How to hire a client success manager

How to hire a client success manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step client success manager hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a client success manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new client success manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a client success manager do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the client success manager you need to hire. Certain client success manager roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A client success manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, client success managers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of client success managers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Client Success Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Client Success Manager	Sales managers direct organizations' sales teams. They set sales goals, analyze data, and develop training programs for organizations’ sales representatives.	$24-53
   Sales And Event Manager	A sales and event manager is responsible for overseeing event planning and preparations intended for marketing and sales purposes. Sales and event managers handle the contracts with suppliers and third-party vendors for equipment and materials to be used during the event... Show more	$16-36
   Sales Account Manager	The account sales manager is in charge of the retention of their customer relationship. They have to supervise the portfolio of existing clients, develop new business with them, and seek new sales opportunities... Show more	$15-48

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Client Facing
   • Client Satisfaction
   • Cloud
   • Project Management
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Account Management
   • CSM
   • Saas
   • Digital Marketing
   • Product Adoption
   • Customer Service
   • KPIs
   • Client Expectations
   • Salesforce

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Perform client set-ups and manage work flow through SalesForce.
   • Lead the overall client program management function providing leadership, coordination and management of PMO activities.
   • Manage partner relationship with EMC and develop go-to-market strategies.
   • Lead tool workshops to maximize CSM communication efficiency both internally and externally.
   • Represent major OEM brands i.e.
   • Build JavaScript libraries and design site enhancements.

   More client success manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your client success manager job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A client success manager salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a client success manager in Louisiana may be lower than in Oregon, and an entry-level client success manager usually earns less than a senior-level client success manager. Additionally, a client success manager with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average client success manager salary

   $75,925yearly

   $36.50 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level client success manager salary

   $51,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

   Average client success manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$92,694	$45
   2	New Jersey	$90,922	$44
   3	Michigan	$90,293	$43
   4	Virginia	$89,175	$43
   5	New York	$84,807	$41
   6	Pennsylvania	$80,071	$39
   7	District of Columbia	$79,520	$38
   8	Arizona	$78,571	$38
   9	Washington	$78,223	$38
   10	Massachusetts	$78,044	$38
   11	Indiana	$77,341	$37
   12	Illinois	$76,709	$37
   13	North Carolina	$76,385	$37
   14	Wisconsin	$74,808	$36
   15	Ohio	$72,775	$35
   16	Colorado	$71,213	$34
   17	Georgia	$71,068	$34
   18	Iowa	$69,882	$34
   19	Minnesota	$69,837	$34
   20	Nevada	$69,454	$33

   Average client success manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Accenture	$129,874	$62.44	414
   2	Meta	$127,478	$61.29	61
   3	ResMed	$126,131	$60.64	4
   4	Payoneer	$121,032	$58.19
   5	Envestnet	$115,113	$55.34	1
   6	IBM	$114,313	$54.96	24
   7	eBay	$109,886	$52.83	2
   8	NTT Europe Ltd	$107,803	$51.83	224
   9	Bentley Systems	$107,370	$51.62
   10	Wpp Us Holdings Inc	$107,335	$51.60	10
   11	RagingWire Data Centers	$106,525	$51.21
   12	Ziff Davis	$106,362	$51.14
   13	Rimini Street	$106,099	$51.01
   14	Vista Equity Partners	$105,703	$50.82
   15	Mastercard	$104,518	$50.25	20
   16	RapidRatings	$103,913	$49.96
   17	Advent Software	$103,301	$49.66
   18	Adobe	$101,665	$48.88	60
   19	Mediware	$100,181	$48.16
   20	Gartner	$99,954	$48.05	35

4. Writing a client success manager job description

   A good client success manager job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a client success manager job description:

   Client success manager job description example

   For over 30 years, Rewards Network has helped restaurants increase their revenue, traffic, and customer engagement through our innovative financial and marketing services and premier dining rewards programs. Our 6 million members include frequent flyers, corporate cardholders, and a pool of highly motivated diners who spend hundreds of millions of dollars annually at participating restaurants.
   
   The Client Success Manager is responsible for reviewing client accounts, maintaining client relationships, responding to questions and resolving issues. The individual in this role will also manage a book of business and deepen relationships with clients and help retain them on our platform. This person will ensure that client needs are addressed quickly with responses delivered in a timely manner. He/she will communicate with various departments to find resolutions to more challenging questions or issues that may arise. This individual will be responsible for client accounts and assist the Sales team with any questions they may have relating to merchant accounts, policies, and documents.
   
   Essential Duties and Responsibilities Manage clients throughout their lifecycle and encourage them to take full advantage of product benefits to ensure the value is recognized Collaborate with Sales to deepen client relationships and identify and resolve client needs, as well as new product opportunities Handle calls and emails from clients and members of our remote sales team.Analyze client account issues, troubleshoot and negotiate resolutions in a timely manner Assist client accounts by explaining and clarifying billing statements, processes and terms and conditions of their agreement with Rewards Network.Serves as subject matter expert supporting the sales team on policies and procedures related to contracts, the deletion policy, and related issues. Communicates, explains, and ensures enforcement of these policies and procedures.Processes account changes including any adjustments or requests including but not limited to banking change, reimbursement, email address change, etc.Performs related job duties as needed and required.
   
   QualificationsBachelor's degree preferred At least 3 years of related experience working with internal and external clients to support a sales organization. Customer/client service experience is required.Must have previous experience responding to a high volume of calls and emails related to client service.Must have a passion for client service.Experience using a CRM system such as SalesforceProficiency with MS Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook.Ability to work in a rapidly changing and growth-oriented environment with regularly changing priorities and developing opportunities.Strong written and verbal communication skills.Strong analytical and problem-solving skills and abilities.Attention to detail and excellent organization skills along with self-motivation.Ability to work independently and respond with flexibility.Willingness to learn new skills and software applications.
   
   We connect diners to fantastic restaurant experiences by offering unique card-linked offers thanks to our ability to leverage advanced technology and powerful data analytics, while simultaneously providing value to our strategic partners' overall loyalty programs.
   
   We work alongside our restaurant partners every day, sharing in the ebbs and flows of their business while helping them achieve their dreams. We provide marketing and financing that work with their business and are truly pay-for-performance. We help them increase revenue, traffic, and customer engagement. Importantly, our services do not require the merchant to discount or give away their products.
   
   Even more, we enhance our partners' loyalty programs by offering a turn-key, scalable dining rewards program that is right for their business model and leverages their unique brand to help increase the value proposition for their customers.
   
   Finally, we connect our millions of members to our participating restaurants, allowing them to earn the rewards they desire when dining out.
   Rewards Network is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). We encourage and strongly support workplace diversity.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find client success managers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any client success managers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level client success managers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your client success manager job on Zippia to find and recruit client success manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit client success managers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new client success manager

   Once you've decided on a perfect client success manager candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new client success manager. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a client success manager?