What does an engagement manager do? 

October 21, 2024

Table of contents

In the business world, engagement refers to the level of commitment between a brand and its customers, a company and its professionals, or a student and their training. In any of these cases, the quality of this commitment can be improved by good management, and a high level of engagement typically implies a competitive advantage. These are just a few of the reasons why it’s so important to enhance it.

In order to help achieve this at the business level, the role of the engagement manager has emerged – a figure responsible for not only building a positive relationship between customers and the brand, but also between employees and the organization. Below, we’ll discover what this role involves, explore its main responsibilities, and consider the different types of engagement managers that exist.

What is an engagement manager?

The role of engagement manager can be defined as a point of contact, liaison, or facilitator between companies, employees and clients. They could also be considered a ‘thought leader’ for employees, since a big part of their work involves coordinating teams, assigning tasks, monitoring progress, and solving problems. However, their main responsibility is to ensure that commitments are met and expectations are managed effectively.

This role has become highly valuable in sectors such as customer service, technology and e-commerce, where proper relationship management is essential for long-term success. In addition to being a facilitator, an engagement manager also plays a key role in strategically aligning projects with wider business objectives. In this sense, they act as a cog that connects the needs of a client with the specific solutions offered by a company.

The key responsibilities of an engagement manager

The engagement manager must be able to manage expectations on both sides of the equation – either between a company and its clients, or between a company and its employees – carefully balancing the different needs and capabilities involved. In a similar way, they must also be able to deal with sudden changes in the industry, or to clients, budgets and schedules, as well as identify and mitigate potential risks.

To help put this into perspective, let’s break down some of the most common daily tasks of an engagement manager, according to the different stages of their career:

Daily responsibilities of a junior engagement manager

  • Communicating with clients: acting as the first point of contact to answer questions and resolve client concerns.
  • Project tracking: monitoring the progress of assigned projects to ensure that deadlines and objectives are met.
  • Expectation management: ensuring that clients are well-informed and satisfied with the progress of the company’s services, and that employees are happy with their development plans.

 

Daily responsibilities of a mid-level engagement manager

  • Team coordination: managing the assignment of tasks within the team, ensuring that all employees work in a coordinated manner towards their objectives.
  • Problem solving: identifying and resolving any challenges that could impact the fulfillment of commitments, either to clients or the team.
  • Developing engagement strategies: helping to create strategic plans to strengthen relationships.

 

Daily responsibilities of a senior engagement manager

  • Strategic alignment: working closely with management to ensure that projects are in line with wider company goals.
  • Long-term relationship management: cultivating robust, long-term relationships with key clients by anticipating their needs and proactively seeking opportunities for improvement.
  • Thought leadership: guiding teams and individual employees as a thought leader, helping to foster a culture of ongoing engagement and collaboration.

 

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Types of engagement managers: roles and specializations

Just as specific responsibilities can vary according to the different stages of an engagement manager’s career, they can also vary according to the industry and needs of the company they work with. This has led to the development of different specializations:

  • Customer service manager

In customer service, the engagement manager is responsible for managing and improving the customer experience throughout the entire life cycle of a product or service. Their responsibilities include solving problems, managing expectations, and building long-term customer loyalty. This is a key profile in sectors which value customer service and satisfaction, such as the hospitality or retail sector.

  • Implementation Manager

Also known as an Implementation Engagement Manager, this person is responsible for overseeing the integration or implementation of products or services within a company. Their mission is to guide the adoption of a new piece of software, system or process during the initial phases, ensuring a smooth transition and managing resistance to change. This is a crucial role in the technology sector, and in companies that offer software solutions as SaaS services.

  • Strategic Project Manager

This position tends to be more popular in large organizations, where key activities and projects need to be aligned with a company’s long-term objectives. To help achieve this, the strategic project manager collaborates with leaders, ensuring that projects are completed on time and that they provide strategic value. In sectors such as e-commerce and consulting, where strategic decisions have a direct impact on business growth, this is a critically important role.

  • Customer Relationship Manager

The customer relationship manager is responsible for building and maintaining long-lasting relationships with key customers. It’s a common profile in B2C companies, where trust, consistency and continuity are essential factors for success. Therefore, in addition to maintaining and improving customer loyalty, these managers are also responsible for seeking new opportunities.

