• Senior Account Managers must be highly qualifiedyoung manager image by NiDerLander from Fotolia.com
  
  The Senior Account Manager plays an integral role in how corporations operate; client service organizations, in particular. Successful Account Managers generally have strong sales backgrounds and also have experience in project management, planning and coordination. Additionally, they must have strong interpersonal, presentation and negotiation skills.
  
  

Relationship Management

• One of the primary functions of a Senior Account Manager is to manage existing client relationships and establish relationships with new clients. Without these relationships, businesses would have a difficult time staying afloat.
  
  

Negotiation

• Understanding the client's needs versus what a company can deliver is essential for the Account Manager. You must have the ability to get both parties to concede on certain issues to close the sale. Finding solutions that all parties can agree on can be challenging, especially when the solution involves money. It will be highly beneficial, as the Account Manager, to be more conciliatory when possible.
  
  

Presentations

• Be prepared to deliver presentations. Although, you may have established relationships with a client, you may still have to present your ideas to a panel of individuals who make the financial decisions at the client site.
  
  

Project Management

• Senior Account Managers are responsible for managing project lifecycles, from beginning to end. This includes planning, monitoring and evaluating.
  
  

Computer Skills:

• Like most jobs, having strong computer skills is a requirement. Senior Account Managers use different databases to manage their client relationships. Examples are SAP (business management software) and CRM (a customer relationship management database).