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What is a strategic account executive and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
Kaustav Misra Ph.D.
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Strategic account executives are sales professionals who manage and grow relationships with a company's most important clients. They act as the main point of contact for the client, coordinating with various departments to ensure their needs are met. This role requires exceptional communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills, as well as a deep understanding of the client's business and industry. They will also work closely with other sales professionals, marketing teams, and executives to develop and execute effective account management plans.

What general advice would you give to a strategic account executive?

Kaustav Misra Ph.D.Kaustav Misra Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Associate Dean, Central Connecticut State University

I have spent almost two decades in the higher education industry and about a decade in administration. I often advised students, and it is astonishing to see how many of these students do not plan for their future. A good plan is a starting point to lead a good and successful career and life. Hence, by all means, it is worth noting that developing a future-oriented focus is important, so taking time to streamline the plan should be an important exercise for every graduate before they begin to do anything.
ScoreStrategic Account ExecutiveUS Average
Salary
8.1

Avg. Salary $119,268

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
6.4

Growth rate 5%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
7.0
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.38%

Asian 5.49%

Black or African American 6.57%

Hispanic or Latino 15.73%

Unknown 4.03%

White 67.79%

Gender

female 36.57%

male 63.43%

Age - 44
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 - 44
Stress level
6.4

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.5

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
4.4

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a strategic account executive?

Pros

  • High earning potential with attractive salary and commission structure

  • Opportunity to work with high-profile clients and build strong professional relationships

  • Ability to influence key decision-makers and drive business growth

  • Ability to work remotely or have flexible work arrangements

  • Access to training and development programs to enhance skills and knowledge

Cons

  • High pressure environment with demanding targets and expectations

  • Dealing with difficult clients or stakeholders can be stressful

  • Limited control over client decisions or market fluctuations that may impact job security

  • Pressure to meet revenue goals may lead to sacrificing long-term relationship building

  • Competitive nature of the job can create a cutthroat work culture at times

Strategic account executive career paths

Key steps to become a strategic account executive

  1. Explore strategic account executive education requirements

    Most common strategic account executive degrees

    Bachelor's

    82.0 %

    Master's

    10.9 %

    Associate

    5.2 %
  2. Start to develop specific strategic account executive skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Digital Transformation9.02%
    Cloud6.57%
    Salesforce6.01%
    Account Management5.50%
    Sales Process5.11%
  3. Research strategic account executive duties and responsibilities

    • Manage complex accounts and relationships- proven track record with CIO's and other key executives.
    • Develop and manage new and existing restaurant, hotel, healthcare and retirement community chains.
    • Manage services include remote monitoring services, cloud capabilities, as well as hardware and software solutions.
    • Create and execute both PowerPoint and oral presentations to expand existing business and prospect new sales leads.
  4. Prepare your strategic account executive resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your strategic account executive 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 strategic account executive resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable strategic account executive resume templates

    Build a professional strategic account executive 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 strategic account executive resume.
    Strategic Account Executive Resume
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    Strategic Account Executive Resume
    Strategic Account Executive Resume
    Strategic Account Executive Resume
    Strategic Account Executive Resume
    Strategic Account Executive Resume
    Strategic Account Executive Resume
  5. Apply for strategic account executive jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a strategic account executive 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 strategic account executive job

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Average strategic account executive salary

The average strategic account executive salary in the United States is $119,268 per year or $57 per hour. Strategic account executive salaries range between $79,000 and $179,000 per year.

Average strategic account executive salary
$119,268 Yearly
$57.34 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do strategic account executives rate their job?

4.5/5

Out of 2 Strategic Account Executive reviews, 100% were positive.

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Based on 2 ratings

Work/life balance
5.0
Overall rating
4.5
Pay / salary
5.0
Career growth
5.0

Strategic account executive reviews

profile
5.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2025
Pros

Money, money, money.. seen as a valuable asset to any company.

Cons

Lots of focus and planning


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2020
Pros

The Strategic approach used to uncover new sales opportunities excites me the most working as an Enterprise Account Executive.


profile
4.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2019
Pros

The ability to make decisions that grow the client and improve our service delivery

Cons

Need to be quite operational to solve problems (big and small) and every complaint is important so takes equal energy and time


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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.