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What is a territory account manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
Bill Thorne
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Territory account managers are salespeople in a leadership position assigned to oversee sales activities in a particular geographical area. They are the ones who call the shots within their kingdom.

They develop their own sales strategies, build strong relationships with existing clients and lure in fresh customers. They're also in charge of recruiting and training their staff while also providing them with guidance whenever needed. Territory account managers are responsible for setting sales targets and making sure their sales teams meet the quotas, generating enough revenue to satisfy their managers back at the base.

You will research your area to know your competitors' every move and every secret desire of your target customers. You'll also create reports on your division's sales activities and give presentations on your progress to the board. You will keep track of transaction documents and participate in industry events to keep up with new trends and stay on top of your game.

What general advice would you give to a territory account 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.
ScoreTerritory Account ManagerUS Average
Salary
5.1

Avg. Salary $65,808

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 29.98%

male 70.02%

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

Territory account manager career paths

Key steps to become a territory account manager

  1. Explore territory account manager education requirements

    Most common territory account manager degrees

    Bachelor's

    80.0 %

    Associate

    10.3 %

    Master's

    5.4 %
  2. Start to develop specific territory account manager skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Customer Service9.55%
    CRM9.05%
    Product Knowledge7.12%
    Healthcare6.03%
    Salesforce5.85%
  3. Complete relevant territory account manager training and internships

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

    • Manage a sales territory for an OEM distributor of power transmission, motion control and automation devices.
    • Manage three CRM systems for notes/payments/renewals/tracking/proposals and quotes.
    • Generate leads, prepare RFP responses, build relationships, identify business/functional requirements, present technical solutions and negotiate contracts.
    • Map strategies to meet establish performance standards and to boost resource return on investment (ROI).
  5. Prepare your territory account manager resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your territory account 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 territory account 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 territory account manager resume templates

    Build a professional territory account 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 territory account manager resume.
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    Territory Account Manager Resume
    Territory Account Manager Resume
    Territory Account Manager Resume
    Territory Account Manager Resume
    Territory Account Manager Resume
    Territory Account Manager Resume
    Territory Account Manager Resume
    Territory Account Manager Resume
    Territory Account Manager Resume
    Territory Account Manager Resume
    Territory Account Manager Resume
    Territory Account Manager Resume
    Territory Account Manager Resume
    Territory Account Manager Resume
    Territory Account Manager Resume
  6. Apply for territory account manager jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a territory account 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 territory account manager job

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Average territory account manager salary

The average territory account manager salary in the United States is $65,808 per year or $32 per hour. Territory account manager salaries range between $44,000 and $98,000 per year.

Average territory account manager salary
$65,808 Yearly
$31.64 hourly

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How do territory account managers rate their job?

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Territory account 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 Feb 2020
Pros

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

Cons

This is a great career.


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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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