Account Director, Federal Partnerships (Defense)
About The Position
The Account Director will own a portfolio of emerging defense technology accounts and lead account and deal strategy, while supporting the broader partnerships team in growing strategic relationships across the defense industrial base. The role involves independently leading customer meetings and coordinating with technical teams to translate customer needs into deployed AI capabilities. It is a hands-on position requiring initiative, persistence, and responsibility for delivering useful AI capabilities to customers. The position is based in Washington, DC, with up to 25% travel. OpenAI uses a hybrid work model requiring three days in the office per week and offers relocation assistance to new employees.
Requirements
- At least 8 years of combined relevant experience across government, military service, defense technology, or PaaS/SaaS businesses, including at least 2 years in private-sector, customer-facing roles.
- Proven private-sector results, with clear examples of business or customer outcomes personally driven.
- Strong business acumen and strategic judgment, including the ability to assess opportunities, navigate stakeholders, and turn insight into action.
- Ability to take initiative, set priorities, and deliver results amid the ambiguity and pace of defense technology.
- Polished, clear communication and experience working directly with senior executives in government or the private sector.
- Hands-on experience applying AI tools to practical problems and ability to explain the approach, results, and limitations.
- Strong understanding of APIs and workflow integration, with ability to engage engineering teams credibly.
- Initiative, urgency, and coachability, with a record of acting on feedback and following through.
Nice To Haves
- Military service and/or defense technology experience are valued.
Responsibilities
- Lead account strategy and commercial execution for an emerging defense technology portfolio, from discovery and negotiation through close and expansion.
- Support the broader partnerships team on larger strategic relationships across the defense industrial base.
- Work with solutions and engineering teams to move customers from AI evaluation to deployment and sustained adoption.
- Maintain accurate pipeline information, consumption forecasts, and clear next steps.
- Build trusted executive and technical relationships, connecting AI capabilities to business and mission outcomes.
- Anticipate customer needs and bring customer and market insights into product and partnership decisions.
- Coordinate across OpenAI to advance deals, remove blockers, and deliver on customer commitments.
Benefits
- Relocation assistance to new employees.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
Education Level
No Education Listed
