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What does a client development manager do?

Updated January 8, 2025
8 min read

A client development manager cultivates and develops relationships with their regular and prospective clients. Client development managers track trends, opportunities, competitors, and challenges for sales. It is part of their job to document scheduled time and interactions in organizational software. They make negotiations and supervise outreach and sales activities. Also, they offer feedback and suggestions to improve customer satisfaction, maximize retention, and to increase the ROI of the clients in the industry.

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Client development manager responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real client development manager resumes:

  • Build and execute annual CRM marketing plans to ensure long term client marketing goals are achieve.
  • Lead centralized, electronic referral center coordinating post-acute service needs of patients discharging from multiple acute facilities in Arizona region.
  • Select and implement new CRM database management system with accounting package.
  • Analyze LTV data, ROI and banner/video performance.
  • Track all new contacts and new marketing opportunities in Salesforce.
  • Provide feedback and recommendations to increase clients' ROI, improve customer satisfaction, and maximize retention.
  • Strengthen key customer relationships through senior level conversations leading to a new infrastructure solution providing more flexibility and a future platform.
  • Pioneer the use of Salesforce.com.
  • Provide e-business development, requirement analysis, and gap strategy.

Client development manager skills and personality traits

We calculated that 9% of Client Development Managers are proficient in C++, Account Management, and PowerPoint. They’re also known for soft skills such as Creativity, Interpersonal skills, and Organizational skills.

We break down the percentage of Client Development Managers that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • C++, 9%

    Major technologies on the Internet Explorer side were C++, ATL, WTL and Win32.

  • Account Management, 7%

    Received Quarterly Awards, as a result of exemplary account management, thorough product knowledge and sound sales techniques.

  • PowerPoint, 7%

    Created custom presentations, proposals, and RFP responses in PowerPoint and MS Word.

  • CRM, 6%

    Selected and implemented new CRM database management system with accounting package.

  • Database, 5%

    Designed overall systems requirements and populated new DB2 Database.

  • Business Development, 5%

    Assisted business getting efforts with visits planning, participated in business development meetings, and conducted valuations research.

"c++," "account management," and "powerpoint" are among the most common skills that client development managers use at work. You can find even more client development manager responsibilities below, including:

Creativity. The most essential soft skill for a client development manager to carry out their responsibilities is creativity. This skill is important for the role because "advertising, promotions, and marketing managers must be able to generate new and imaginative ideas." Additionally, a client development manager resume shows how their duties depend on creativity: "developed wholesale-focused distribution process through salesforce to streamline product shipment, inventory logs, and sales reports which increased client satisfaction. "

Interpersonal skills. Another essential skill to perform client development manager duties is interpersonal skills. Client development managers responsibilities require that "managers must deal with a range of people in different roles, both inside and outside the organization." Client development managers also use interpersonal skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "utilize excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills to establish strategic business relationships that increase/streamline processes needed to initiate/close sales. "

Organizational skills. This is an important skill for client development managers to perform their duties. For an example of how client development manager responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "advertising, promotions, and marketing managers must manage their time and budget efficiently while directing and motivating staff members." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a client development manager: "hold team responsible for excellent organizational skills and the ability to multi task and be flexible. ".

Analytical skills. For certain client development manager responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "analytical skills." The day-to-day duties of a client development manager rely on this skill, as "advertising, promotions, and marketing managers must be able to analyze industry trends to determine the most promising strategies for their organization." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what client development managers do: "analyzed and calculated sales data and strategy to maximize client retention. "

Communication skills. A commonly-found skill in client development manager job descriptions, "communication skills" is essential to what client development managers do. Client development manager responsibilities rely on this skill because "managers must be able to communicate effectively with a broad-based team made up of other managers or staff members during the advertising, promotions, and marketing process." You can also see how client development manager duties rely on communication skills in this resume example: "used vision as a crm and internal communication program. "

All client development manager skills

Compare different client development managers

Client development manager vs. Director of marketing & development

A director of marketing & development is a management professional who is responsible for improving the marketing scheme of an organization while discovering ways to obtain new customers. This director is required to lead a team of marketers and work with other departments to make the organization's marketing plans become a reality. The director must possess customer service skills as they often personally reach out to and deal directly with clients. This director must also work within the constraints of a budget to create the necessary marketing materials.

