Account managers, who work for computer consulting firms, computer engineering services companies, or for network and applications support companies, are in charge of signing new services contracts.

Account managers know their company’s offering inside out and actively seek to grow their client portfolio and increase sales. They respond to calls for tender and draft business and service provision proposals.

Account managers take care of contract management. They allocate tasks among consultants and permanent staff and coordinate their work while managing the follow-up of client accounts.

On a day-to-day basis, they build relationships with current clients and prospects, going from client appointments to negotiating contracts. Creating and maintaining a network is part of their role. Finally, account managers perform competitive monitoring and inform themselves on their markets.

Skills

• Education: any degree in administration, commerce or computers (e.g. college diploma (DEC in Quebec) in business administration, certificate in e-commerce, DEC or bachelor’s degree in computers)

• Experience in information technology consulting and/or computer development

• Excellent knowledge of computer environments

• Knowledge of technical aspects of service delivery

• Fluent in sales and marketing strategies

• Proficiency in the various stages of selling a service

• Ability to define and present an account plan

• Management aptitudes

• Bilingualism, for Quebec professionals: excellent spoken and written French and English

Personal qualities

• Self-reliance

• Aptitude for teamwork

• Good relationship and communication skills

• Managerial abilities to guide projects

• Persuasion and negotiation skills

• Solutions-oriented

• Methodological rigour

• Perseverance, determination and dynamism

• Analytical and forecasting skills

• Sense of responsibility