Guide to Remote Account Management Jobs

The Virtual Vocations Guide to Remote Account Management Jobs is a remote jobseeker resource and action plan for finding and applying to remote account management jobs—one of the top five job categories among all telecommuting occupations.

For your convenience and ease of sharing, we have made available the contents of this Guide to Remote Account Management Jobs in a PDF resource and download accessible via desktop and mobile.

Click the report cover images to the left or follow this link to view and download the Guide to Remote Account Management Jobs PDF.

As part of our continued effort to provide high-quality resources and tools for remote jobseekers, we have also created guides for more top remote career fields including information technology (IT) and sales. Click the links below to access those remote work industry guides and PDF downloads as well.

Remote account managers, also known as strategic account managers (SAMs), build productive bridges between an organization and its customers. Usually assigned one or more specific clients to work with, the role of a remote account manager is to develop positive, long-term relationships with appropriate client representatives.

Part sales, part business development, and part project manager, the goal of a remote account manager is to identify the customer’s unique needs, develop solutions, and promote proposals to secure additional sales on behalf of the organization. Job goals also include successfully closing deals and providing ongoing project monitoring to ensure contract fulfillment and client satisfaction.

Performance is evaluated based on how many clients are retained compared to how many are lost, also known as churn. In addition, account managers are expected to increase organizational revenue by selling more products and services to current clients, developing new revenue streams, cultivating new clients, and increasing profit margins.

Account Management Industry Overview

Account managers can be found across a wide variety of industries. The largest employer of account managers, in general, is professional services providers and consulting firms including tech companies, employment agencies, advertising and public relations firms, medical and pharmaceutical, and financial services providers. While not currently recognized as a separate profession, account managers are represented by the Strategic Account Management Association (SAMA), a global non-profit that is working to gain professional recognition.

Most experts agree that the role of an account manager will only become more critical in the future due to a variety of economic and technological trends. Four of these megatrends are identified by SAMA as:

Diversification of information channels. Gone are the days when clients received information only through the one official source. Accounts managers are uniquely positioned to maintain the client’s trust while also meeting increased expectations by capitalizing on new data gathering techniques.
Emerging economies. Account managers are being called upon to develop relationships with business clients around the world and sometimes under challenging circumstances due to legal or political barriers. A good example here is China where new markets are expected to host 60% of the world’s consumers.
Demographic shifts. Millennials are expected to make up 50% of the North American workforce next year. This shift is moving the focus of communication to digital channels as opposed to telephone or in-person meetings. In fact, one study suggested that the amount of face time currently provided by account managers is about twice as much as the clients want.
Consumerization of B2B clients. Business clients are increasingly expecting a consumer sales experience. This means that account managers have to go the extra mile to customize and personalize their experience to meet their expectations.

Projected Account Management Industry Job Growth

Opportunities for remote account manager jobs are tied to the growth prospects of the industry they work in. The top industries for sales positions in 2018 included:

Technology & Software. Growth in this industry is expected to be 12% over the next 10 years, much faster than the average for all occupations. Particularly fast-growing segments include cybersecurity, big data and predictive analytics, and software as a service (SaaS).
Healthcare. Over the next 10 years, employment in healthcare occupations is forecast to grow 14%, again much faster than the average of other vocations. Top growth segments in this industry include pharmaceuticals and medical devices.
Financial Services. While overall, sales positions in this industry are declining, there is phenomenal growth in the emerging area financial technology or fintech. This refers to mobile banking, online trading, fraud prevention, machine learning, blockchain technology.
Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG). Growth in this industry remains strong overall despite some deflationary pressures. Top segments here include e-commerce and emerging markets.

Expected Education for Account Management Industry Professionals

A bachelor’s degree in business or marketing is usually required to be successful as an account manager. Specific industry training may also help give entry-level applicants an advantage over their competition. For example, to be an account manager for an advertising or marketing agency, a bachelor’s degree focused on those areas will be most helpful. Similarly, coursework or degrees in information technology, healthcare management, and finance may be useful for gaining specialized employment as a remote account manager.