If we compare the average client development manager annual salary with that of a director of marketing & development, we find that directors of marketing & development typically earn a $9,995 higher salary than client development managers make annually.While their salaries may differ, the common ground between client development managers and directors of marketing & development are a few of the skills required in each roleacirc;euro;trade;s responsibilities. In both careers, employee duties involve skills like powerpoint, business development, and salesforce.

These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a client development manager are more likely to require skills like "c++," "c #," "account management," and "crm." On the other hand, a job as a director of marketing & development requires skills like "revenue growth," "twitter," "press releases," and "revenue generation." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.

Directors of marketing & development earn the highest salaries when working in the finance industry, with an average yearly salary of $117,707. On the other hand, client development managers are paid more in the professional industry with an average salary of $88,829.directors of marketing & development tend to reach higher levels of education than client development managers. In fact, directors of marketing & development are 7.5% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.7% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.

Client development manager vs. New business development

New business development focuses on new business opportunities and new product innovation, including product design, business model design, and marketing. This includes a wide scope of responsibilities that includes marketing planning, strategic partnerships, and increased profitability. It is the responsibility of new business development agents to be aware of new market opportunities, possibilities for expansion, competitor product developments, and the company's current sources of revenue. This job can be summarized as the source of ideas, initiatives, and activities aimed in the direction of making a business better.

A career as a new business development brings a lower average salary when compared to the average annual salary of a client development manager. In fact, new business development salary is $3,918 lower than the salary of client development managers per year.While the salary may differ for these jobs, they share a few skills needed to perform their duties. Based on resume data, both client development managers and new business development have skills such as "account management," "crm," and "business development. "

Each career also uses different skills, according to real client development manager resumes. While client development manager responsibilities can utilize skills like "c++," "c #," "powerpoint," and "database," new business development use skills like "senior level management," "sales strategies," "sales quota," and "product development."

New business development may earn a lower salary than client development managers, but new business development earn the most pay in the technology industry with an average salary of $88,045. On the other hand, client development managers receive higher pay in the professional industry, where they earn an average salary of $88,829.Average education levels between the two professions vary. New business development tend to reach similar levels of education than client development managers. In fact, they're 1.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.7% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Client development manager vs. Business development director

A business development director specializes in crafting plans and strategies to develop the relationship between the brand, clients, and other key characters in the industry. It is their responsibility to examine and understand everything about the brand and figure out which areas require improvement or changes. They must also conduct a thorough marketing analysis and remain updated on the latest trends in the market to identify new opportunities that would improve customer satisfaction. Furthermore, they must also communicate with all clients, even appear on public gatherings to strengthen brand awareness.

On average scale, business development directors bring in higher salaries than client development managers. In fact, they earn a $29,605 higher salary per year.Using the responsibilities included on client development managers and business development directors resumes, we found that both professions have similar skill requirements, such as "account management," "crm," and "business development.rdquo;

Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from client development manager resumes include skills like "c++," "c #," "powerpoint," and "database," whereas a business development director is more likely to list skills in "patients," "customer relationships," "project management," and "client relationships. "

Business development directors earn the best pay in the finance industry, where they command an average salary of $124,195. Client development managers earn the highest pay from the professional industry, with an average salary of $88,829.Most business development directors achieve a higher degree level compared to client development managers. For example, they're 7.9% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Client development manager vs. Business development officer

A business development officer is responsible for implementing project management techniques and identifying business opportunities to generate revenue resources and increase client partnerships. Business development officers negotiate business offers to the clients, understanding their specifications, and develop strategic processes to reach their target goals according to their requirements, such as budget limitations and deadlines. They also review sales proposals and marketing materials, adjusting existing policies to deliver high-quality outputs with minimal costs. A business development officer analyzes feedback, evaluates current market trends, and monitors business and financial transactions.

Business development officers typically earn lower pay than client development managers. On average, business development officers earn a $10,401 lower salary per year.While both client development managers and business development officers complete day-to-day tasks using similar skills like account management, crm, and business development, the two careers vary in some skills.While some skills are required in each professionacirc;euro;trade;s responsibilities, there are some differences to note. "c++," "c #," "powerpoint," and "database" are skills that commonly show up on client development manager resumes. On the other hand, business development officers use skills like customer service, business administration, workplace, and sba on their resumes.In general, business development officers earn the most working in the health care industry, with an average salary of $84,162. The highest-paying industry for a client development manager is the professional industry.business development officers reach higher levels of education compared to client development managers, in general. The difference is that they're 5.5% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.3% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of client development manager

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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