Manager, RAS Sales & New Business

Merchants Distributors, LLC•Hickory, NC

About The Position

Responsible for executing the RAS sales and new business function across MDI, driving revenue growth through new customer acquisition and expansion within the existing MDI customer base. This position serves as the commercial lead within a defined customer lifecycle model, owning the sales relationship from initial opportunity through handoff to implementation, and re-engaging customers as new product or service needs arise. The role directly manages the RAS sales team, sets performance expectations, and contributes field-level insight to inform the broader RAS strategy.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in business, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field.
7+ years of progressive experience in retail technology, sales, or sales leadership roles, with a demonstrated track record of driving new business and managing customer relationships.
Experience managing or mentoring a sales team with a player-coach approach, balancing direct selling responsibilities with team leadership.
Strong background in retail grocery operations, POS environments, and large-scale system implementations.
Experience leveraging AI-enabled sales, analytics, or predictive forecasting tools.
Advanced proficiency with CRM platforms, Excel, and sales intelligence tools.

Nice To Haves

Retail store, district, or regional leadership experience with P&L accountability.

Responsibilities

Execute the RAS sales and new business strategy in alignment with MDI growth objectives, contributing market intelligence, customer insights, and field-level perspective to inform long-term planning.
Lead and optimize the sales lifecycle from opportunity identification through customer onboarding handoff, maintaining relationship continuity as the commercial anchor across the full customer journey through implementation and ongoing account growth.
Directly manage, coach, and develop RAS sales team members; set clear performance expectations, provide ongoing feedback, and address capability gaps to build a high-performing sales function.
Coordinate technical aspects of new business conversion in partnership with the Implementation team, including POS integration, scan file conversion, electronic payments transition, and vendor coordination, ensuring clean handoffs and consistent customer onboarding experience.
Establish and maintain sales operating standards, including pipeline hygiene, forecasting accuracy, sales cadence, and KPI discipline to ensure consistent and measurable performance.
Champion the use of CRM platforms and AI-enabled tools to improve pipeline visibility, forecasting reliability, opportunity prioritization, and overall sales effectiveness.
Support adoption of new technologies, tools, and processes within the RAS sales function, serving as a change leader for the team during transitions that impact sales execution and customer onboarding.
Support talent development and readiness within the RAS Sales & New Business function, identifying growth opportunities for team members and contributing to workforce planning efforts.
Collaborate with Implementation, Operations, Finance, and IT teams to ensure seamless customer lifecycle execution and contribute sales perspective to the ongoing evolution of the RAS service and technology roadmap.
Identify and implement continuous improvement opportunities within the sales function, leveraging automation, data insights, and AI-enabled capabilities to reduce friction, improve conversion rates, and accelerate time-to-value for new customers