Strategic Account Manager

Salas O'Brien; United States; On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid time off and company holidays

Wellness programs and employee assist.

Professional development support

Job summary

Salas O’Brien in the United States seeks a Strategic Account Manager – Life Sciences to grow and strengthen key client partnerships in pharma, biotechnology, and contract manufacturing. You will own relationships with executive stakeholders and connect clients to Salas O’Brien's multi-disciplinary teams across engineering, consulting, and project delivery.

This client-facing role requires a track record of expanding large accounts, strong commercial instincts, and the ability to navigate

Qualifications

• Significant experience in strategic account management, client development, business development, engineering, consulting, professional services, or related field.
• Proven success growing large, complex client accounts and long-term relationships.
• Ability to build credibility with executive-level stakeholders and influence decision-makers.
• Experience working across multidisciplinary or matrixed organizations.
• Strong commercial instincts including account planning, pipeline management, forecasting, and opportunity development.
• Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, and relationship-management skills.
• Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, architecture, construction management, or related field.

Responsibilities

• Own and grow strategic client relationships across pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and life sciences sectors.
• Develop account strategies that drive revenue growth, profitability, retention, and expansion.
• Build trusted relationships with senior client decision-makers and key stakeholders.
• Identify and advance new opportunities across service lines, markets, and geographies.
• Lead cross-selling and account expansion efforts by connecting clients with capabilities across Salas O’Brien.
• Develop and maintain strategic account plans, pipelines, forecasts, and growth strategies.
• Partner with technical, operational, and project leaders to ensure a strong and consistent client experience.
• Lead pursuit strategies for major opportunities, including positioning, relationship development, teaming, and proposal strategy.
• Stay closely connected to client priorities, capital programs, business challenges, and emerging needs.
• Help position Salas O’Brien as a long-term strategic partner rather than simply a project-based service provider.

Skills

Strategic account management

Business development

Client development

Engineering

Consulting

Professional services

Education

Bachelor's degree in business, engineering, architecture, construction management, or related field

Job description

At Salas O’Brien we tell our clients that we’re engineered for impact. This passion for making a difference applies just as much to our team as it does to our projects. That’s why we’re committed to living our values every day: inspiring, achieving, and connecting as shared owners of our success with a focus on a sustainable future.

Building for the long-term means that all of our team members can expect to work on amazing projects with a people-first approach to problem solving. It also means that each member of our team has truly limitless potential to build a unique, meaningful, and high-impact career—and they’ll receive great total rewards along the way.

About Us

Founded in 1975, Salas O’Brien is an employee-owned engineering and professional services firm focused on achieving impact for our clients, our team, and the world. We know that tomorrow’s requirements are today’s opportunities, and we are here to design lasting solutions for pressing challenges.

We work across a variety of industries providing integrated engineering and consulting services. Our specialized experience includes design for data centers, healthcare, science and technology, high-rise buildings, clean energy, education, and other building types as well as structural and building sciences, infrastructure asset management, advanced robotics, and more.

Our technical expertise is paired with an exceptional team of business development, human resources, finance and accounting, information technology, and marketing professionals, all of whom play a key role in bringing our commitments to life every day.

Strategic Account Manager – Life Sciences

Salas O’Brien is looking for a strategic, relationship-driven leader to grow and strengthen some of our most important client partnerships within the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and life sciences markets.

As a Strategic Account Manager, you’ll own and expand key client relationships, uncover new business opportunities, and connect clients with the right expertise across Salas O’Brien. You’ll work with executive stakeholders, technical leaders, project teams, and business leaders to build long-term partnerships and drive measurable account growth.

What You’ll Do

• Own and grow strategic client relationships across the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and life sciences sectors.
• Develop account strategies that drive revenue growth, profitability, retention, and expansion.
• Build trusted relationships with senior client decision-makers and key stakeholders.
• Identify and advance new opportunities across service lines, markets, and geographies.
• Lead cross-selling and account expansion efforts by connecting clients with capabilities across Salas O’Brien.
• Develop and maintain strategic account plans, pipelines, forecasts, and growth strategies.
• Partner with technical, operational, and project leaders to ensure a strong and consistent client experience.
• Lead pursuit strategies for major opportunities, including positioning, relationship development, teaming, and proposal strategy.
• Stay closely connected to client priorities, capital programs, business challenges, and emerging needs.
• Help position Salas O’Brien as a long-term strategic partner rather than simply a project-based service provider.

What We’re Looking For

• Significant experience in strategic account management, client development, business development, engineering, consulting, professional services, or a related field.
• Demonstrated success growing large, complex client accounts and developing long-term relationships.
• Strong ability to build credibility with executive-level stakeholders and influence decision-makers.
• Experience working across multidisciplinary or matrixed organizations.
• Strong commercial instincts, including account planning, pipeline management, forecasting, and opportunity development.
• Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, and relationship-management skills.
• Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, architecture, construction management, or a related field.

Life Sciences Experience

Experience within pharmaceutical, biotechnology, CDMO/CMO, or other regulated manufacturing environments is strongly preferred.

Familiarity with areas such as cGMP, process and facility design, CQV, clean utilities, automation and controls, packaging systems, and facility infrastructure is highly valuable.

Travel

This is a highly client-facing role, with travel expected for client meetings, site visits, industry events, and internal collaboration. Travel may average up to 50%.

What Success Looks Like

Success in this role means growing strategic accounts, expanding Salas O’Brien’s presence within client organizations, strengthening executive relationships, generating repeat business, and bringing the full capabilities of One Salas O’Brien to our clients.

Compensation & Benefits

Compensation will be determined based on a number of factors including skills, experience, qualifications, and location.

This role is also eligible for performance-based bonuses and a comprehensive U.S. based benefits package, including:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid time off and company holidays
• Wellness programs and employee assistance resources
• Professional development support

Benefits

For more information, visit our full benefits overview here.

Equal Opportunity Employment Statement

Salas O’Brien provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, colour, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state/provincial, or local laws. Salas O’Brien will accommodate the disability-related needs of applicants as required by law.

Third-Party Agency Notice

Salas O’Brien does not accept unsolicited resumes from external recruiters or agencies. We only work with approved partners engaged directly by our Talent Acquisition team for specific searches. Unsolicited submissions will not be eligible for placement fees.