Relationship manager vs channel manager

The differences between relationship managers and channel managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-8 years to become both a relationship manager and a channel manager. Additionally, a channel manager has an average salary of $87,573, which is higher than the $83,761 average annual salary of a relationship manager.

The top three skills for a relationship manager include client relationships, work ethic and strong work ethic. The most important skills for a channel manager are customer service, CRM, and digital marketing.

Relationship manager vs channel manager overview

	Relationship Manager	Channel Manager
Yearly salary	$83,761	$87,573
Hourly rate	$40.27	$42.10
Growth rate	5%	5%
Number of jobs	72,920	106,753
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 69%	Bachelor's Degree, 79%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	8	8

What does a relationship manager do?

A relationship manager is responsible for maintaining a positive and professional relationship with customers and business partners, ensuring the highest customer satisfaction and good reputation. Relationship managers advise management on identifying business opportunities by analyzing the current market trends that would help generate revenues and increase its profitability. They connect with the marketing and sales team for product and services innovation, create compelling sales pitches, and develop customer service processes to assist customers with their inquiries and concerns efficiently.

What does a channel manager do?

A channel manager is responsible for supervising client relations within the assigned partner accounts. Channel managers handle the project management strategies to achieve clients' satisfaction by following their specifications and requirements. They manage marketing and promotional campaigns to improve brand awareness of the target market audience. A channel manager also oversees media relations techniques, as well as publishing digital content that would attract customers and generate more revenue resources for the business. A channel manager coordinates with channel partners for maintaining optimal performance and maximum productivity.

Relationship manager vs channel manager salary

Relationship managers and channel managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Relationship Manager	Channel Manager
Average salary	$83,761	$87,573
Salary range	Between $56,000 And $123,000	Between $63,000 And $121,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Sunnyvale, CA
Highest paying state	New York	California
Best paying company	Google	Meta
Best paying industry	Finance	Professional

Differences between relationship manager and channel manager education

There are a few differences between a relationship manager and a channel manager in terms of educational background:

	Relationship Manager	Channel Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 69%	Bachelor's Degree, 79%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Southern California	University of Southern California

Relationship manager vs channel manager demographics

Here are the differences between relationship managers' and channel managers' demographics:

	Relationship Manager	Channel Manager
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 53.5% Female, 46.5%	Male, 70.1% Female, 29.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 4.1% White, 78.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 4.1% White, 78.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between relationship manager and channel manager duties and responsibilities

Relationship manager example responsibilities.

Manage both general and bankruptcy FHLMC loans.
Demonstrate ability to manage a portfolio with a concentration in loan modifications for HAMP and FNMA.
Lead the district in sales by initiating and document a proactive customer profiling effort and sale calls.
Oversee and manages all incoming and outgoing automate clearing house (ACH) transfer of electronic fund.
Process annuities, insurance policies, office bills, manage correspondence, and maintain require files and accounts.
Manage the west coast territory to research and analyze which healthcare facilities would benefit from the services offer.

Channel manager example responsibilities.

Use SalesForce to keep track of customers and prospective leads information.
Manage social media advertising, SEO and PCP advertising as part of daily tasks.
Manage and communicate with over 2600 VAR's/reseller accounts at industry relate conferences, user groups and tradeshows.
Manage multinational marketing group in strategic marketing and channel development in the Americas, EMEA and APJK.
Launch and manage the domestic distribution go-to-market channel strategy.
Develop co-marketing business plans resulting in YoY growth with several manage partners.

Relationship manager vs channel manager skills

Common relationship manager skills

Client Relationships, 11%
Work Ethic, 10%
Strong Work Ethic, 10%
Financial Services, 9%
Taking Care, 5%
Customer Service, 5%

Common channel manager skills

Customer Service, 7%
CRM, 5%
Digital Marketing, 4%
Business Development, 4%
Channel Marketing, 4%
Cloud, 4%

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Relationship Manager
Relationship Manager vs Channel Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

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