on-site in San Francisco for 3 days per week.

Growth Opportunities:

• Supporting the recruitment and onboarding of other teammates
• Contributing to corporate strategies and helping shape the company's future
• Potential career progression into leadership or management roles within the Go To Market team

ASSUMPTION: This role offers significant growth opportunities for the right candidate, with the potential to make a substantial impact on OpenAI's success in the startup ecosystem.

🌍 Location & Work Environment

Office Type: OpenAI's headquarters is in San Francisco, CA, with a hybrid work arrangement allowing employees to work remotely for 2 days per week.

Office Location(s): 415 Jackson St, San Francisco, CA 94111, USA

Geographic Context:

• San Francisco is a major tech hub with a vibrant startup ecosystem, making it an ideal location for this role.
• The city offers a diverse range of cultural attractions, dining options, and outdoor activities.
• San Francisco has a Mediterranean climate, with mild winters and cool summers.

Work Schedule: Full-time (40 hours/week), with a hybrid work arrangement of 3 days in the office per week

ASSUMPTION: The hybrid work arrangement and central location of OpenAI's headquarters make it an attractive option for candidates seeking a balance between work and personal life.

💼 Interview & Application Insights

Typical Process:

• Phone or video screen with the hiring manager
• On-site or virtual interview with the Go To Market team
• Final interview with the Head of Startups Go To Market

Key Assessment Areas:

• Sales and account management skills
• Technical understanding of AI and API products
• Strategic planning and execution
• Communication and presentation skills

Application Tips:

• Highlight relevant sales and account management experience, with a focus on startup customers
• Tailor your resume and cover letter to emphasize your understanding of AI and API products, as well as your strategic planning skills
• Prepare examples of your ability to communicate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders

ATS Keywords: Account Management, Sales, Technical Engagement, Startup Ecosystem, API Products, Strategic Planning, Cross-Functional Collaboration, AI Knowledge

ASSUMPTION: OpenAI's interview process is designed to assess the candidate's sales and account management skills, technical understanding, and strategic planning abilities. The company values candidates who can communicate effectively and work well with cross-functional teams.

🛠️ Tools & Technologies

• Salesforce or similar CRM software
• Microsoft Office Suite or equivalent
• Google Workspace (Gmail, Google Docs, Sheets, Slides)
• Project management tools (e.g., Asana, JIRA)

ASSUMPTION: As a sales role, this position requires proficiency in CRM software and project management tools. Familiarity with Microsoft Office Suite and Google Workspace is also expected.

👔 Cultural Fit Considerations

Company Values:

• Safety
• Collaboration
• Learning
• Rigor
• Humility
• Courage

Work Style:

• OpenAI values a culture of collaboration, learning, and continuous improvement
• The company encourages employees to take on new challenges and experiment with new solutions
• OpenAI fosters a work environment that values diversity, equity, and inclusion

Self-Assessment Questions:

• Do you share OpenAI's commitment to creating safe, beneficial AI that benefits all of humanity?
• Are you comfortable working in a fast-paced, dynamic startup environment?
• Do you thrive in a collaborative work environment and value learning from your colleagues?

ASSUMPTION: OpenAI's company culture emphasizes safety, collaboration, learning, and continuous improvement. Candidates who value these principles and are comfortable working in a dynamic, startup-like environment will likely find OpenAI's culture a good fit.

⚠️ Potential Challenges

• Managing a portfolio of startup accounts with varying needs and priorities
• Balancing strategic planning and execution with day-to-day account management tasks
• Communicating technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders effectively
• Keeping up with the fast-paced, ever-evolving AI landscape

ASSUMPTION: This role presents unique challenges, such as managing a diverse portfolio of startup accounts and staying current with the rapidly evolving AI landscape. Successful candidates will be adaptable, strategic thinkers who can thrive in a dynamic environment.

📈 Similar Roles Comparison

• Unlike traditional sales roles, this position requires a deep understanding of AI and API products, as well as experience working with startups
• OpenAI's focus on creating safe, beneficial AI sets it apart from other companies in the tech industry
• This role offers significant growth opportunities for the right candidate, with the potential to make a substantial impact on OpenAI's success in the startup ecosystem

ASSUMPTION: While this role shares similarities with traditional sales positions, its unique focus on AI, API products, and the startup ecosystem sets it apart. Candidates should consider OpenAI's mission and values when evaluating this opportunity.

📝 Sample Projects

• Developing and executing a comprehensive account plan for a high-potential startup customer
• Collaborating with a solutions architect to drive a successful technical engagement with a startup, accelerating their product development process
• Analyzing key account metrics to create reports and provide insights to internal and external stakeholders

ASSUMPTION: These sample projects illustrate the strategic, collaborative, and analytical aspects of the Account Director, Startups Pursuits role at OpenAI.

❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview

• How does OpenAI support the growth and product development of fast-growing, high-performance startups?
• What are the key priorities for this role in the first 30, 60, and 90 days?
• How does OpenAI foster a culture of collaboration and learning, and what opportunities are there for professional development?
• What are the most significant challenges facing the startups that OpenAI works with, and how can this role help address them?
• How does OpenAI measure the success of its Go To Market team, and what key performance indicators (KPIs) will I be responsible for tracking?

ASSUMPTION: These interview questions are designed to help candidates better understand the role's priorities, the company's culture, and the challenges facing the startups that OpenAI works with. They also provide insight into the company's performance metrics and expectations for the role.

📌 Next Steps for Applicants

To apply for this position:

• Submit your application through this link
• Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant sales and account management experience, with a focus on startup customers
• Prepare examples of your ability to communicate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders
• Follow up with the hiring manager one week after submitting your application to express your continued interest in the role

⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.