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Taylor Oliva

Leading Strategic Planning and Development for Instacart's Design & Research Org

Taylor Oliva is a senior leader at Instacart, currently serving as the Senior Staff Planning & Development Lead for the Design & Research organization.1 With a career focused on strategic planning and operational excellence, Taylor has established herself as a key figure in design operations and organizational development.

Career at Instacart

Taylor has been with Instacart since 2020, progressing through several roles:

  1. Senior Design Program Manager (May 2020 - September 2020)
  2. Head of Design and Research Operations (September 2020 - August 2022)
  3. Design & Research Org Planning and Development Lead (August 2022 - Present)
  4. Senior Staff Planning & Development Lead, Design & Research (April 2023 - Present)1

In her current role, Taylor partners with the Design and Research leadership team to identify and operationalize high-priority programs across people, processes, and products. Her focus is on optimizing quality and enabling great work within the organization.12

Expertise and Contributions

Taylor is known for:

  • Leading strategic planning and development for Instacart's Design & Research Org
  • Helping teams become more effective and efficient
  • Expertise in design operations, program management, and organizational strategy1

She also contributes to the broader design operations community as:

  • A Learning Lab Professor at DesignOps Assembly, teaching and supporting new Design Operations practitioners
  • A moderator for DesignOps Assembly1

Background and Career Path

Taylor's path to design operations was nontraditional. She started in recruiting operations and later transitioned to in-house roles. Her career has consistently focused on improving team efficiency and building strong communities.3

Before joining Instacart, Taylor held positions at:

  • Thumbtack as a Design Program Manager
  • Grassbridge LLC as Head of Recruiting Operations and Coordination1

Taylor's experience and expertise have made her a respected voice in the design operations field, often sharing insights on establishing and scaling DesignOps at startups and improving cross-functional collaboration.2

Highlights

Apr 26 · youtube.com
Taylor Oliva (Design & Devt. Lead, Instacart) - DesignOps - YouTube
Taylor Oliva (Design & Devt. Lead, Instacart) - DesignOps - YouTube
Feb 5 · designerfund.com
Setting Up & Scaling DesignOps: Q&A with Taylor Oliva
Setting Up & Scaling DesignOps: Q&A with Taylor Oliva
Jan 6 · youtube.com
Todd Zaki Warfel (Executive Coach, Zaki Warfel & Co) - YouTube
Todd Zaki Warfel (Executive Coach, Zaki Warfel & Co) - YouTube
Jun 7 · opsy.work
Opsy Guide to Design Operations

Related Questions

What are some key strategies Taylor Oliva has implemented at Instacart?
How has Taylor Oliva's role evolved over time at Instacart?
What challenges has Taylor Oliva faced in her career, and how did she overcome them?
What advice does Taylor Oliva give for scaling DesignOps at startups?
How does Taylor Oliva foster cross-functional collaboration in her teams?
Taylor Oliva
Taylor Oliva, photo 1
Taylor Oliva, photo 2
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Location

San Francisco, California, United States