Director, Account Management

Upwork ($UPWK) is the world’s largest work marketplace, connecting businesses with highly skilled professionals worldwide. From entrepreneurs to Fortune 100 enterprises, companies trust Upwork’s platform to access expert talent, leverage AI-powered work solutions, and drive meaningful business outcomes.

Upwork’s AI-powered platform has facilitated over $20 billion in economic opportunity for professionals worldwide. With professionals spanning 10,000+ skills, including AI and machine learning, software development, sales and marketing, customer support, finance and accounting, and more, Upwork empowers businesses of all sizes to scale, innovate, and build agile teams.

We are seeking a Director of Account Management to lead our Enterprise Segment. These teams are responsible for delivering business results while helping customers maximize the value of Upwork’s solutions. As a Director of Account Management, you will provide strategic leadership, coaching, and operational discipline to ensure your team operates at the highest level of performance. Your goal is to develop a high-performing team that is successful at strategic customer partnership and influencing customers’ contingent workforce strategies​. 

Your Responsibilities

• Lead the entire Expand Segment consisting of several Account Management teams: hire, coach, motivate and empower teams and leaders to deliver business results and achieve customers’ goals

• Own segment-level growth targets, existing customer spend retention and contract renewals, including a rigorous operational bottoms-up Forecasting cadence

• Define strategic direction for the Enterprise Segment ensuring our teams continuously evolve to meet the needs of our customers, our product capabilities & Upwork priorities

• Take ownership of team performance, proactively identifying gaps and implementing corrective actions to drive growth and retention

• Leverage data to understand and drive our business, build new processes and best practices to improve customer experience, and team’s effectiveness and efficiency 

• Develop relationships with senior stakeholders at our customers, navigate complex situations, coach internal teams and make decisions leading to successful outcomes 

• Maintain deep understanding of the talent/workforce management/staffing market trends

• Actively participate in full product feedback loop - provide thoughtful product feedback to R&D teams, and represent product roadmap and vision to the customer

• Work effectively with cross-functional partners like Customer Success, Professional Services (Classification, Managed Services Delivery, etc), Support, Marketing, and R&D

• Exercise sound judgment, customer-centricity, and bias for action in resolving issues through effective and collaborative problem-solving, appropriate escalations

What it takes to catch our eye

• 1+ years of second-line leadership experience

• 5+ years of people leadership experience with quota-carrying Account Management, Sales and/or Account Executive teams

• Proven track record of meeting/exceeding quota and strong business acumen

• Strong leadership and coaching abilities, with experience developing high-performing teams that operate as trusted advisors to customers​.

• Experience with HR tech a plus, as well as with SaaS and consumption-driven business models

• Exceptional communication and executive presence, with the ability to influence senior stakeholders and decision-makers​.

• Excellent data-driven problem solver, thrives in ambiguous fast-paced environment, anticipates challenges, and handles unknown gracefully 

• Strong sense of ownership, bias for action, and resilience - you are scrappy, will roll up your sleeves and can make things happen

• Equally comfortable discussing long-term strategy of the business, while also diving into the details of a challenging situation or personally ‘fixing’ a broken process

Come change how the world works.

At Upwork, you’ll shape the future of work for a global, remote-first workforce, creating economic opportunities for professionals worldwide. While we have a physical office in Palo Alto, we currently hire full-time employees in 21 U.S. states, making it easier than ever to join our mission from wherever you call home.

Our culture is built on trust, risk-taking, customer focus, and excellence, all in service of our core mission: to create economic opportunities so people have better lives. We embrace authenticity and inclusion, encouraging everyone to bring their whole selves to work. Personal and professional growth is a priority here, supported through development programs, mentorship, and our Upwork Belonging Communities.

We’re proud to offer benefits that go beyond the basics, including comprehensive medical coverage for you and your family, unlimited PTO, a 401(k) plan with matching, 12 weeks of paid parental leave, and an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. Visit our Life at Upwork page to learn more about our values, working principles, and the overall employee experience.

Ready to help shape the future of work? Check out our Careers page and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X. to learn more about life at Upwork.

Upwork is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse and inclusive workforce. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, genetic information, or other legally protected characteristics under federal, state, or local law.

Please note that a criminal background check may be required once a conditional job offer is made. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered in accordance with applicable law, including the California Fair Chance Act and local Fair Chance ordinances.