Technical Program Manager, Core Network & WAN Infrastructure

OpenaiOpenai·Remote(San Francisco)
Project Management
Excel

WFA Digital Insight

The demand for technical program managers with expertise in WAN infrastructure has surged in recent years, with a 25% increase in job postings in 2025 alone. As companies like Openai continue to scale their operations, the need for professionals who can manage complex network infrastructure has become paramount. With the rise of remote work, the ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams and drive infrastructure projects forward is crucial. Openai's commitment to using AI responsibly and safely makes this role particularly intriguing for those passionate about the ethical implications of technology. Before applying, candidates should be aware of the technical depth and program discipline required to excel in this position.

Job Description

About the Role

The Technical Program Manager position at Openai is a critical role that entails managing the company's WAN infrastructure across multiple locations. This includes driving network capacity delivery, owning end-to-end execution, and collaborating with various stakeholders to ensure seamless operations. As a key member of the compute infrastructure team, the successful candidate will work closely with network engineers, datacenter operators, and cloud providers to deliver high-quality results.

The compute infrastructure team at Openai is responsible for running the GPU fleet and supercomputers that power the company's AI models, including ChatGPT and API. The team's primary goal is to provide a singular platform for other Openai teams to run production Applied AI and Research training workloads. With a strong focus on safety and responsible AI deployment, the team is committed to distributing the benefits of AI while ensuring its responsible use.

What You Will Do

  • Own end-to-end execution for PoP buildouts, expansions, and network capacity delivery across internal teams, vendors, colocation providers, fiber providers, and cloud providers.
  • Drive physical and logical readiness across routers, line cards, optics, cabling, patch panels, cross-connects, provider handoffs, cloud interconnects, BGP sessions, routing policy, and production turn-up.
  • Maintain clear ownership of timelines, dependencies, risks, blockers, escalation paths, and readiness milestones for active network deployments.
  • Translate network capacity needs and deployment plans into concrete execution workstreams with owners, dates, test expectations, and acceptance criteria.
  • Partner closely with network engineers to validate link state, optics health, FEC/BER signals, light levels, interface configuration, routing readiness, and handoff completeness.
  • Ensure vendors and datacenter teams have the instructions they need: port maps, rack elevations, LOAs/CLOAs, diagrams, install windows, test plans, access details, and acceptance criteria.
  • Build durable operational mechanisms, including PoP readiness checklists, deployment trackers, vendor instruction templates, escalation playbooks, and standard operating procedures.
  • Identify recurring bottlenecks in PoP deployment and network capacity delivery, then drive fixes that make future builds faster, more predictable, and less dependent on tribal knowledge.
  • Communicate clearly with technical and non-technical stakeholders, including crisp status, impact, owner, next step, and requested decision for escalations.

What We Are Looking For

  • Deep experience driving infrastructure, networking, datacenter, cloud connectivity, telecom, fiber, or technical operations programs.
  • Strong technical intuition across physical networking, WAN/backbone infrastructure, colocation environments, cloud interconnects, cross-connects, optics, cabling, routing, and operational readiness.
  • A track record of independently owning ambiguous, cross-functional infrastructure programs from planning through production handoff.
  • Experience working directly with network engineers, datacenter operations, colocation providers, carriers, cloud providers, vendors, finance, procurement, and business stakeholders.
  • Excellent Excel skills and experience with project management tools.
  • Ability to work effectively in a hybrid work environment, with 3 days in the office per week.
  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate with diverse stakeholders.

Nice to Have

  • Experience with AI and machine learning technologies.
  • Knowledge of datacenter operations and cloud infrastructure.
  • Familiarity with IT service management frameworks.
  • Certification in project management or a related field.

Benefits and Perks

  • Competitive salary and benefits package.
  • Opportunity to work with a cutting-edge AI company.
  • Collaborative and dynamic work environment.
  • Professional development opportunities.
  • Flexible work arrangements, including remote work options.
  • Access to the latest technologies and tools.
  • Recognition and reward for outstanding performance.

How to Stand Out

  • Be prepared to provide specific examples of your experience with WAN infrastructure and network capacity delivery.
  • Showcase your technical intuition and ability to reason through physical and logical network readiness.
  • Highlight your experience working with cross-functional teams and driving infrastructure projects forward.
  • Emphasize your excellent Excel skills and experience with project management tools.
  • Be ready to discuss your approach to identifying and mitigating risks in complex infrastructure projects.
  • Research Openai's commitment to responsible AI deployment and be prepared to discuss how you can contribute to this effort.
  • Prepare to ask informed questions about the company culture, team dynamics, and opportunities for growth and development.

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