Chief of Staff, GM Advertising

We're transforming the grocery industry At Instacart, we invite the world to share love through food because we believe everyone should have access to the food they love and more time to enjoy it together. Where others see a simple need for grocery delivery, we see exciting complexity and endless opportunity to serve the varied needs of our community. We work to deliver an essential service that customers rely on to get their groceries and household goods, while also offering safe and flexible earnings opportunities to Instacart Personal Shoppers. Instacart has become a lifeline for millions of people, and we’re building the team to help push our shopping cart forward. If you’re ready to do the best work of your life, come join our table. Instacart is a Flex First team There’s no one-size fits all approach to how we do our best work. Our employees have the flexibility to choose where they do their best work—whether it’s from home, an office, or your favorite coffee shop—while staying connected and building community through regular in-person events. Learn more about our flexible approach to where we work. Why this role is on the menu Instacart’s Advertising business is scaling fast—and the complexity of operating a billion-dollar retail media platform across the Instacart Marketplace, off-platform partnerships, and in-store touchpoints demands more than great strategy. It demands relentless operational discipline and someone who can hold the center together. We’re hiring a Chief of Staff to the General Manager, Advertising to be the connective tissue across an ambitious, fast-moving organization. Twelve months from now, this person will have made the Ads org measurably sharper: clearer priorities, stronger cross-functional alignment, and a GM who can operate at full strategic altitude because the infrastructure around them just works. What you’ll cook up in your first year The Ads organization runs on a clear operating rhythm—team meetings, leadership cadences, and organizational communications are designed and consistently executed so the GM and senior leaders spend their time on the right things. Cross-functional leaders and external partners trust the Ads organization to show up prepared and aligned—because every major meeting is backed by crisp briefings, sharp talking points, and the research to support strong decisions. Priority initiatives across the Ads org land on time and with impact—because someone is tracking deliverables, surfacing blockers early, and keeping stakeholders aligned before small misalignments become big ones. Budget visibility across the Ads organization is tight and reliable—workforce and non-workforce spend are tracked in partnership with Finance, and the GM heads into annual planning with clear, defensible numbers. The GM is operating as a more effective leader—because they have a trusted thought partner who can both give strategic counsel and get things done, freeing them to focus on the moves that grow the business. The secret ingredients we’re looking for Must-have pantry staples (Minimum Qualifications) 10+ years of experience in consulting, corporate tech, or advertising/media, with meaningful exposure to executive audiences. Strong grounding in digital advertising, retail media, or adjacent businesses—enough to engage credibly on the substance, not just the process. High EQ and a track record of building trusted advisor relationships with senior leaders; known for being the person who can say the hard thing and still move the room forward. Exceptional analytical ability—comfortable taking complex, ambiguous challenges and turning them into structured, actionable plans. Demonstrated project management chops: managing multiple high-stakes workstreams simultaneously, under tight deadlines, without dropping balls. Outstanding written and verbal communication skills—able to produce crisp executive-ready materials and represent the GM’s voice with fidelity. Optional garnishes (Preferred Qualificat