Vice President of External Affairs Jobs
Vice President of External Affairs jobs are open across nonprofits, higher education, healthcare, government, and associations, at every level from director to senior vice president, with specializations in government relations, communications, and community engagement. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
Find JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 50+ Vice President of External Affairs jobs
Global Affairs - San Francisco
About the Team
OpenAI’s Global Affairs team builds relationships with communities to help ensure that artificial intelligence benefits people broadly. The partnership team works with organizations and leaders across education, workforce development, labor, faith, civil rights, and other communities. We build partnerships that help people use AI in ways that matter to their lives, strengthen the organizations serving their communities, and ensure their experiences and concerns help shape OpenAI’s work.
About the Role
We’re looking for a resourceful partnerships professional who combines strong external relationship skills with the judgment and organizational ability to move complex initiatives forward.
You will manage designated external relationships and lead the day-to-day delivery of partnerships across the team’s portfolios and Working with portfolio leads, you will translate agreed objectives into practical programs, represent OpenAI in partner conversations, coordinate internal contributions, and carry commitments through delivery.
You will also step into emerging priorities: helping launch a new collaboration, advancing an existing partnership, preparing a senior leader for an external engagement, or coordinating a project involving several teams. Your portfolio will evolve with team priorities, with clear ownership and agreed outcomes for each assignment.
This role requires someone who enjoys building relationships and doing the detailed work that makes those relationships productive. You should be comfortable working independently, learning unfamiliar issues quickly, and knowing when to seek expertise or escalate a decision.
In this role, you will:
Own external relationships. Build and manage trusted relationships with nonprofit organizations, civic leaders, community institutions, and other partners across a range of diverse perspectives and communities.
Develop and deliver partnerships. Translate shared interests into practical collaborations with clear objectives, scope, responsibilities, timelines, and measures of success.
Represent OpenAI externally. Lead partner meetings and briefings, participate in convenings, and communicate clearly about AI’s opportunities and safe and responsible use.
Contribute across the team’s priorities. Take ownership of defined projects across different portfolios, support colleagues during major initiatives, and help establish new areas of engagement.
Connect partners with internal expertise. Work with policy, product, safety, legal, communications, and education colleagues to develop substantive engagements and secure the contributions needed for delivery.
Turn stakeholder insight into action. Identify concerns and opportunities, synthesize what we hear, bring relevant feedback to internal owners, and close the loop with partners.
Deliver funded partnership programs. Translate agreed commitments into feasible workplans with clear owners, milestones, and outcomes. Work directly with partners and portfolio leads to resolve program questions, coordinate implementation, and assess results, including recommendations for improvement or renewal.
Coordinate partnership implementation across teams. Bring together relationship owners and colleagues in policyed of progress.
Maintain reliable follow-through. Manage workplans, partner commitments, budgets, and approval processes for your projects; surface dependencies and risks early and recommend solutions.
Exercise sound prioritization. Assess incoming opportunities against team goals, recommend where to invest time and resources, and adjust plans as circumstances change.
You might thrive in this role if you:
Bring 6+ years of relevant experience in partnerships, external affairs, public policy, campaigns, government, nonprofits, or community engagement, or equivalent experience demonstrating these capabilities.
Have independently managed external relationships and delivered complex partnership programs, including scoping commitments, coordinating multiple teams, managing budgets, and evaluating outcomes.
Combine political and stakeholder judgment with strong execution skills, including navigating disagreement and sensitive issues.
Can build credibility with people whose experiences and views differ from your own.
Write clearly, communicate confidently, and translate complex topics for nontechnical audiences.
Are organized and responsive, can manage several projects at once, and take responsibility for completing commitments.
Work effectively across teams without formal authority and make thoughtful decisions about when to act independently and when to seek alignment.
Enjoy a varied portfolio and can move between relationship development, strategic thinking, and hands-on delivery.
Are curious about AI and its implications for communities, public institutions, and economic opportunity.
About OpenAI
OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. We push the boundaries of the capabilities of AI systems and seek to safely deploy them to the world through our products. AI is an extremely powerful tool that must be created with safety and human needs at its core the full spectrum of humanity.
We are an equal opportunity employeration, or other applicable legally protected characteristic.
Background checks for applicants will be administered in accordance with applicable lawation technology systems and related data security obligations.
To notify OpenAI that you believe this job posting is non-compliant. No response will be provided to inquiries unrelated to job posting compliance.
We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities.
At OpenAI, we believe artificial intelligence has the potential to help people solve immense global challenges, and we want the upside of AI to be widely shared. Join us in shaping the future of technology.
Compensation
$171K – $190K + Offers Equity
The base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factorsance-related bonus(es) for eligible employees, and the following benefits.
