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Overview

Instacart Ads is building the operating system for retail media, helping our retailer partners unlock incremental value through innovative advertising solutions. We’re growing a net-new Retailer Ad Sales function within our Midmarket Ad Sales team and are looking for a results-driven Ad Sales Executive to expand advertising partnerships across our existing retailer network.

This role is a high-impact individual contributor opportunity where you’ll collaborate closely with Business Development, Product, Marketing, Legal, Yield, Policy, and Off-Platform teams to bring new retailer-dedicated ad units to market and drive meaningful, measurable revenue. In Q4 alone, this new function generated over $2.5M, and we’re targeting 100% year-over-year growth. You’ll join a nimble group within a Midmarket Sales organization of approximately 45 teammates; your immediate team is growing from 8 to 11, and you will be 1 of 2 dedicated retailer ad sellers shaping how Instacart partners with retailers at scale.

If you thrive in a fast-paced environment, enjoy rolling up your sleeves to build from 0 to 1, and want to help retailers achieve their goals with Instacart’s audience and ad products, this role offers the ownership and cross-functional collaboration to make a visible impact.

About the Role

• Own the full sales cycle for retailer advertising partnerships within Instacart’s existing retailer network, from prospecting and pipeline development through scoping, contracting, launch, optimization, renewal, and expansion.
• Identify, position, and sell retailer-dedicated ad units and cross-channel solutions (on-site and off-site), partnering with Product, Marketing, and Yield to craft packages that map to retailer objectives and deliver measurable ROI.
• Work hand-in-hand with the Business Development retailer team to align account strategies, convert platform relationships into advertising revenue, and create cohesive joint plans for growth.
• Translate performance data into clear narratives, proposals, and QBRs; set targets, monitor KPIs, and drive optimizations that lead to renewal and upsell.
• Build repeatable playbooks, pricing guardrails, and best practices that support scale across Midmarket Ads and enable future teammates to execute with quality and speed.
• Navigate cross-functional processes with Legal, Policy, Finance, and Off-Platform to structure terms, ensure compliance, and accelerate deal velocity in a dynamic, rapidly evolving environment.

About You

Minimum Qualifications

• 5–7+ years of experience in digital advertising sales, account management, or business development, with a focus on retail, grocery, or the broader retail ecosystem.
• Hands-on experience with retail media networks, including on-site media, off-site activation, audience targeting, and performance measurement.
• Proven track record owning end-to-end sales cycles and growing high-value advertising partnerships with individual contract values between $100k and $2M.
• Experience presenting complex advertising solutions to senior stakeholders and negotiating commercial terms through close.
• Analytical and data-driven approach; proficiency using performance data to inform optimization and renewal strategies.
• Demonstrated cross-functional collaboration with teams such as Business Development, Product, and Marketing to package and deliver solutions.
• Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, communications, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Existing relationships or ad sales experience with regional and national retailers (e.g., grocers, mass merchandisers, specialty retailers).
• Expertise in audience segmentation and the ability to tailor solutions to retailer goals and target customers.
• Experience launching new ad formats or implementing innovative advertising solutions in a retail environment.
• Familiarity with retail attribution models and campaign metrics (e.g., ROAS, incrementality, basket size, repeat rate), and comfort interpreting campaign reporting.
• Experience using CRM tools (e.g., Salesforce) for pipeline management and forecasting.
• Willingness to travel as needed (up to 10%–25%) for client meetings and cross-functional collaboration.