How To Become A Lead Associate: What It Is and Career Path

What is a lead associate and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted Expert

Jaunelle Celaire

The responsibilities of a lead associate vary depending on the choice of the place of work. In a market setting, your duty focuses on carrying out research and evaluations to recognize business opportunities. You are expected to develop plans to improve sales as well as lookout for prospective customers. As a lead associate, you must respond to clients' queries, teach recently employed workers, and supply product feature data. You will also have to handle payments, organize billing logistics, and carry out follow-up phone calls. Also, you must help in the merchandising duties and create recognition of the goods and services the organization provides. More so, you may often have to take care of problems and queries and settle them according to the organization's rules.

To qualify for this role, you must have outstanding client service, communication, motivation, and management skills. Also, you must have a bachelor's degree or a master's degree. Alternatively, the work of a lead associate is achievable with a GED or high school diploma. A lead associate in the United States earns an average of $81,974 annually or $39.41 hourly.

What general advice would you give to a Lead Associate?

Jaunelle Celaire

Chair, Professor of Voice, University of Alaska Fairbanks

Leadership - the world needs more of these; the ability to lead, craft and grow. Digital literacy - this world is definitely turning digital and virtual is the new trend. Emotional intelligence - there is a vast number of personalities in our world today; individuals grow and it is our job to stay emotionally connected, so we can operate more effectively.

ScoreLead AssociateUS Average

Salary

4.3

Avg. Salary $54,903

Avg. Salary $59,228

Diversity

8.4

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.65%

Asian 6.89%

Black or African American 8.35%

Hispanic or Latino 17.61%

Unknown 4.64%

White 61.85%

Gender

female 55.20%

male 44.80%

Age - 42

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 - 42

Stress Level

9.4

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

5.2

Complexity Level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

4.6

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a lead associate

Explore lead associate education requirements

Most common lead associate degrees

Bachelor's

45.4 %

High School Diploma

20.1 %

Associate

17.8 %

Start to develop specific lead associate skills

Skills	Percentages
PET	31.16%
Leadership	22.36%
POS	8.40%
Cleanliness	7.44%
Sales Floor	6.90%

Complete relevant lead associate training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New lead associates 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 a lead associate based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real lead associate resumes.

Gain additional lead associate certifications

Lead associate certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific lead associate certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for lead associates include Project Management Professional (PMP) and Change Management Certified Professional.

More About Certifications

Research lead associate duties and responsibilities

Lead the review and overhaul of the QA and configuration management processes for the IPPS-A program.
Manage and care for all pets including: pet counts, medicating, cleaning, and selling.
Administer SharePoint server to include managing users and group on site to control large scale enterprise projects.
Manage and delegate over lumber-building materials department including millwork department.

Get lead associate experience

Generally, it takes 4-6 years to become a lead associate. The most common roles before becoming a lead associate include sales associate, cashier team lead and associate.

Apply for lead associate jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a lead associate job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

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

How do lead associates rate their job?