Senior Policy Communications Manager

Overview

About the Role - Instacart’s Communications team is seeking a Senior Policy Communications Manager to oversee public relations and strategic communications that advance the company’s policy and government affairs goals and support the company’s long-term growth. This dynamic role will focus on policy communications across the West and Midwestern United States as well as international markets, including Canada and Europe.

This team member will help develop and execute a local, regional and international playbook that elevates Instacart’s story in the press and with influential policy audiences, educates key stakeholders about important policy issues, and supports key business initiatives. Reporting to the Director, Policy Communications and working in close partnership with the company’s Policy & Government Affairs team and other cross-functional partners, this team member will lead communications on international, state, and local policy issues and reputation-building campaigns in the West and Midwestern United States as well across global policy markets.

About the Team -Instacart is the leading online grocery technology company in North America, and our mission is to create a world where everyone has access to the food they love and more time to enjoy it together. We have built a Communications team to match the company’s trajectory and ambitious growth plans. Our communications team’s north star: Bring Instacart’s mission to life through world-class storytelling that earns trust, elevates perception, drives our business, and inspires belief in our vision. The Policy Communications team plays a crucial role in that work and that vision. We’re looking for an exceptionally talented team member to help support our communications and policy goals and our company’s long-term growth.

About the Job

The Senior Policy Communications Manager will operate as a member of the Communications team that works hand-in-hand in strategic partnership with Instacart’s Policy & Government Affairs team (which oversees our government relations, public affairs, public policy research and development, and social impact work at the global, federal, state, local level), Instacart’s legal team, and other key partners and stakeholders.

Responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

Develop and deliver strategic communications that advance the company’s policy priorities, including reactive and proactive communications, education, and outreach with press and other key stakeholders

Proactively build relationships with local reporters in key policy markets and drive media coverage in those regions — some travel required

Develop effective messaging and rapid response communications for regional, international, and local policy issues for internal and external audiences

Drive key Instacart narratives through earned stories in top outlets across multiple markets

Work closely with industry coalitions and associations to shape and coordinate campaigns and strategic initiatives

Advance Instacart’s policy agenda and policy brand through strategic thought leadership work, owned media, events, public speaking opportunities, and more

Provide internal communications support on key policy issues and developments

Collaborate with communications colleagues across disciplines on strategic initiatives and announcements that support multiple objectives

Provide strategic counsel, guidance and partnership to policy and legal team partners

About You

Minimum Qualifications

As Senior Manager, Policy Communications, you will have significant experience managing press relations, external agencies, coalition partners, and internal constituencies. Additionally, the ideal candidate will be/have:

8-10 years of relevant experience in communications, policy communications, public affairs, government affairs, political campaigns, and/or crisis communications

Substantial experience with strategic storytelling through the press, building new relationships with journalists, cultivating new markets and beats, and being thoughtful, proactive and effective when it comes to press outreach and engagement

Substantial policy or political campaign communications experience

Experience pitching and placing local media stories, including local print, digital, and broadcast

Experience communicating about and developing messaging around complex and emerging policy issues for various audiences and stakeholders; familiarity with technology, labor, food and/or health policy issues is a plus

Elite writing and editing skills

Experience developing and executing successful press conferences, conference panels and other public events

Solutions-oriented to help develop creative answers to complex problems

Poised under pressure and tight deadlines — including but not limited to crisis scenarios

Collaboration-minded and team-oriented

Outcome-focused and motivated by delivering measurable results

Proven ability to influence and build consensus with internal and external stakeholders

Loves communications and storytelling

Preferred Qualifications
The ideal candidate will also have:


Experience working on policy issues at the local and state level

Experience working on policy issues at a global level, including Canada and/or Europe

Experience working with coalitions, peer companies, and industry associations
Experience working on technology, labor, and/or food/health related issues