In addition, internships and industry certifications can also help boost credibility and advancement opportunities. Certifications can usually be found by researching the professional associations in an industry. In the account management profession, a variety of training and professional development opportunities are offered by SAMA including a Strategic Account Manager Certification (CSAM).

Remote Account Management Job Options

Most remote account managers work for companies that deliver products and/or services to other companies. This is not usually a contracted or freelance role due to the sensitive nature of working closely with a company’s key customers. Work is completed primarily in an office setting, but remote account managers may also be required to visit clients for field visits, to deliver training, and to attend meetings or give presentations.

Visit the Virtual Vocations job board to search for remote account management jobs that suit your skills and professional experience. To jumpstart your remote job search, explore current remote job openings in the following popular categories of telecommuting account management jobs.

Search Remote Account Management Job Openings Now

Remote Account Management Wages Data

As of May 2020, the median annual salary for account managers is $54,275, according to PayScale. Depending on the terms of their employment contract and employer, an account manager is also typically eligible for bonuses, profit sharing, and commissions; the annual commissions average for account managers is $11,788.

Top paying U.S. cities for account manager positions are:

San Francisco, California (31% higher than average)
New York, New York (17% higher than average)
Los Angeles, California (14% higher than average)
Seattle, Washington (10% higher than average)

The lowest salaries can be found in Atlanta, Georgia (0.5% less). Regardless of locations, higher wages are correlated with years of experience and skills in account management, client interaction and account sales. In addition, wages are determined by the industry with top wages found in the software and technology sector.

Median Annual Wages for Remote Account Management Jobs

This list graph of annual wages and salary ranges for remote account management jobs will give jobseekers midpoint wage expectations for a variety of widely available telecommuting account management careers as well as appropriate ranges within which they can negotiate salaries with a new employer. The figures below are based on account management salaries reported to the PayScale Data & Career Research Center.

Common Salary Ranges for Remote Account Management Jobs

When researching and applying to remote jobs, knowing common salary ranges for sales occupations will help remote jobseekers determine the lowest pay they should accept for a remote job in their field, regardless of their location. All of the account management salary ranges listed below were researched in the PayScale Salary Data & Career Research Center. The median salaries and averages shown reflect wages data from May 2020.

Analytics Manager

Median Annual Wage: $95,479
Salary Range: $67,000 – $127,000

Client Services Director

Median Annual Wage: $88,472
Salary Range: $50,000 – $143,000

Senior Account Manager

Median Annual Wage: $73,248
Salary Range: $50,000 – $111,000

Customer Success Manager

Median Annual Wage: $67,863
Salary Range: $47,000 – $107,000

Sales Specialist

Median Annual Wage: $61,491
Salary Range: $35,000 – $118,000

Sales Manager

Median Annual Wage: $61,106
Salary Range: $40,000 – $119,000

Territory Manager

Median Annual Wage: $60,734
Salary Range: $40,000 – $88,000

Account Executive

Median Annual Wage: $53,892
Salary Range: $37,000 – $90,000

Outside Sales Representative

Median Annual Wage: $49,764
Salary Range: $31,000 – $80,000

Account Representative

Median Annual Wage: $45,728
Salary Range: $31,000 – $69,000

Remote Account Management Jobs Jobseeker Action Plan

Virtual Vocations provides jobseekers with the tools, information, and resources to conduct a safe, efficient, and high-quality remote job search. We also recognize that finding and landing the right remote job takes time.

The following five-part action plan outlined here in our Guide to Remote Account Management Jobs will provide remote account management jobseekers with actionable steps they can take now to progress their remote job searches.

Identify Core Skills for Your Remote Account Management Career

Universal Skills for Remote Work

When applying to remote account management jobs, ensure your employment documents, like your resume and cover letter, focus on highlighting universal remote work skills every employer seeks in a job applicant.

Self-discipline
Re-engineering
Collaboration
Research
Organization
Positivity
Computers
Flexibility
Critical Thinking
Writing

Comprehensive Skills for Remote Account Management Jobs

In addition to universally required skills for remote work, account management professionals should possess comprehensive skills relevant to the industry. Remote account management jobseekers should showcase these top five skills when applying to telecommuting jobs in account management:

Knowledge and insight regarding their company’s products or services, industry trends, and corporate goals.
Customer and relationship-oriented approach for building positive and trusting relationships.
Strong communication skills in both in-person and virtual situations including both one-on-one and group interactions via video call, email, or telephone.
Results-oriented mindset to keep the company’s goals and the client’s needs in focus at all times.
Good business judgment to accurately identify and pursue growth opportunities.

