Account Manager
Also advertised as: Account Manager, Client Account Manager, Client Relationship Manager, Customer Success Manager, Key Account Manager
Looks after existing client relationships, renewing contracts and spotting growth opportunities.
What the job involves
Account managers are the main point of contact for existing customers once a sale has been made, making sure they stay happy and renew their contracts. You handle queries, run regular review meetings and look for opportunities to sell additional products or services. Unlike new business sales, the focus is on retention as much as growth.
Typical responsibilities
- Manage a portfolio of existing client accounts
- Run regular client review meetings
- Identify upsell and cross-sell opportunities
- Resolve escalated client issues
- Negotiate contract renewals
Common employers
- Agencies of all kinds
- Technology and SaaS companies
- Wholesale and distribution businesses
- Media owners
Pay, hours and working environment
Typical pay
£24,000 – £30,000 a year
With experience
£35,000 – £55,000 a year
Typical hours
37.5 hours
Working environment
Office based or hybrid, with client visits
Remote working
hybrid
Demand for this work
steady
Pay ranges are indicative guidance drawn from advertised UK vacancies and published careers information. They are not an offer, and actual pay varies by employer, location and experience.
Skills and qualifications
Core skills
- Relationship building
- Negotiation
- Commercial awareness
- Organisation
- Problem solving
Transferable skills you may already have
- Customer service experience
- Retail or hospitality relationship skills
- Organising competing priorities
Requirements employers ask for
- Relationship building
- Negotiation
- Commercial awareness
- Organisation
- Problem solving
- No formal qualification required
Useful but not essential
- Customer service experience
- Retail or hospitality relationship skills
- Organising competing priorities
- Degree in business or a related subject
- CIM qualification
Helpful qualifications
- Degree in business or a related subject
- CIM qualification
Ways into this career
A degree is only one route. Where an apprenticeship, work-experience or qualification route exists, it is listed here alongside the academic option.
Apprenticeships and work-based routes
- Business Development Executive (Level 4)
Degree and college routes
- Related subject: Business studies
- Related subject: Marketing
Where this career can lead
next
Senior Account Manager
next
Head of Client Services
next
Sales Director
The good parts and the hard parts
What people enjoy
- Commission or bonus on top of base salary is common
- Long-term client relationships can be genuinely rewarding
- Skills transfer across almost any industry
What people find hard
- Losing a client can feel personal and is visible to management
- Juggling many accounts at once can be pressured
Common questions
- Do you need a degree to become a account manager?
- No. As well as degree routes, this career can be entered through an apprenticeship or by building experience and qualifications on the job. not_required
- How much does a account manager earn in the UK?
- Typical advertised pay runs from £24,000 to £30,000 a year, rising towards £55,000 with experience. Figures are indicative guidance rather than an offer.
- What skills transfer into this career?
- Skills that transfer well include Customer service experience, Retail or hospitality relationship skills, Organising competing priorities.
Related careers
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Wins new business by finding prospects, understanding their needs and closing deals.
Business Development Manager
Wins new customers and business partnerships to grow a company's revenue.
Telesales Executive
Sells products or services to customers over the phone, often working to daily call targets.
Where this information comes from
- National Careers Service
- Institute for Apprenticeships
Last reviewed 14 September 2026.
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