Deal Desk Regional Lead, APAC

About The Team

The Finance and Revenue Operations unit at OpenAI is responsible for developing the business infrastructure that allows scalable growth with discipline and financial accountability. Within this, the Deal Desk collaborates closely with numerous teams including GTM, Legal, Finance, Product, and others to manage and execute complex enterprise deals while ensuring all agreements are operationally sound and compliant.

Role Overview

The position of Deal Desk Regional Lead, APAC involves setting strategic direction for the Deal Desk function across the APAC region. This principal individual contributor role requires expertise in handling high-profile enterprise deals, managing multiple complex projects, and establishing scalable frameworks across pricing, compliance, revenue recognition, and commercial execution. The leader will independently prioritize initiatives, exercise sound judgment amidst ambiguity, and act as a key Deal Desk representative in strategic commercial discussions.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement the Deal Desk strategy and operational plan across the APAC region spanning markets, product types, and commercial channels.
• Lead several complex, high-priority projects that balance growth, customer satisfaction, transactional speed, compliance, and scalability.
• Provide expert guidance on complex enterprise transactions involving unusual pricing structures, terms, commitments, renewals, and multi-party agreements.
• Inform pricing and packaging decisions using transaction analytics, competitive insights, customer needs, and regional market dynamics.
• Create scalable governance frameworks with clear decision rights, risk management, intake processes, escalation paths, and executive forums.
• Drive cross-functional initiatives to enhance revenue recognition, tax, contracting, billing, reporting, audit processes, and overall customer experience.
• Translate regional commercial needs into sustainable system capabilities across CRM, CPQ, billing, ERP, and automation in collaboration with global operations teams.
• Use data to identify process friction, evaluate performance, direct improvements in policy, controls, systems, pricing, and packaging.
• Represent Deal Desk in strategic discussions at regional and global levels involving GTM, Finance, Legal, Product, and senior leadership, providing well-justified recommendations.
• Develop core playbooks, governance processes, and operational routines intended for adoption beyond the APAC region.
• Mentor senior colleagues, elevate decision-making quality, and promote alignment through inclusive communication and high standards.

Preferred Qualifications

• Over 10 years in Deal Desk, Commercial or Revenue Operations, or related enterprise SaaS/cloud commercial roles with significant leadership or principal responsibilities.
• Proven ability to establish region-wide strategies and oversee multiple complex cross-functional initiatives independently.
• In-depth knowledge of structuring and managing complex enterprise deals with non-standard terms and models.
• Comprehensive understanding of downstream effects on contracting, approvals, revenue, tax, and compliance.
• Experience crafting scalable approval frameworks, controls, playbooks, system requirements, and operating models.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills to solve complex problems and refine frameworks.
• Exceptional influence and communication skills capable of aligning diverse stakeholders without formal authority.
• Demonstrated calm and principled leadership with a focus on mentoring senior peers and guiding organizational change.
• Familiarity with APAC commercial environments, tax structures, contract norms, and customer expectations.
• Experience with marketplace commerce, including private offers, cloud commitments, billing, and renewals is a plus.
• Japanese language skills are preferred.
• Exposure to partner, reseller, channel ecosystems, or new commercial model rollouts beneficial.
• Knowledge of AI adoption and cloud AI services is a plus.
• Accounting, audit, or finance experience related to complex commercial transactions is advantageous.

About OpenAI

OpenAI is dedicated to advancing AI technology responsibly so that its benefits reach all humanity. We value diversity and inclusion and adhere to equal opportunity employment policies. We perform background checks where applicable in compliance with laws and provide reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities.