| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Sales and Business Development |
| Level | Manager |
| Reports to | Head of Sales |
| Direct reports | Key Account Executive |
| Experience | 6 to 10 years in sales or account management |
Key Account Manager job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Key Account Manager
Department: Sales and Business Development
Reports to: Head of Sales
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Key Account Manager owns the relationship and revenue for a set of large, strategic customers, focusing on retention and growth rather than new logos. They understand each account deeply, build senior relationships, plan account growth and coordinate the company's response to their needs. A strong key account manager retains key customers, grows their spend and becomes a trusted partner to them. The role reports to a sales head or key accounts head and works across the company to serve its most important accounts.
Key responsibilities
- Own the relationship and revenue target for a set of named strategic accounts.
- Build a deep understanding of each account's business, needs and decision makers.
- Create and drive account plans to retain and grow each key customer.
- Build relationships at senior levels and become a trusted advisor to the account.
- Identify upsell and cross sell opportunities and close them within the account.
- Coordinate delivery, service and support teams to meet account commitments.
- Handle escalations quickly so key accounts stay satisfied and loyal.
- Negotiate renewals, contracts and pricing for a continued long term partnership.
- Track account health, revenue and satisfaction and act on early warning signs.
- Report account status, growth and risks to the reporting manager.
Requirements
- Graduate in business, commerce or a relevant field
- MBA in sales or marketing is an advantage
- Experience managing large customer accounts
- 6 to 10 years in sales or account management
KRAs and KPIs for a Key Account Manager
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Account retention | Key accounts retained and renewed at the target rate |
| Account growth | Revenue from key accounts grown to the agreed target |
| Upsell and cross sell | New products placed in key accounts as per the plan |
| Customer satisfaction | Account satisfaction kept above the agreed level |
| Relationship depth | Senior relationships mapped and active in each key account |
| Escalation handling | Account escalations resolved within the agreed time |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: CRM platform, Account planning tools, MS Excel, Reporting dashboards, Presentation tools.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Head of Key Accounts, Regional Sales Manager, Head of Sales
Interview questions for a Key Account Manager
- How do you build an account plan for a large strategic customer?
- How do you grow revenue within an existing account?
- How do you build relationships at senior levels in an account?
- How do you handle a key account that is unhappy and at risk?
- How do you spot early signs that an account may leave?
- Tell me about a key account you grew and how.
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What does a key account manager do?
A key account manager owns the relationship and revenue for a set of large, strategic customers, focusing on retention and growth rather than new logos. They understand each account deeply, build senior relationships, drive account plans and find upsell opportunities. They coordinate the company's teams to serve the account and become a trusted partner to it.
What is the difference between a key account manager and a sales manager?
A sales manager usually leads a team chasing a territory or new business target. A key account manager focuses on a few named strategic accounts, deepening relationships and growing revenue within them. The key account role is about retention, trust and expansion in existing customers rather than leading a team or hunting new logos.
What makes a good key account manager?
A good key account manager understands the customer's business better than competitors do, builds trust at senior levels, and plans account growth proactively. They coordinate internal teams to deliver, handle escalations fast and spot risks early. Strong relationship, commercial and problem solving skills, plus patience and reliability, keep key accounts loyal and growing.