Director, AI Solutions Strategy & Planning

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 is building a new, distinctive pillar of the Instacart Platform — an emerging portfolio of AI-driven retailer solutions — and the go-to-market infrastructure to scale it is being built right now. The opportunity is real, but translating it into scalable commercialization frameworks, pricing strategies, and GTM plans requires specialized expertise and a dedicated strategy and planning leader. We're hiring a Director of AI Solutions Strategy & Planning to lead that work end-to-end. This role sits at the intersection of enterprise strategy and frontier AI, working cross-functionally with Product, Sales, Marketing, Legal, and Customer Success to shape how Instacart becomes the preferred technology partner for grocery retailers. What you'll cook up in your first year • A comprehensive GTM strategy for Instacart's AI-driven solutions is defined and in motion — spanning consumer experiences, ecommerce analytics, and enhanced retailer workflows — with clear positioning, pricing frameworks, and retailer onboarding playbooks in place. • Cross-functional alignment across Product, Sales, Marketing, Finance, and Legal is established, with governance forums running smoothly and transparent decision-making processes embedded across GTM and product teams. • Pilot programs and experimentation frameworks are launched and producing real impact — validating AI-powered products with real retailer feedback and iterating based on measurable performance metrics. • Sales teams are enabled and equipped with AI-specific strategies, enablement materials, and training programs that accelerate adoption and pipeline velocity. • Market intelligence and competitive analysis are regularly informing product and commercialization decisions, keeping Instacart's AI solutions competitive, scalable, and aligned with evolving retailer needs. The secret ingredients we're looking for Must-have pantry staples (Minimum Qualifications) • 8+ years of experience in strategy, product commercialization, or GTM planning, with a proven track record of defining and executing strategies for emerging offerings and driving measurable market impact. • Experience developing GTM strategies for AI-powered products, retailer solutions, or enterprise technology platforms. • Deep understanding of AI technologies, with the ability to translate technical concepts into business value for diverse audiences. • Expertise in product positioning, pricing frameworks, and solution packaging. • Strong analytical capabilities, including experience with modeling, forecasting, and evaluating solution performance. • Exceptional cross-functional leadership skills with a track record of influencing stakeholders across Product, Sales, Marketing, Legal, and Finance. • Excellent written and verbal communication skills for simplifying complex concepts and presenting to internal and external audiences. • Strong quantitative skills to help inform opportunity sizing, impact assessment, pricing strategy, and financial outlook in partnership with cross-functional peers. • Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in ambiguous and rapidly changing environments, with a focus on iterative learning and innovation. Optional garnishes (Preferred Qualifications) • Familiarity with conversational AI, ecommerce analytics, or retail technology applications. • Advanced knowledge of AI product monetization models, including subscription, usage-based, and value-based models. • MBA or advanced degree in business, technology, or a related field. #LI-Remote Instacart 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 $248,000—$261,500 USD WA $238,000—$251,000 USD OR, DE, ME, MA, MD, NH, RI, VT, DC, PA, VA, CO, TX, IL, HI $227,000—$239,500 USD All other states $206,000—$217,500 USD