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), plus paid medical and caregiver leave (up to 8 weeks)
Paid time off: flexible PTO for exempt employees and up to 15 days annually for non-exempt employees
13+ paid company holidays, and multiple paid coordinated company office closures throughout the year for focus and recharge, plus paid sick or safe time (1 hour per 30 hours worked, or more, as required by applicable state or local law)
Mental health and wellness support
Employer-paid basic life and disability coverage
Annual learning and development stipend to fuel your professional growth
Daily meals in our offices, and meal delivery credits as eligible
Relocation support for eligible employees
Additional taxable fringe benefits, such as charitable donation matching and wellness stipends, may also be provided.
More details about our benefits are available to candidates during the hiring process.
This role is at-will and OpenAI reserves the right to modify base pay and other compensation components at any time based on individual performance, team or company results, or market conditions.
Global Affairs - San Francisco
About the Team
OpenAI’s Global Affairs team builds relationships with communities to help ensure that artificial intelligence benefits people broadly. The partnership team works with organizations and leaders across education, workforce development, labor, faith, civil rights, and other communities. We build partnerships that help people use AI in ways that matter to their lives, strengthen the organizations serving their communities, and ensure their experiences and concerns help shape OpenAI’s work.
About the Role
We’re looking for a resourceful partnerships professional who combines strong external relationship skills with the judgment and organizational ability to move complex initiatives forward.
You will manage designated external relationships and lead the day-to-day delivery of partnerships across the team’s portfolios and Working with portfolio leads, you will translate agreed objectives into practical programs, represent OpenAI in partner conversations, coordinate internal contributions, and carry commitments through delivery.
You will also step into emerging priorities: helping launch a new collaboration, advancing an existing partnership, preparing a senior leader for an external engagement, or coordinating a project involving several teams. Your portfolio will evolve with team priorities, with clear ownership and agreed outcomes for each assignment.
This role requires someone who enjoys building relationships and doing the detailed work that makes those relationships productive. You should be comfortable working independently, learning unfamiliar issues quickly, and knowing when to seek expertise or escalate a decision.
In this role, you will:
Own external relationships. Build and manage trusted relationships with nonprofit organizations, civic leaders, community institutions, and other partners across a range of diverse perspectives and communities.
Develop and deliver partnerships. Translate shared interests into practical collaborations with clear objectives, scope, responsibilities, timelines, and measures of success.
Represent OpenAI externally. Lead partner meetings and briefings, participate in convenings, and communicate clearly about AI’s opportunities and safe and responsible use.
Contribute across the team’s priorities. Take ownership of defined projects across different portfolios, support colleagues during major initiatives, and help establish new areas of engagement.
Connect partners with internal expertise. Work with policy, product, safety, legal, communications, and education colleagues to develop substantive engagements and secure the contributions needed for delivery.
Turn stakeholder insight into action. Identify concerns and opportunities, synthesize what we hear, bring relevant feedback to internal owners, and close the loop with partners.
Deliver funded partnership programs. Translate agreed commitments into feasible workplans with clear owners, milestones, and outcomes. Work directly with partners and portfolio leads to resolve program questions, coordinate implementation, and assess results, including recommendations for improvement or renewal.
Coordinate partnership implementation across teams. Bring together relationship owners and colleagues in policyed of progress.
Maintain reliable follow-through. Manage workplans, partner commitments, budgets, and approval processes for your projects; surface dependencies and risks early and recommend solutions.
Exercise sound prioritization. Assess incoming opportunities against team goals, recommend where to invest time and resources, and adjust plans as circumstances change.
You might thrive in this role if you:
Bring 6+ years of relevant experience in partnerships, external affairs, public policy, campaigns, government, nonprofits, or community engagement, or equivalent experience demonstrating these capabilities.
Have independently managed external relationships and delivered complex partnership programs, including scoping commitments, coordinating multiple teams, managing budgets, and evaluating outcomes.
Combine political and stakeholder judgment with strong execution skills, including navigating disagreement and sensitive issues.
Can build credibility with people whose experiences and views differ from your own.
Write clearly, communicate confidently, and translate complex topics for nontechnical audiences.
Are organized and responsive, can manage several projects at once, and take responsibility for completing commitments.
Work effectively across teams without formal authority and make thoughtful decisions about when to act independently and when to seek alignment.
Enjoy a varied portfolio and can move between relationship development, strategic thinking, and hands-on delivery.
Are curious about AI and its implications for communities, public institutions, and economic opportunity.
About OpenAI
OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. We push the boundaries of the capabilities of AI systems and seek to safely deploy them to the world through our products. AI is an extremely powerful tool that must be created with safety and human needs at its core the full spectrum of humanity.
We are an equal opportunity employeration, or other applicable legally protected characteristic.
Background checks for applicants will be administered in accordance with applicable lawation technology systems and related data security obligations.
To notify OpenAI that you believe this job posting is non-compliant. No response will be provided to inquiries unrelated to job posting compliance.
We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities.
At OpenAI, we believe artificial intelligence has the potential to help people solve immense global challenges, and we want the upside of AI to be widely shared. Join us in shaping the future of technology.
