Principal Supply Chain Manager, Caper Hardware

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.

Overview

 

We’re seeking a Principal Supply Chain Manager to lead global sourcing, supplier strategy, and manufacturing operations for the Caper Cart. A part of Instacart’s Connected Stores initiative, we help retailers around the world create seamless omni-channel shopping experiences by powering intelligent devices like the Caper Cart—an AI-driven smart cart that combines computer vision, IoT, and advanced interfaces to enable a frictionless, grab-and-go shopping journey. We thrive on collaboration, tackling challenges at the intersection of hardware, software, and artificial intelligence. You’ll own the development of a resilient, cost-efficient supply base across Asia and beyond, expanding into regions like the U.S., Mexico, and India.

Working closely with engineering, operations, compliance, and finance, you’ll drive cost reductions, improve quality, and scale our manufacturing footprint. As a key strategic leader, you’ll advise the executive team on logistics, procurement, and operational scalability as we grow.

 

About the Job 

Supply Chain Strategy & Execution

• Develop and execute end-to-end supply chain strategies aligned with company goals, with a strong focus on scalability, cost optimization, and risk mitigation.
• Lead sourcing, procurement, planning, logistics, and fulfillment operations.
• Design and implement a geo-diversification roadmap, evaluating regions such as Asia, the U.S., Mexico, and India based on risk, cost, lead time, and supplier capabilities.
• Identify, evaluate, and secure partnerships with top-tier suppliers and OEMs—especially in Asia—with an eye toward strategic diversification.
  
  

Manufacturing & Supplier Management

• Recommend optimal manufacturing locations by assessing geopolitical risk, tariffs, logistics, and supply base maturity.
• Build and maintain a diversified and resilient manufacturing footprint, including leading due diligence for regional expansion or production shifts.
• Lead supplier negotiations, RFQs, and contract structuring; oversee performance tracking, quality audits, scorecards, and escalation paths.
• Collaborate with engineering to source components that meet both technical and regulatory requirements, and drive BOM cost reductions without compromising compliance or performance.
  
  

Cross-functional Operations Leadership

• Serve as a strategic bridge across hardware engineering, finance, compliance, logistics, and customer experience to ensure alignment on cost, quality, and delivery.
• Drive initiatives to improve inventory turns, reduce COGS, and enhance supplier performance and product quality.
• Proactively monitor supply chain risks including regulatory changes, market pricing volatility, and geopolitical events.
  
  

Team & Communication Enablement

• Translate complex supply chain strategies into clear, actionable plans for both internal and external stakeholders.
• Foster cross-functional alignment and accountability to hit operational milestones.
• Support hiring and development within the supply chain team, contributing to a high-performance and execution-oriented culture

 

About You

Minimum Qualifications

• 10 + years of supply chain, sourcing, or manufacturing operations experience—ideally in consumer hardware, robotics, or IoT
• Deep knowledge of component sourcing and OEM par