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What is a national accounts sales manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
Bill Thorne
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National accounts sales managers are entrusted with identifying prospective clients and building strong working relationships with them. They are responsible for managing sales activities in their assigned area, reporting to the director of sales at the company.

Their day-to-day duties include meeting with customers and proposing partnerships and business opportunities related to the products or services their company is selling. They respond to customer inquiries and are at their service; this involves proposing, negotiating, and closing deals.

They are also expected to keep up your personal development as a salesperson by attending workshops and tradeshows. This also allows them to keep up with market trends. Apart from building a professional and personal network, they have to send reports on sales activities to management on a regular basis.

What general advice would you give to a national accounts sales manager?

Bill ThorneBill Thorne LinkedIn profile

Executive Director of the NRF Foundation and Senior Vice President of Communication and Public Affairs of NRF, National Retail Federation

Retail is the largest private-sector employer in the country, directly employing 32 million people and supporting 52 million jobs overall - roughly one-quarter of the U.S. workforce. While COVID-19 has presented new and unexpected challenges, retailers have continued to showcase the industry's resilience and adaptability time and again. The safety and security of customers and employees remains our greatest priority. It is no doubt that the professional environment has changed this year, but retail continues to offer a plethora of career opportunities for graduates and seasoned veterans alike.
ScoreNational Accounts Sales ManagerUS Average
Salary
7.2

Avg. Salary $91,882

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
6.4

Growth rate 5%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
2.7
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.24%

Asian 4.07%

Black or African American 3.24%

Hispanic or Latino 9.82%

Unknown 4.41%

White 78.23%

Gender

female 26.34%

male 73.66%

Age - 46
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 - 46
Stress level
6.4

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.7

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
4.4

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

National accounts sales manager career paths

Key steps to become a national accounts sales manager

  1. Explore national accounts sales manager education requirements

    Most common national accounts sales manager degrees

    Bachelor's

    82.6 %

    Associate

    7.7 %

    Master's

    7.3 %
  2. Start to develop specific national accounts sales manager skills

    SkillsPercentages
    National Accounts12.81%
    Healthcare9.11%
    Account Management6.51%
    CRM6.13%
    Product Development6.04%
  3. Complete relevant national accounts sales manager training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New national accounts sales managers 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 national accounts sales manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real national accounts sales manager resumes.
  4. Research national accounts sales manager duties and responsibilities

    • Lead in the selection and implementation of CRM / CMS (client management system) software.
    • Streamline sales process and internal communications by implementing CRM software to track contacts, leads, opportunities and sales.
    • Collaborate with health care providers to utilize cutting-edge DNA technology and manage patients as individuals with specific metabolic processes.
    • Close sales for ten key healthcare centers worth in excess of $30MM in revenue.
  5. Prepare your national accounts sales manager resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your national accounts sales manager resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a national accounts sales manager resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable national accounts sales manager resume templates

    Build a professional national accounts sales manager resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your national accounts sales manager resume.
    National Accounts Sales Manager Resume
    National Accounts Sales Manager Resume
    National Accounts Sales Manager Resume
    National Accounts Sales Manager Resume
    National Accounts Sales Manager Resume
    National Accounts Sales Manager Resume
    National Accounts Sales Manager Resume
    National Accounts Sales Manager Resume
    National Accounts Sales Manager Resume
  6. Apply for national accounts sales manager jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a national accounts sales manager job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

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

How did you land your first national accounts sales manager job

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Average national accounts sales manager salary

The average national accounts sales manager salary in the United States is $91,882 per year or $44 per hour. National accounts sales manager salaries range between $64,000 and $130,000 per year.

Average national accounts sales manager salary
$91,882 Yearly
$44.17 hourly

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How do national accounts sales managers rate their job?

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National accounts sales manager reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2020
Pros

Motivating people and helping to create success in each person's day. Honor God serve people in rich people's lives, pursue excellence in service.

Cons

Not enough time in each day to get everything accomplished.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2020
Pros

Semi-flexible work hours. You have a sales goal and customers to call on in order to achieve said goal, so you have some flexibility of your schedule.

Cons

The amount of travel required takes you away from home frequently. If you have a family, being away starts taking a toll on them and work/life balance suffers.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2020
Cons

I like everything

Pros

Coming in contact with people, motivating staff, making the numbers, profitability for everyone


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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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