Growth Merchant Lead

Russell Tobin; Midland (MI); Hybrid; USD 33,000 - 40,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid/Field-Based role

Travel expenses covered

Job summary

Russell Tobin is seeking a Growth Merchant Lead in Midland, MI, a hybrid/field-based role focused on new business development with restaurants and food/beverage partners. The candidate will travel within the territory, conduct in-person meetings, and close deals quickly while building a scalable market presence.

The role requires at least 2 years in sales, preferably in SMB or restaurant sectors, with strong prospecting, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 2 years of successful sales experience, preferably in closing or business development.
• Experience selling to SMBs and restaurants/food/beverage sectors is highly preferred.
• Outside/field sales or face-to-face selling experience is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Drive new business acquisition across assigned emerging-market territories.
• Identify and establish relationships with local and regional restaurant and food/beverage businesses.
• Conduct face-to-face sales meetings with restaurant owners and decision-makers.
• Present value propositions and negotiate commercial partnerships.
• Manage a largely transactional sales cycle and close new business within a short timeframe.
• Travel throughout the territory to develop new business and expand market presence.
• Collaborate with regional leadership on territory planning and market development.
• Track sales activity, pipeline progress, and new partnership opportunities.

Skills

Consultative selling

Negotiation

Prospecting

Relationship building

Territory management

Time management

Communication

Self-motivation

Independent work

Education

Bachelor's degree preferred

Job description

Our client, a leading technology and commerce organization, is seeking an experienced Growth Merchant Lead to drive new business development across emerging markets.

Location:

Midland, MI (Hybrid/Field-Based - Candidate must be within 40 minutes of Midland, MI)

Duration:

~12 months

Pay Range:

$24-29/hr. on W2

Start Date:

10/06/2026

End Date:

10/01/2027

Contract Type:

W2 Contract

Job Description:

• Drive new business acquisition across assigned emerging-market territories.
• Identify, prospect, and establish relationships with local and regional restaurant and food/beverage businesses.
• Conduct face-to-face sales meetings with restaurant owners and decision-makers.
• Present the value of partnering with the organization and negotiate new partnership agreements.
• Manage a largely transactional sales cycle and close new business within a short timeframe.
• Travel throughout the assigned territory to develop new business and expand market presence.
• Partner closely with the Regional Sales Manager to execute territory strategies and achieve growth objectives.
• Utilize sales tools, materials, business cards, and other resources to support prospecting and closing activities.
• Develop and execute efficient inside and outside sales strategies to meet or exceed goals.
• Build relationships with small and medium-sized businesses and identify opportunities for scalable growth.
• Contribute to market expansion by developing new partnerships in previously untapped or emerging markets.
• Maintain accurate sales activity and territory information while ensuring compliance with travel and sales processes.

Job Functions:

• Prospect and generate new business within assigned emerging markets.
• Conduct outbound and face-to-face sales activities with prospective restaurant partners.
• Manage the full sales cycle from prospecting through negotiation and close.
• Present partnership value propositions and negotiate commercial agreements.
• Build and maintain relationships with restaurant owners and local business decision-makers.
• Travel throughout the assigned territory, including occasional overnight and extended travel.
• Collaborate with regional sales leadership on territory planning and market development.
• Track sales activity, pipeline progress, and new partnership opportunities.
• Meet or exceed new-business acquisition and sales targets.
• Develop strategies to penetrate rural and underserved markets.
• Adapt sales approaches based on local market conditions and customer needs.
• Support scalable sales strategies and repeatable territory-development practices.

Skills/Abilities:

• Strong consultative selling and business-development skills.
• Excellent prospecting, negotiation, and closing abilities.
• Ability to build rapport and establish credibility with small and medium-sized business owners.
• Strong verbal and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a highly transactional, fast-paced sales environment.
• Strong self-motivation and ability to work independently in a field-based environment.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to identify and pursue new business opportunities.
• Strong territory-management and time-management skills.
• Ability to prioritize prospects and manage multiple opportunities simultaneously.
• Comfortable conducting sales meetings in person and traveling extensively throughout an assigned territory.
• Ability to quickly learn and communicate the value of a technology-enabled business partnership.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.

Experience:

• Minimum of 2 years of successful sales experience, preferably in a closing or business-development role.
• Experience selling to SMB customers strongly preferred.
• Experience selling to restaurants, food/beverage businesses, hospitality businesses, or other local businesses is highly preferred.
• Experience with outside sales, field sales, or face-to-face selling preferred.
• Proven ability to prospect, negotiate, and close new business.
• Experience managing a transactional sales cycle and consistently meeting sales targets.
• Experience developing new markets or territories is a plus.
• Experience working independently while managing a defined geographic territory preferred.

Education:

• Bachelor's degree preferred.
• Relevant professional sales or business-development experience may be considered in lieu of a directly related degree.

Additional Information:

• This is a field-based sales position; candidates must be located within 40 minutes of Midland, MI.
• The role requires significant travel throughout the assigned territory, with most travel expected within approximately 2 hours of Midland.
• Occasional overnight travel and longer travel days may be required, including 6-7 hour driving days or air travel.
• Travel expenses will be covered by the company.
• This position requires a strong focus on new-business acquisition and territory expansion.
• Compensation includes the fixed hourly rate plus commission for new restaurant partnerships.
• Target commission earnings are approximately $1,900 per month, with uncapped commission potential.
• Candidates with successful SMB sales experience, particularly within restaurants or food/beverage, are strongly preferred.

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Russell Tobin offers eligible employee's comprehensive healthcare coverage (medical, dental, and vision plans), supplemental coverage (accident insurance, critical illness insurance and hospital indemnity), a 401(k)-retirement savings, life & disability insurance, an employee assistance program, identity theft protection, legal support, auto and home insurance, pet insurance, and employee discounts with some preferred vendors.

We collect personal information from applicants during the recruiting, pre-offer, and offer process.

During the recruiting, pre-offer process and offer process, we may collect the following categories of personal information:

• Identifiers, such as name, address, and email address.
• Professional and Employment-Related Information, such as resume, work history, education, and qualifications.
• Information Voluntarily Provided by You in connection with the recruiting and pre-offer process.
• Sensitive Personal Information, where legally permitted and necessary, such as Social Security number and date of birth.

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[Hiring Entity Name] is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of the race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, reproductive health decision making, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

[Hiring Entity Name] is a Fair Chance employer. We consider all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with applicable state and local Fair Chance laws and ordinances, including, the California Fair Chance Act and all applicable local Fair Chance ordinances.

Accommodations

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in the application or interview process, or to perform the essential functions of this role, please contact us.

Only applicable for San Francisco Candidates:

Under the San Francisco Lactation in the Workplace Ordinance, we will provide written notice of lactation accommodation rights, and this notice will automatically be given upon hiring, any inquiry of parental leave or lactation accommodation.