Public Engagement Manager

OpenKrill; United States; Remote; USD 128,000 - 162,000; Full time

Job summary

Instacart is seeking a seasoned policy advocate to expand our grassroots footprint across the Midwest, mid-Atlantic and South, connecting with shoppers, customers and communities who care about app-based work, food access and policy impact. You will build networks of advocates in new markets and run a sophisticated digital engagement program.

The role blends in-person relationship building with proactive political organizing, supported by collaboration with Federal Affairs and a flexible, remote

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in...grassroots organizing, community engagement, digital strategy, political campaigns, or public affairs
• Demonstrated ability to recruit, train, develop, and deploy advocate networks at scale — aligning stakeholders' interests with organizational priorities
• Subject matter expert on grassroots mobilization strategies, with ability to provide briefings to leadership
• Strong digital organizing skills — comfortable with CRM systems, advocacy platforms, email and SMS programs, and organic social engagement
• Metrics-driven mindset with experience tracking digital campaign performance
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling narratives for diverse audiences
• Proactive self-starter who monitors political developments and leads with results
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment
• Willingness to travel regularly across the Midwest, mid-Atlantic, and the South

Responsibilities

• Establish a structured cohort of Instacart shopper and customer advocates across priority markets with regular in-person and virtual touchpoints.
• Fully utilize digital organizing levers (email, SMS, organic social) to drive grassroots engagement with measurable benchmarks.
• Monitor political and policy developments and surface strategic grassroots opportunities to leadership.
• Collaborate with the Federal Affairs team to integrate shopper, customer, and community voices into federal advocacy.
• Demonstrate rapid response capacity by mobilizing advocates across multiple geographies when policy windows open.

Skills

Grassroots organizing

Community engagement

Digital strategy

Public affairs

Communication

Travel readiness

Tools

CRM systems

Advocacy platforms

Email programs

SMS programs

Organic social

Job description

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

As the policy landscape evolves, so does the need for Instacart to deepen its grassroots presence across key regions of the country. This role is focused on expanding our public engagement footprint in the Midwest, mid-Atlantic, and the South — connecting with shoppers, customers, and community members who care about issues like protecting the independence and flexibility of app-based workers, preserving access to online savings for customers, and improving access to food security programs. Imagine yourself building a network of Instacart advocates in new markets, leveraging digital tools to drive engagement and shape public opinion, surfacing proactive organizing opportunities before they become reactive scrambles, and showing up with speed and precision when policy windows open. This is a role for someone equally comfortable building relationships in person as they are running a sophisticated digital engagement program — and who thrives at the intersection of community organizing and public policy.

What you'll cook up in your first year

• A structured cohort of Instacart shopper and customer advocates is established across priority Midwest, mid-Atlantic and Southern markets, with a consistent cadence of in-person and virtual touchpoints that build community, deepen relationships, and keep advocates informed and ready to act.
• Digital organizing levers — email, SMS, organic social, and other channels — are fully utilized to drive grassroots engagement, with clear benchmarks in place to measure performance and campaign learnings applied continuously to improve outcomes.
• Political and policy developments are monitored proactively, with strategic grassroots opportunities identified and surfaced to leadership before moments become reactive — not just executing on direction, but helping set it.
• Close collaboration with the Federal Affairs team results in targeted grassroots engagement with federal stakeholders, with shopper, customer, and community voices woven into federal advocacy efforts.
• Rapid response capacity is demonstrated through time-sensitive policy campaigns, with Instacart advocates mobilized quickly and effectively across multiple geographies.

Must-have pantry staples (Minimum Qualifications)

• 5+ years of experience in grassroots organizing, community engagement, digital strategy, political campaigns, or public affairs
• Demonstrated ability to recruit, train, develop, and deploy advocate networks at scale — aligning stakeholders' interests with organizational priorities and designing opportunities that deepen long-term engagement
• Subject matter expert on grassroots mobilization strategies, with the ability to provide briefings and recommendations to leadership
• Strong digital organizing skills — comfortable with CRM systems, advocacy platforms, email and SMS programs, and organic social engagement
• Metrics-driven mindset with experience tracking digital campaign performance and applying learnings for continuous improvement
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling narratives for diverse audiences
• Proactive self-starter who monitors political developments, identifies organizing opportunities, and leads with results
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment
• Willingness to travel regularly across the Midwest, the mid-Atlantic, and the South

Optional garnishes (Preferred Qualifications)

• Experience with Quorum or similar CRM and advocacy platforms
• Background in gig economy, labor, food access or tech policy issues
• Experience supporting elected official or government affairs team engagement
• Familiarity with Slack, Google Workspace and AI tools

#LI-RemoteInstacart provides highly market-competitive compensation and benefits in each location where our employees work. This role is remote and the base pay range for a successful candidate is dependent on their permanent work location. Please review our Flex First remote work policy here.

Offers may vary based on many factors, such as candidate experience and skills required for the role. Additionally, this role is eligible for a new hire equity grant as well as annual refresh grants. Please read more about our benefits offerings here.

For US based candidates, the base pay ranges for a successful candidate are listed below.

CA, NY, CT, NJ$153,000-$161,500 USD

WA$147,000-$155,000 USD

OR, DE, ME, MA, MD, NH, RI, VT, DC, PA, VA, CO, TX, IL, HI$140,000-$148,000 USD

All other states$128,000-$135,000 USD