Include Core Skills in Your Resume and Cover Letter

A well-written, keyword-optimized resume and cover letter will help set you apart from the competition. When crafting these employment documents, it is essential to include core skills. Here are some examples of how to showcase your core account management skills in a resume and cover letter.

Examples of Core Skills Showcased in a Resume

Examples of Core Skills Showcased in a Cover Letter

Explore Remote-Enabled Companies Continuously Hiring in Account Management

Virtual Vocations researched remote-enabled companies known for hiring telecommuting account managers and compiled them into a helpful list for remote jobseekers. For each employer, we have provided examples of remote jobs those employers have been known to fill, as well as a link to the employer’s Virtual Vocations company profile. Any available remote job openings with these employers are linked within their company profiles. The company profiles also contain a researched company summary and quick-access links to the employer’s website and social media pages.

McDermottWolfe (Insurance Search Specialists)

Examples of remote jobs with McDermottWolfe that have been found in the Virtual Vocations database include Remote Personal Lines Insurance Account Manager, Remote Commercial Real Estate Account Manager, Telecommute Commercial Insurance Account Manager, and Remote Senior Insurance Brokerage Client Manager.

View McDermottWolfe’s Company Profile at Virtual Vocations

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

Examples of remote jobs with Thermo Fisher Scientific that have been found in the Virtual Vocations database include Remote Healthcare Safety Products Account Specialist, Remote Safety Account Specialist, Telecommute BioProduction Inside Sales Account Manager, and Telecommute Biosciences Account Manager.

View Thermo Fisher Scientific’s Company Profile at Virtual Vocations

Salesforce

Examples of remote jobs with Salesforce that have been found in the Virtual Vocations database include Remote Technical Account Manager, Remote Public Sector Marketing Cloud Account Executive, Remote Healthcare and Life Sciences Software Strategic Account Manager, and Remote Federal Civilian Commerce Cloud Account Executive.

View Salesforce’s Company Profile at Virtual Vocations

Amazon.com, Inc.

Examples of remote jobs with Amazon that have been found in the Virtual Vocations database include Remote Cloud Technical Account Manager, Remote Regional Marketing Manager, Telecommute Education Account Manager, Remote Senior Customer Solutions Manager, and Telecommute Cloud Technical Account Manager.

View Amazon’s Company Profile at Virtual Vocations

Cloudera, Inc.

Examples of remote jobs with Cloudera that have been found in the Virtual Vocations database include Telecommute Enterprise Cloud Solutions Named Account Manager, Remote Software Federal Account Manager, Remote Sales Account Manager, and Telecommute Software Federal Account Manager.

View Cloudera’s Company Profile at Virtual Vocations

Use Virtual Vocations Jobseeker Resources

Virtual Vocations is here to help jobseekers who want to work from home in account management roles. Remote account management jobseekers can utilize the following Virtual Vocations jobseeker resources to maximize their hireability and improve their job search prospects.

Career Services

The Virtual Vocations Career Services department provides the following expert services for mid-level and C-level remote jobseekers:

E-Courses for Remote Jobseekers

Take our Getting Started With Telecommuting e-Course
Take our Create a Winning Resume Virtual Vocations e-Course
Take our Mid-Level and Professional Jobseekers e-Course

Telecommute Companies Database

The Virtual Vocations Telecommute Companies Database is filled with more than 20,000 researched company profiles of businesses and organizations known for hiring remote workers. In addition to the 10 remote-enabled employers featured in this Guide to Remote Account Management Jobs, remote jobseekers can find current openings from all account management employers by clicking the button below.

Remote Jobseeker Blog Content

Account management jobseekers should not miss the following relevant blog posts about successfully preparing for your job search:

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Guide to Remote Account Management Jobs — Jobseeker Resource and Download