Strategic Merchant Lead

About the position We are looking for a Strategic Merchant Lead (SML) to drive new business acquisition and deepen DoorDash’s restaurant selection across key markets. These merchants have the most influence on customer growth, selection strength, and conversion – making this one of the most impactful roles in shaping the health and competitiveness of our marketplace. This role manages an end-to-end, outbound sales cycle, leveraging both field-based and virtual selling to drive high-impact results. You will prospect, pitch, negotiate, and close new restaurant partnerships while collaborating cross-functionally to structure competitive, creative economic terms and solve complex merchant needs. SMLs play a pivotal role in shaping the dining landscape of their territories, bringing some of the most desirable restaurants—from beloved neighborhood staples to top-tier culinary brands—onto the DoorDash platform. This is a field sales role with travel within the region. You will ~40% of your time in-field meeting with merchants (typically 2-3 days per week) with additional flexibility to work remotely or from a DoorDash office. In addition, this role will require the ability to travel as needed for in-person collaboration through trainings, offsites, team-building events, and other business related necessity. Responsibilities • Own a full outbound sales cycle from prospecting to close for SMB and Local Hero/Premium restaurants. • Drive 150–200+ weekly outreach activities (calls, emails, in-person visits) and maintain a highly organized 3-4 week sales cycle. • Close ~16–17 deals per month while spending ~40% of your time in the field meeting restaurant owners. • Pitch the full DoorDash suite (Marketplace, DashPass, Storefront) and communicate ROI effectively. • Structure creative, nuanced revenue-share agreements and negotiate competitive economic terms. • Partner closely with Strategic Finance, Deal Desk, and Operations to bring complex deals across the finish line. • Navigate internal tools efficiently, including Salesforce, Outreach, Chorus, and Google Suite. • Share territory learnings, competitive trends, and best practices to strengthen team execution and performance. • Join a culture that prioritizes learning, ownership, and career development, with direct access to the support and resources you need to grow to the next level. Requirements • 3+ years of closing experience in outbound, quota-carrying sales roles. • Proven ability to consistently exceed goals in a fast-paced environment. • Experience managing organized, repeatable sales processes and short transactional cycles. • Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to build rapport quickly. • Technical proficiency with CRM and sales tools (Salesforce, Outreach, Chorus, Google Apps). • Ability to adapt quickly, manage ambiguity, and maintain strong organization across multiple deal components (rates, bonuses, marketing funds, internal approvals, etc.). • Demonstrated emotional intelligence, resilience, and a relentless work ethic. • Ability to creatively engage prospects, create urgency, and overcome objections. • Strong business judgment and ability to collaborate cross-functionally (90%+ of deals require XFN partnership). Apply tot his job Apply To this Job