Program Manager, Compliance Program

Overview

Instacart is hiring a Program Manager, Compliance Program to execute and manage critical compliance initiatives that keep Instacart's business innovative and compliant. You will own the end-to-end delivery of compliance programs spanning hardware compliance, regulatory obligations, and product compliance projects, working within frameworks and strategies established by senior compliance leadership.

This role sits within the Risk & Compliance team and focuses on Execution Excellence and Program Management: you'll translate regulatory strategy into concrete implementation plans, coordinate cross-functional teams, and ensure compliance requirements are met on time and with quality. This is an individual contributor role where you'll manage complex programs and drive results across Legal, Product, Engineering, Hardware, Operations, and Marketing teams.

About the Job

Execute compliance programs end-to-end

• Manage multi-phase compliance programs from planning through implementation and monitoring, ensuring deliverables are completed on time, within scope, and meeting quality standards.
• Drive day-to-day execution across Legal, Product, Engineering, Hardware, Operations, and Marketing teams, keeping workstreams aligned and moving forward.
• Identify and resolve blockers, manage dependencies, and escalate strategic decisions or novel compliance questions to senior leadership.

Translate regulatory requirements into actionable plans

• Convert complex regulatory requirements into clear, actionable work plans, technical specifications, and implementation roadmaps.
• Partner with Product, Engineering, and Hardware teams to define requirements, acceptance criteria, and testing approaches that satisfy compliance obligations.
• Execute regulatory strategy defined by senior leadership while providing input on practical implementation considerations and process improvements.

Manage hardware compliance programs

• Execute the compliance lifecycle for Instacart's hardware and in-store technologies (e.g., weights and measures, safety, EMC/RF, wireless, environmental, market access, labeling) within established compliance frameworks.
• Coordinate pre-compliance testing, certification activities, and post-launch monitoring with Hardware, Product, and external labs/certification bodies.
• Ensure compliance checkpoints are integrated into hardware development timelines and that documentation packages meet certification requirements.
• Manage relationships with external testing labs and certification bodies, ensuring clear communication of requirements, schedules, and deliverables.

Drive regulatory and product compliance initiatives

• Manage compliance projects beyond hardware, including marketplace obligations, consumer protection requirements, feature-specific compliance needs, and jurisdiction-specific rules.
• Implement compliance frameworks and playbooks designed by senior program leadership, adapting them to specific program needs.
• Build and maintain compliance processes that can scale across products, features, and markets.

Operate with both strategic thinking and tactical execution

• Plan program structures, milestones, and governance while also diving into the details of requirements documents, test plans, policy language, Jira workflows, and compliance dashboards.
• Anticipate risks, dependencies, and constraints; develop mitigation plans and escalate issues appropriately.
• Balance competing priorities and make pragmatic, risk-informed recommendations to stakeholders.

Establish program governance and tracking

• Set up and run program governance mechanisms (working groups, status meetings, RACI matrices) to drive decisions and maintain momentum.
• Create and maintain program documentation: requirement specifications, process maps, decision logs, risk registers, and status reports.
• Define and track program KPIs and health metrics; use data to inform prioritization, identify issues early, and drive continuous improvement.
• Provide regular, clear status updates to stakeholders and leadership on program health, risks, and upcoming milestones.

Enable cross-functional teams

• Provide guidance and training to Product, Engineering, Hardware, Operations, and Go-to-Market teams on compliance requirements and processes.
• Serve as the go-to resource for questions about specific compliance requirements and how to implement them.
• Build strong working relationships across functions to facilitate smooth program execution.

About You

Minimum Qualifications

• 5-7 years of relevant experience in program management within regulatory, compliance, hardware, product/technical, or risk domains.
• Proven track record as an individual contributor successfully delivering complex, cross-functional programs on time and with quality.
• Experience managing hardware compliance programs (e.g., weights and measures, safety, EMC/RF/wireless, environmental, labeling, certifications, market access) and working closely with hardware and technical teams.
• Bachelor's degree in business, engineering, or a related technical field; or equivalent practical experience.
• Strong understanding of how regulatory requirements translate into product, technical, and operational changes, with experience creating implementation plans and requirements documents.
• Demonstrated ability to manage programs at multiple levels:
• Planning: creating roadmaps, defining milestones, and managing timelines
• Execution: writing requirements, coordinating testing, tracking deliverables, and resolving issues
• Reporting: maintaining dashboards, communicating status, and escalating risks
• Excellent program management fundamentals: scoping, planning, risk management, stakeholder coordination, and dependency management.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with ability to communicate effectively with engineers, hardware teams, operators, legal counsel, and external partners.
• Proficiency with program management and tracking tools (e.g., Jira, Asana, Smartsheet) and data/visualization tools (e.g., Mode, Tableau, Excel).
• Self-starter with high ownership, strong follow-through, and ability to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in business, engineering, or a related technical field
• Experience working in both high-growth/startup environments and larger, matrixed organizations.
• Familiarity with quality management systems, audit processes, and risk management frameworks as they relate to hardware and regulatory compliance.
• Experience implementing compliance frameworks or playbooks across multiple products or markets.
• Relevant program management or compliance certification (e.g., PMP, CCEP) is a plus.