Compensation
$171K – $190K + Offers Equity
The base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factorsance-related bonus(es) for eligible employees, and the following benefits.
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), plus paid medical and caregiver leave (up to 8 weeks)
Paid time off: flexible PTO for exempt employees and up to 15 days annually for non-exempt employees
13+ paid company holidays, and multiple paid coordinated company office closures throughout the year for focus and recharge, plus paid sick or safe time (1 hour per 30 hours worked, or more, as required by applicable state or local law)
Mental health and wellness support
Employer-paid basic life and disability coverage
Annual learning and development stipend to fuel your professional growth
Daily meals in our offices, and meal delivery credits as eligible
Relocation support for eligible employees
Additional taxable fringe benefits, such as charitable donation matching and wellness stipends, may also be provided.
More details about our benefits are available to candidates during the hiring process.
This role is at-will and OpenAI reserves the right to modify base pay and other compensation components at any time based on individual performance, team or company results, or market conditions.
See All 50 Vice President of External Affairs Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find JobsVice President of External Affairs Job Market
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Energy
- Education
- Healthcare & Medical Services
- Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in vice president of external affairs jobs.
- Ten or more years of government relations, public affairs, or policy advocacy experience
- Demonstrated experience managing legislative or regulatory relationships at the state or federal level
- Bachelor's degree in public policy, political science, communications, or a related field
- Proven ability to develop and execute external communications and stakeholder engagement strategies
- Experience leading and managing cross-functional teams including communications and community affairs staff
- Advanced degree such as a Master of Public Policy, Master of Public Administration, or law degree preferred
Tips for Your Vice President of External Affairs Job Search
Tailor your resume to policy outcomes
Vice presidents of external affairs are hired for measurable influence, not activity. Reframe your resume bullets around legislative wins, coalition outcomes, or policy changes your team drove, not the meetings you attended or the reports you filed.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists vice president of external affairs openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Align your government relations portfolio to the sector
A portfolio built around federal advocacy reads differently to a hospital system than to a trade association. Before applying, identify the organization's primary policy arena and lead with examples from that exact regulatory or legislative environment in your cover materials.
Network inside the confirmation process early
Many VP-level external affairs searches use a search committee that includes board members or senior government officials. Reaching out to those stakeholders before a formal offer extends the relationship beyond the hiring manager and signals the cross-functional credibility the role requires.
Prepare a stakeholder map for your interview
Interviewers at this level expect you to arrive with a preliminary read on the organization's key external relationships: regulators, legislators, media, and community groups. Walking in with a draft stakeholder map demonstrates strategic readiness and separates you from candidates who wait to be briefed.
Negotiate scope before title or compensation
In external affairs, your authority over government relations, communications, and community engagement often varies widely by organization. Clarify in final-round conversations exactly which functions report to you, because structural scope determines your actual effectiveness more than any other term in the offer.
Vice President of External Affairs Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most vice president of external affairss?
The companies hiring the most vice president of external affairss right now include QTS, AT&T, and Google, with the largest share of openings in District of Columbia, Illinois, and Virginia, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Healthcare systems, universities, and national associations tend to post the highest volume of these roles year-round.
How many vice president of external affairs jobs are remote?
About 80% of vice president of external affairs openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, though the share varies significantly by function. Communications-focused roles tend to offer more location flexibility, while positions centered on direct government relations or community engagement typically require an on-site or DC-area presence to maintain in-person relationships with legislators and officials.
How do you become a vice president of external affairs?
Most vice presidents of external affairs build their path through government service, legislative staff roles, or advocacy organizations before moving into the private or nonprofit sector. From there, progression typically runs through director-level external affairs or government relations positions, where you develop a portfolio of policy wins and stakeholder relationships. An advanced degree in public policy, law, or public administration strengthens candidacy for senior roles, though demonstrated outcomes consistently outweigh credentials at the VP level.
Can I get a vice president of external affairs job without direct government relations experience?
It is possible if your background includes deep stakeholder engagement, coalition management, or senior communications leadership, since some organizations prioritize those skills over a purely legislative background. Healthcare, higher education, and community-focused nonprofits in particular hire external affairs VPs from public relations or community development tracks. You'll need to show that you can manage relationships with government officials even if you haven't held a formal lobbying or policy role.
What does the vice president of external affairs interview process look like?
The process typically includes an initial screen with HR or a search consultant, followed by a panel interview with the CEO, board members, or senior leadership, and often a final presentation where you are asked to outline a strategic plan for the organization's external relationships. Some employers include stakeholder interviews with government affairs staff or community partners. The process tends to move more slowly than corporate hiring, often running several months from first contact to offer.
Where can I find and apply to vice president of external affairs jobs?
You can find and apply to vice president of external affairs jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Find roles that match your background and apply directly to each listing from the page.
See All 50 Vice President of External Affairs Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Jobs