An engagement manager is the intermediary between a client and a project manager. These professionals cultivate and maintain client relationships by keeping the customer updated and involved in the project. Engagement managers regularly meet with clients in person or over the phone to review the project status and ensure that their expectations are being met.

Required Skills and Education

To succeed in this position, you must be an excellent communicator, easily adaptable, a great team player, exceptionally organized, have strong presentation skills and have the ability to manage competing priorities. Many companies require an engagement manager to have extensive experience working in a specific industry. A bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering or another related field is the minimum required education, but a master’s degree is often preferred. Engagement managers can find work in a variety of fields, including technology companies, consulting firms and healthcare agencies.

Standard Responsibilities

Engagement management has a wider focus than project management, encompassing sales, legal, tech and accounting to support the organization as a whole, rather than a small portion of it. The main focus of this role is managing client expectations and maximizing the company’s profitability, rather than meeting expectations of internal customers. The engagement manager gains client approval on all project components, leads customer meetings, manages the budget and oversees testing to manage project objectives.

Working Conditions

An engagement manager is often required to travel frequently -- up to 50 percent of the time -- to meet with clients. The engagement manager may have clients located across the country, in other countries or in one specific territory. Working overtime, including nights and weekends, is expected to meet client needs.

Average Salary

According to the job site Indeed, the average salary of an engagement manager is $102,000 a year. However, this can vary greatly by area of the country. For example, the average salary of an engagement manager in New York City is $140,000 per year, $110,000 per year in Los Angeles, $98,000 per year in Miami and $90,000 per year in Austin, TX.