What is an account leader and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted Expert
Thomas King
introduction image

An account leader is someone responsible for managing and growing key accounts for a company. They act as the primary point of contact between the company and its clients, ensuring that all client needs are met and issues are resolved. Account leaders work closely with their clients to understand their business goals and objectives, and develop strategies to meet those goals.. Overall, they play a critical role in building strong relationships with clients and driving revenue growth.

What general advice would you give to an Account Leader?

Thomas King

Department Chair, Director, Master of Accountancy Program, Professor, Accountancy, Case Western Reserve University

Be dependable. Reputations form quickly after people join organizations. A newly hired professional who demonstrates the ability to get things done rapidly and accurately will soon become a "go-to" person when new opportunities arise. Such exposure early in a career is invaluable.
ScoreAccount LeaderUS Average
Salary
7.8

Avg. Salary $108,843

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
5.4

Growth Rate 6%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
6.4
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.46%

Asian 12.22%

Black or African American 8.49%

Hispanic or Latino 10.82%

Unknown 3.95%

White 64.06%

Gender

female 51.65%

male 48.35%

Age - 43
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43
Stress Level
5.4

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
8.4

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
6.7

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being an Account Leader?

Pros

  • High earning potential

  • Opportunity for career advancement

  • Chance to develop leadership and management skills

  • Ability to work with a diverse team

  • Ability to see the impact of your work on clients' businesses

Cons

  • Long hours and high workload

  • High-pressure environment with tight deadlines

  • Need to balance multiple priorities and clients simultaneously

  • Requires strong communication and negotiation skills

  • Dealing with difficult clients or situations can be stressful

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Account Leader career paths

Key steps to become an account leader

  1. Explore account leader education requirements

    Most common account leader degrees

    Bachelor's

    70.9 %

    Master's

    11.7 %

    Associate

    11.2 %
  2. Start to develop specific account leader skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Account Management13.51%
    Customer Service12.89%
    Business Development6.43%
    Project Management6.22%
    Reconciliations4.47%
  3. Complete relevant account leader training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New account leaders learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an account leader based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real account leader resumes.
  4. Research account leader duties and responsibilities

    • Develop and manage CRM databases for major retailers.
    • Lead the design and development team for Claro Colombia, the largest telecommunication company in LatAm.
    • Develop RFP responses and consistently demonstrate flawless execution to achieve continual growth in each account.
    • Utilize PeopleSoft ERP financials, purchasing, inventory, and human resources modules.
  5. Get account leader experience

    Generally, it takes 2-4 years to become an account leader. The most common roles before becoming an account leader include accountant, staff accountant team lead and senior accountant.
  6. Prepare your account leader resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your account leader resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an account leader resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Account Leader Resume templates

    Build a professional Account Leader resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Account Leader resume.
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  7. Apply for account leader jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an account leader job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Account Leader Job

Zippi

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Average account leader salary

The average Account Leader salary in the United States is $108,843 per year or $52 per hour. Account leader salaries range between $75,000 and $157,000 per year.

Average Account Leader Salary
$108,843 Yearly
$52.33 hourly

What Am I Worth?

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How do account leaders rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

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1 Star

Account Leader reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2020
Cons

I don't like to work as a nonprofessional accountant


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2020
Cons

Business owners that do not know or understand compliance and GAAP, or the patience to follow the rules... generally common in small companies.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2019
Pros

Making business processes work right and helping people

Cons

Tracking billable hours


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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