Program Manager, Provider Program

OpenRouter

19h • Remote

About The Position

OpenRouter is seeking a Program Manager to transform its Provider Program into a product. This role involves establishing repeatable structures for managing provider relationships, moving beyond one-off deals to a scalable system. The Program Manager will own the entire provider lifecycle, including sourcing, onboarding, activation, Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs), and renewals. They will also define provider tiering, Service Level Agreements (SLAs), and compliance processes to ensure program trustworthiness. This is a high-ownership position requiring cross-functional collaboration with Product, Engineering, Legal, Finance, and Security teams. The role will also manage flagship programs like the Model Provider Early Access Program (MPEAP) and verified/certified provider tracks.

Requirements

• Programs + strategy background: Experience building and running programs or strategy at a large, complex organization (e.g. a Salesforce-scale org) and knowledge of imposing structure on ambiguity.
• Highly organized systems thinker: Ability to turn recurring work into repeatable, automatable processes and identify opportunities for leverage.
• Cross-functional operator: Comfort owning operations spanning Product, Engineering, Legal, Finance, and Security, and driving them to closure without formal authority.
• High agency and bias to ship: Takes end-to-end ownership, moves fast, and thrives in a small, fast-moving team with intentionally fluid boundaries.
• Strong written communication: Ability to translate complex, multi-stakeholder programs into clear documentation, playbooks, and communications.

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with the AI ecosystem — model labs, inference providers, and what it takes to onboard and certify them.

Responsibilities

• Own the provider lifecycle: Define and operate the standard path from sourcing → onboarding → activation → QBR → renewal, with clear stage gates, owners, and SLAs.
• Design provider tiering: Build and maintain the tiering framework (the “buckets”) that determines how providers are classified, what they get, and what’s expected of them.
• Build programmatic structure that scales: Turn one-off relationships into repeatable systems — templates, playbooks, self-serve onboarding, and automated provider comms — so the program grows without linear headcount.
• Run cross-program operations: Execute program-wide changes (re-paper all providers, launch a new tier, roll out a new compliance attestation) as a single coordinated motion.
• Run the flagship programs: Operate MPEAP and the verified/certified provider tracks, from intake criteria to ongoing management.
• Own the compliance cadence: Keep SLAs, attestations, and provider obligations on schedule and auditable.
• Set the operating cadence: Run the rhythm of the team — reviews, reporting, and the operating cadence that keeps everyone aligned.
• Partner cross-functionally: Work across Product, Engineering, Legal, Finance, and Security to unblock providers and ship program improvements.

Benefits

• A front-row seat to the AI ecosystem and direct relationships with the model labs and providers shaping it.
• High ownership and the room to define a program from the ground up.
• Remote-first (US)
• Competitive salary and equity
• Fully covered health/dental/vision
• Unlimited PTO
• A WFH budget
• Quarterly offsites

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed