Associate, Growth Merchant Lead

Associate, Growth Merchant Lead

A leading company in the online delivery and local commerce industry is seeking a Freelance Associate, Growth Merchant Lead to support emerging markets within its sales development organization. This field-based sales role focuses on building relationships with local and regional restaurant partners in underserved markets. It is well suited for a motivated sales professional who enjoys face-to-face selling, thrives in a fast-moving environment, and is energized by expanding business across new territories.

This assignment is expected to run for approximately 11 to 12 months. The role is based in Tyler, Texas or Shreveport, Louisiana, and candidates must live within a reasonable commute of one of those locations. Frequent regional travel is required, including occasional overnight travel, to support market development efforts.

In this position, you will identify, prospect, and close new restaurant partnerships in emerging and primarily rural markets. You will collaborate closely with sales leadership, use market insights and sales tools to guide outreach, and manage a high-volume transactional sales cycle. Success in this role requires confidence in prospecting, presenting value, negotiating partnership terms, and closing deals efficiently.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop new business opportunities with local and regional restaurants in assigned emerging markets

• Conduct in-person sales meetings and presentations to communicate partnership value

• Manage a high-activity sales cycle and close new partnerships within short timelines

• Negotiate commercial terms and support merchant onboarding activities

• Partner with regional sales leadership to align on territory strategy and execution

• Travel throughout the assigned territory to expand market coverage and strengthen local relationships

Qualifications

• 2+ years of sales experience in a closing role or a related client-facing environment

• Experience with small and mid-sized business sales is strongly preferred

• Background in restaurant, hospitality, food and beverage, or local business partnerships is a plus

• Ability to balance inside and outside sales activities effectively

• Comfort with frequent travel and field-based prospecting

• Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to help build and scale market presence

• Strong communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills

Why Join This Opportunity

This is an excellent opportunity for a sales professional who enjoys autonomy, direct customer engagement, and the challenge of building territory presence from the ground up. You will play a visible role in helping local businesses grow through strategic partnerships while contributing to broader expansion efforts in emerging markets.