  • Digital Transformation Engagement Manager

Finally, this role specializes in managing digital transformation projects within companies. Today, it’s a fairly well-known role, thanks to the ongoing adoption of multiple new technologies and digital approaches. This manager’s responsibility is to facilitate effective change, guiding employees and customers in sectors such as finance, banking, manufacturing and more.

The key skills for a successful engagement manager

As with all professional roles, a good engagement manager must possess a specific set of skills, with special importance attached to socio-emotional skills such as leadership, communication and problem solving. Let’s take a closer look at some of these:

  • Communication and interpersonal skills: effective communication is essential for an engagement manager. They must be able to express ideas clearly, listen actively to others, and adapt their communication style to different audiences, from external clients to internal teams. Additionally, interpersonal skills such as good leadership allow them to build trusting relationships and manage potential conflicts effectively.
  • Project management skills: Engagement managers must also bring strong project management skills to the table. This requires being able to plan, organize, and oversee multiple tasks and resources, ensuring that projects are completed on time and within budget.
  • Strategic thinking and problem solving: This professional should not only be able to react to any problems that arise, but also anticipate the needs of both clients and professionals. This will help them to develop strategies that align client objectives with those of the company.

 

Common challenges faced by engagement managers

Although this position is highly rewarding and a much sought-after position these days, it also brings its own set of challenges. These include:

  • Managing expectations: Engagement managers must be able to manage expectations realistically, ensuring that commitments can be met without compromising on quality of service. They need to be able to manage not only their own expectations, but also those of clients and employees simultaneously.
  • Managing multiple projects at once: Because these professionals will often need to manage several projects or clients at the same time, there is a real risk of work overload or conflicting priorities. Organizational skills and the ability to prioritize are essential to help avoid this.
  • Resolving conflicts: Disagreements or misunderstandings can potentially arise within any working relationship. An engagement manager must therefore be capable of resolving conflicts quickly and effectively, preventing them from having a negative effect on project progress or client satisfaction.
  • Adapting to change: Due to the rapid pace of technological evolution, as well as consistently increasing customer demands, engagement managers must be flexible and ready to adapt to sudden change. This includes keeping up to date with any new tools or methodologies that could enhance their work.

 

As we’ve seen, the role of engagement manager is fundamental for building and maintaining long-lasting, successful relationships with both clients and employees. However, it also brings plenty of challenges, each of which requires exceptional skills and the right tools to manage effectively. One of those tools is isEazy Engage.

This platform offers a wide range of interactive solutions, helping you to boost engagement and productivity within your organization and optimize the way you manage your team. With its powerful features – such as microlearning, gamification, virtual assistant and even social and collaborative tools – you can easily level up your communication, training, knowledge and task management processes, and all from one intuitive, easy-to-use app. So, don’t wait any longer! Request a demo today and find out what isEazy Engage can do for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do engagement managers collaborate with different teams inside a company?

Engagement managers work closely with various teams such as sales, marketing and support, helping to ensure that each one is aligned with customer needs. In this sense, they act as a bridge between internal departments and customers.

What are some of the common challenges faced by engagement managers?

Common challenges include having to manage multiple projects at once, balancing expectations on both sides of a professional relationship, and resolving any issues that may arise for either clients or the team.

What does the typical career progression for engagement managers look like?

An engagement manager will typically start out focusing on smaller projects in more junior roles, before moving up to positions of greater responsibility, for example managing large accounts, or strategically leading teams for global companies.

Which industries typically hire engagement managers?

This role has gained significantly in popularity, and today industries such as customer service, technology, e-commerce and consulting often demonstrate high demand for engagement managers due to the importance of maintaining long-term relationships.

How can I become an engagement manager?

To become an engagement manager, you’ll ideally need to have experience in project management, good interpersonal skills, and a customer-focused approach. Specific knowledge of the sector you want to specialize in will also help you.

Elizabeth Aguiar Chacón
Elizabeth Aguiar Chacón
Content Marketing Specialist at isEazy

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