Associate General Counsel, Non-profit

OpenAI OpenAI · AI Frontier · San Francisco, CA · Legal

OpenAI is seeking an Associate General Counsel to advise on nonprofit tax, governance, and related corporate issues, supporting both the nonprofit and affiliated organizations within the broader OpenAI enterprise. This role involves advising on compliance with nonprofit law, tax-exempt status, grants administration, private benefit rules, and mission-aligned governance, as well as managing governance initiatives and advising on intercompany transactions.

What you'd actually do

  1. Serve as the primary legal advisor on nonprofit tax, governance, and fiduciary matters for OpenAI’s affiliated nonprofit. Advise on compliance with federal and state nonprofit law, tax-exempt status requirements, grants administration compliance, private benefit and excess benefit rules, and mission-aligned governance.
  2. Lead nonprofit governance initiatives, including advising on governance matters, conflicts-of-interest processes, and implementing and operationalizing policies required for a complex, high-profile nonprofit operating alongside a PBC affiliate.
  3. Advise on the legal and tax implications of transactions and arrangements between the nonprofit and affiliate entities, including shared support services, funding, IP and commercial relationships, and other intercompany matters.
  4. Advise and partner with the OpenAI legal team on general corporate, governance, and disclosure matters that require coordination with the Foundation, including public disclosures, compensation matters, governance initiatives, and other enterprise-level legal issues.
  5. Partner closely with Finance, Tax, Accounting, Investor Relations, and other Legal teams to design and maintain compliant structures, processes, and controls across OpenAI, including entity management, subsidiary governance, and regulatory compliance.

Skills

Required

  • JD and licensed to practice law in California (or eligible)
  • 12+ years of legal experience
  • significant experience advising nonprofits on tax, governance, and compliance matters
  • deep expertise in nonprofit tax and regulatory issues
  • nonprofit governance
  • design and operation of compliance programs for complex, high-visibility nonprofit organizations
  • sound judgment in ambiguous, high-stakes situations
  • ability to serve as a trusted advisor to senior leaders and boards
  • strong ownership
  • intellectual curiosity
  • clear and effective communication
  • ability to manage multiple complex workstreams
  • collaboration skills
  • humility, integrity, and strong sense of responsibility

Nice to have

  • Experience spanning both nonprofit and affiliated organizations

What the JD emphasized

  • 12+ years of legal experience
  • significant experience advising nonprofits on tax, governance, and compliance matters
  • deep expertise in nonprofit tax and regulatory issues
  • nonprofit governance
  • design and operation of compliance programs for complex, high-visibility nonprofit organizations
  • sound judgment in ambiguous, high-stakes situations
  • trusted advisor to senior leaders and boards on important governance matters
  • Take strong ownership of your work
  • intellectually curious
  • energized by novel legal issues at the intersection of technology, mission, and organizational structure
  • Communicate clearly and effectively
  • manage multiple complex workstreams in parallel
  • collaborate well across legal, finance, tax, and other cross-functional teams
  • Operate with humility, integrity, and a strong sense of responsibility to mission, stakeholders, and the public interest
  • Hold a JD and are licensed to practice law in California, or are eligible to become licensed