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Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Corporate Development, Deal Lead - **Company:** OpenAI Inc. - **Location:** San Francisco, CA, United States - **Experience:** Expert - **Salary:** $333,000.0 - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Artificial Intelligence, BIG-IP Global Traffic Manager (GTM) - **Published:** August 19, 2026 - **Apply:** https://jobs.localjobnetwork.com/apply/add/88075101/1 ## About the Role * 12+ years of experience leading M&A or strategic transactions from start to finish - in corporate development, private equity, investment banking, venture investing, and/or product. * Deep experience analyzing emerging technologies and markets, and enjoy working directly with founders, investors, and operators. Sector and deal expertise in enterprise / B2B highly preferred. * A genuine passion for AI and its impact on the world. * Strong analytical skills combined with commercial judgment and strategic insight. * Comfort managing ambiguity, building process in a fast-moving environment, and operating with high ownership. * Clear and persuasive communication skills to influence internal and external stakeholders. * Excitement to help build and shape the Corp Dev function at a mission-driven AI company. ## Description The Corporate Development Deal Lead will own high-priority M&A and strategic transaction work from early evaluation through diligence, structuring, negotiation, approval, and close. This person will translate strategic priorities and market insight into actionable deal opportunities, build the business case for transactions, and drive cross-functional alignment with senior stakeholders. This is a hands-on, high-ownership role for someone who can combine strategic judgment, financial rigor, founder relationship-building, and crisp execution. The ideal candidate can lead complex transactions, partner well with executive stakeholders, and help build the AI-native systems, tools, and operating practices that allow Corp Dev to scale. This role is based in our San Francisco HQ. We use a hybrid work model of 3 days in the office per week and offer relocation assistance to new employees. In this role, you will: * Lead end-to-end execution of corporate development transactions (e.g., acquisitions and strategic investments), including sourcing, diligence, valuation, structuring, negotiation, and closing. * Track and interpret key trends across AI, technology, and adjacent industries, translating the competitive and startup landscape into clear, high-impact insights for OpenAI's leadership. * Proactively source acquisition and other opportunities by building deep relationships across the venture, startup, and incubator ecosystem. * Partner closely with internal leaders to understand OpenAI's priorities and use external market intelligence to help shape strategy and identify where inorganic moves can accelerate it. * Collaborate cross-functionally with Product, Engineering, Legal, Finance, GTM, and executive leadership to evaluate and advance deals. * Build financial models, commercial cases, and decision-making frameworks for executive stakeholders. * Prepare and present deal materials to senior leaders. * Lead and innovate how we use AI to enhance Corp Dev processes and systems. * Partner with Integration & cross-functional peers to develop deal goals / metrics and integration plans to achieve and measure outcomes. ## Related Videos - [The Impact of AI on Game Development and the Industry](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100297-the-impact-of-ai-on-game-development-and-the-industry) - [WeAreDevelopers LIVE – Web Scraping, Agents, Actors and more](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1764-wearedevelopers-live-web-scraping-agents-actors-and-more) - [Edit Your Future: Queerverse Radical AI](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/909-edit-your-future-queerverse-radical-ai) - [Marketing x Product: How We Stopped Gaslighting Each Other and Built AI Products That Actually Work](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100244-marketing-x-product-how-we-stopped-gaslighting-each-other-and-built-ai-products-that-actually-work) - [AI is dead, long live AK](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1093-ai-is-dead-long-live-ak) - [Every CEO needs a digital twin to understand the scope of generative AI](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1006-every-ceo-needs-a-digital-twin-to-understand-the-scope-of-generative-ai) ## Related Articles - [Navigating the AI Shift](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/629-navigating-the-ai-shift) - [MLOps And AI Driven Development](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/82-mlops-and-ai-driven-development) - [Stephan Gillich - Bringing AI Everywhere](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/489-stephan-gillich-bringing-ai-everywhere) - [How to Become an AI Engineer](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/331-how-to-become-an-ai-engineer) - [Coffee with Developers - Maria Apazoglou - Making AI understandable for all in production](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/475-coffee-with-developers-maria-apazoglou-making-ai-understandable-for-all-in-production) - [How to Turn Community Events Into a Powerful AI GTM Engine: The Daytona Playbook](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/732-how-to-turn-community-events-into-a-powerful-ai-gtm-engine-the-daytona-playbook)