Account Director, Higher Education

OpenAI

. Own strategic relationships with colleges, universities, and higher education systems as they move from AI experimentation to responsible, institution-wide transformation .

Posted 11/9/2026full-timeSan Francisco • California • United StatesLead💰 $305,000 - $352,000 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in leading AI transformation initiatives within higher education, focusing on strategic relationship management, governance, and driving adoption of complex AI solutions. Proven ability to translate institutional goals into actionable multi-year roadmaps while managing consumption-based revenue and fostering executive relationships.

Highest-signal resume keywords

10+ Years Experience Selling SaaS SolutionsDirect Experience Selling To Higher Education InstitutionsStrong Understanding Of Governance And Change ManagementDemonstrated Ownership Of Consumption-Based RevenueExperience Leading Strategic Transformations

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Complex AI Product KnowledgeAccount PlanningForecastingNegotiationCross-Functional Orchestration

Soft Skills

Strong Executive PresenceStructured CommunicationHigh JudgmentCuriosityResilience

Industry Keywords

Higher EducationDecentralized Decision-MakingProcurementPrivacySecurity

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Own strategic relationships with colleges, universities, and higher education systems as they move from AI experimentation to responsible, institution-wide transformation
Work with presidents, provosts, CIOs, CTOs, academic and administrative leaders, researchers, security teams, and procurement stakeholders
Define priority use cases and build the technical and governance foundation for deployment
Translate institutional goals into multi-year AI transformation roadmaps
Own the commercial and customer journey end to end, from territory strategy and pipeline creation through evaluation, procurement, deployment, adoption, consumption, value realization, and expansion
Own and execute the AMER higher education territory and account strategy
Create pipeline and lead complex new-business and expansion opportunities
Engage executive, academic, technical, administrative, legal, procurement, finance, and end-user stakeholders
Lead cross-functional pursuit and account teams across Solutions Engineering, Customer Success, Product, Research, Security, Legal, and other functions
Design evaluations, pilots, technical validation, executive business cases, production deployments, and adoption plans
Translate AI model and platform capabilities, limitations, integration approaches, governance, privacy, security, and safety considerations into institutional value and technical plans
Own new-business, subscription, and consumption revenue
Forecast pipeline and usage-based growth
Use adoption, value realization, and expansion signals to manage the business
Develop executive relationships and institutional champions
Bring higher education market insight into product, policy, partnership, and go-to-market strategy
Represent OpenAI at executive forums, industry events, customer advisory discussions, and in the higher education ecosystem

Requirements

What you’ll need

10+ years of experience selling platform-as-a-service and/or software-as-a-service solutions
Sustained record of meeting or exceeding meaningful revenue targets through complex, multi-year enterprise sales motions
Direct experience selling to higher education institutions or systems
Strong understanding of decentralized decision-making, academic and administrative stakeholders, governance, procurement, privacy, security, and change management
Demonstrated ownership of consumption- or usage-based revenue, including forecasting usage, driving adoption, creating new use cases, and converting customer outcomes into expansion
Technical depth to learn complex AI products, lead discovery, partner with technical teams, explain technical concepts accurately, and translate them into outcomes
Experience leading strategic transformations, including governance, change management, adoption, and measurable outcomes
Strong executive presence and structured communication
Account planning, qualification, negotiation, forecasting, and cross-functional orchestration skills
High judgment, curiosity, resilience, and comfort operating through ambiguity, product change, and evolving customer needs
Mission-driven approach to deploying AI responsibly
Ability to work from a US office three days per week
Background checks may be administered in accordance with applicable law

Benefits

Comp & perks

Equity
Performance-related bonus(es) for eligible employees
Medical, dental, and vision insurance for you and your family, with employer contributions to Health Savings Accounts
Pre-tax accounts for Health FSA, Dependent Care FSA, and commuter expenses (parking and transit)
401(k) retirement plan with employer match
Paid parental leave (up to 24 weeks for birth parents and 20 weeks for non-birthing parents)
Paid medical and caregiver leave (up to 8 weeks)
Flexible PTO for exempt employees and up to 15 days annually for non-exempt employees
13+ paid company holidays
Multiple paid coordinated company office closures throughout the year
Paid sick or safe time
Mental health and wellness support
Employer-paid basic life and disability coverage
Annual learning and development stipend
Daily meals in offices
Meal delivery credits as eligible
Relocation support for eligible employees
Charitable donation matching
Wellness stipends
Immigration and sponsorship support may be provided based on individual circumstances