Why this role is on the menu

Instacart’s product and technology partnerships — spanning logistics, retail technology, and enterprise products — are a core lever for how we build and grow. But as our ambitions scale into new product areas and international markets, the function needs more than experienced deal-makers. It needs a senior leader who can set the multi-year vision, personally own the most consequential relationships, and shape how Instacart decides what to build versus buy versus partner. Without this person, we risk reactive partnership decisions, misalignment between partnerships and product strategy, and missed first-mover opportunities in markets where speed matters. We’re hiring a Director of Product Partnerships to lead the team and function at the highest level — influencing build-buy-partner tradeoffs with senior leadership, taking first-of-a-kind bets from 0 to 1, and making Instacart one of the most sought-after partners in grocery technology.

What you’ll cook up in your first year.

• Instacart has a clear, credible multi-year partnership strategy across Logistics, Retail Technology, and Enterprise — one that leadership has bought into and that's actively shaping which product bets we pursue versus partner for.
• At least one first-of-a-kind deal — in a new product area or international market — has gone from concept to signed to launched, with a playbook behind it that the team can repeat.
• The partnerships team is operating at a higher level — Senior Managers and Managers have clearer ownership, stronger frameworks for deal evaluation and partner performance, and a leader who’s actively developing them for what comes next.
• Product and Engineering leadership treat this person as a genuine strategic partner — not just a deal-closer — because they’ve visibly influenced roadmap decisions and brought external perspective into how we build.
• Instacart’s most critical external partners — at the C-suite and executive level — have a named senior relationship owner who shows up with authority, earns trust, and surfaces the opportunities that matter most to the business.

The secret ingredients we’re looking for

Must-have pantry staples (Minimum Qualifications)

• 15+ years of experience in business development, product partnerships, or strategic alliances in technology or closely adjacent industries, with end-to-end ownership of complex, multi-stakeholder deals from sourcing through launch.
• Demonstrated experience building and leading high-performing partnerships teams, including managing managers and structuring a function for scale.
• Proven track record of closing complex, non-standard technology or strategic partnership agreements — including first-of-a-kind deals — with C-suite or executive-level counterparts.
• Experience serving as a true strategic partner to Product and Engineering: influencing roadmap and build-buy-partner decisions, not just executing alongside them.
• Strong financial and analytical skills, including business case development to evaluate partnership economics and communicate ROI to senior leadership.
• Comfortable operating without a roadmap — brings clarity and direction to a team even when the path forward isn’t obvious.

Optional garnishes (Preferred Qualifications)

• Experience with software and/or hardware partnerships across retail, grocery, in-store technology, e-commerce, loyalty, POS, or adjacent ecosystems.
• Experience with international product partnerships, particularly in EMEA markets.
• Background in management consulting, investment banking, or corporate development.
• MBA or equivalent advanced degree.

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