Senior Director, Employee Relations & Investigations

We are seeking a senior Employee Relations leader to build and lead a high-trust, high-rigor Employee Relations and Investigations function. This role will oversee both the company’s employee relations strategy and its investigation practice, helping OpenAI navigate its most complex, sensitive, and consequential workplace matters with consistency, fairness, sound judgment, and care.

Responsibilities:

• Set and execute the strategy for Employee Relations and Investigations, including the team’s mandate, service model, escalation paths, governance, operating rhythms, and measures of success.
• Lead, develop, and scale a team of experienced ER and investigations professionals; establish clear quality standards, decision frameworks, and coaching practices that produce consistent, defensible outcomes.
• Oversee the intake, triage, investigation, and resolution of the company’s highest-risk and most sensitive workplace matters.
• Personally advise on or lead matters involving senior leaders, significant reputational or legal risk, cross-functional complexity, or novel questions.
• Establish rigorous, fair, and trauma-informed investigation practices.
• Own the broader ER framework across performance management, workplace conflict, disciplinary action, accommodations and leave-related escalations, employee concerns, separations, and other critical moments in the employment relationship.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to executives, people leaders, and HR Business Partners.
• Partner closely with Employment Legal, Compliance, Security, People Operations, and HR leadership to assess risk, manage claims or regulatory matters, and ensure practices reflect applicable laws and OpenAI’s policies and values.
• Build scalable policies, playbooks, case-management practices, and decision tools that improve consistency and transparency.
• Use case data, employee signals, and trend analysis to identify systemic issues, surface emerging risk, and recommend proactive interventions to leadership.
• Develop and deliver practical training for leaders, managers, HR partners, and employees on respectful workplace expectations, investigations, performance management, conflict resolution, and manager accountability.

Requirements:

• 15+ years of progressive experience in Employee Relations, workplace investigations, employment law, HR leadership, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated experience leading and developing a senior ER and/or investigations team in a fast-paced, high-growth, globally distributed, or highly matrixed environment.
• Deep expertise in end-to-end workplace investigations, including executive-level and highly sensitive matters.
• Strong knowledge of U.S. employment law and employee relations practices.
• A track record of building or evolving an ER operating model.
• Exceptional executive presence and influence.
• Excellent analytical and written communication skills.
• Sound judgment, discretion, objectivity, and composure in situations that are sensitive, ambiguous, time-critical, or emotionally charged.
• A collaborative, low-ego leadership style and a commitment to developing others.
• A J.D. is required for this position.

Benefits:

• $400K – $440K • Offers Equity
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance for you and your family.
• Pre-tax accounts for Health FSA, Dependent Care FSA, and commuter expenses.
• 401(k) retirement plan with employer match.
• Paid parental leave.
• Paid time off.
• 13+ paid company holidays.
• Mental health and wellness support.
• Employer-paid basic life and disability coverage.
• Annual learning and development stipend.
• Daily meals in our offices.
• Relocation support for eligible employees.