Head of Finance - Data Centers

# Head of Finance - Data Centers

OpenAISan Francisco (Hybrid)
Full-time $347,000 – $385,000 / year Upload your resume once and Scout applies for you Apply with Scout Share this job:

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The Head of Finance will lead financial planning for OpenAI’s self-built data center projects, from site evaluation through construction and financing. They will partner with infrastructure and development teams to model project economics, manage budgets, and advise leadership on investment decisions.
* Permanent* Hybrid
* 10+ years### Skills and expertise

Project finance

Financial modeling

Capital expenditure forecasting

Capital budgeting

Cash flow forecasting

Construction cost analysis

Financing structures

Data center economics### Key responsibilities
* Evaluate data center and power infrastructure projects, including costs, capacity plans, and financial risks.
* Build project financial models, capital forecasts, and budgets, and track costs through construction.
* Develop financing options and investment recommendations with finance, infrastructure, and development partners.## How this job compares

Compared with 53 open director finance jobs on October 10, 2026.Pay:
This job pays $347K to $385K a year. The 28 open director finance jobs that publish US pay start at $204K on average, so this job starts about 70% higher.

Similar open jobs:
We Love AI Jobs lists 53 open director finance jobs at 43 companies.

Remote work:
This job is hybrid. 8 of the 53 director finance jobs (15%) are remote.

AI in this role:
Low. The company works with AI, but AI is a small part of this role's daily work. The role supports data center investment and construction finance rather than working directly with AI models or products. The posting does not mention day-to-day use of AI tools.## Full description

About the Role As Head of Finance - Data Centers, you will be the finance leader for OpenAI’s self-built data center efforts. You will partner with teams across infrastructure, real estate, energy, construction, procurement, and finance to turn proposed sites into sound investment decisions and funded projects.

This role spans the full development lifecycle: evaluating opportunities, building investment cases, forecasting capital needs, managing construction budgets, and helping determine how projects should be financed. You will give leadership a clear view of project economics, funding requirements, and risks as we build data center capacity at  this role, you will:
• Lead financial evaluation of proposed data center and related power infrastructure projects, including site economics, development costs, capacity phasing, lifecycle costs, and key risks.
• Build and own project-level models and capital expenditure forecasts that connect construction schedules, power delivery, equipment procurement, contingencies, and funding needs.
• Establish capital budgets and financial controls for active builds. Track commitments, actual spending, change orders, and forecasts to completion; identify cost or schedule risks early.
• Partner with development, engineering, energy, construction, and procurement leaders on decisions that affect cost, timing, and long-term performance.
• Work with Treasury, Corporate Finance, Tax, and Legal to evaluate financing options, including project or construction debt, leases, joint ventures, and other partnership structures where appropriate.
• Prepare investment recommendations and capital approval materials for senior leadership, translating complex project details into clear choices and tradeoffs.
• Build a consistent portfolio view of project costs, cash requirements, milestones, and financial performance. Partner with Accounting and operations teams through project completion and handoff.

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