Key Account Manager – Infectious Disease | Abbott Laboratories

Job Summary

The Key Account Manager (KAM) at Abbott Rapid and Molecular Diagnostics (RMDx) is a high-level strategic sales and consulting role focused on the expansion of infectious disease diagnostic solutions across San Antonio and Austin, TX. This is not a traditional sales role; it is a technically proficient partnership position where you act as a trusted advisor to hospital networks, laboratories, and urgent care settings. You are responsible for the entire lifecycle of the account—from navigating complex contract negotiations and competitive renewals to implementing cutting-edge platforms like ID NOW™ and BinaxNOW™. By leveraging deep health economics and clinical diagnostics knowledge, you help healthcare providers make faster, smarter decisions that directly improve patient outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Account Leadership: Act as the primary point of contact for high-value accounts, providing tailored guidance and conducting regular business reviews to ensure Abbott’s solutions align with stakeholder priorities.
Revenue & Growth Ownership: Drive market share expansion and profitability through strategic account plans, contract negotiations, and the implementation of operational improvements.
Technical Product Advocacy: Maintain expert-level knowledge of the Infectious Disease portfolio (including COVID-19, Flu, RSV, Strep A, HIV, and Malaria) to influence clinical purchasing decisions and optimize reagent utilization.
Distribution Management: Plan and manage the sales performance of third-party distributor forces in the San Antonio/Austin territory, providing the training and technical expertise necessary for them to represent Abbott effectively.
Data-Driven Analysis: Utilize SFDC (Salesforce) for funnel management and PowerBI for deep-dive account analysis, forecasting future needs based on market and regulatory trends.
Cross-Functional Synergy: Partner with Marketing, Technical Service, Finance, and Legal to deliver a cohesive experience, ensuring all activities comply with FDA and internal regulatory standards.

Required Qualifications & Skills

Experience: Minimum of 5 years of proven success in medical sales, specifically within the clinical diagnostics or laboratory space.
Education: Bachelor’s degree required (Business, Healthcare, or Life Sciences preferred).
Clinical Knowledge: Deep understanding of hospital ecosystems (ED, Clinic, Physician Office Lab) and the economics of point-of-care testing.
Analytical Tools: Proficiency in the Microsoft Platform and CRM tools for complex account mapping and communication.
Travel: Willingness to be in the field 4 days per week, with up to 35% overnight travel within the assigned territory.

About the Company: Abbott Laboratories

Abbott is a global healthcare leader and one of the world’s most admired companies, recognized by Fortune for its commitment to innovation and diversity. The Rapid and Molecular Diagnostics (RMDx) division is at the forefront of global health, providing the crucial first step in clinical decision-making. Working at Abbott means joining a high-performing team united by a purpose: helping people live fuller lives through better health. The company is renowned for its “people-first” culture, offering extensive career development, tuition reimbursement, and world-class health investment plans.

Market & Industry Context

The San Antonio and Austin corridor is one of the fastest-growing healthcare markets in the United States. With the rise of integrated health networks and the increasing demand for rapid, accurate infectious disease testing at the point of care, diagnostic informatics have become a “mechanical necessity” for modern hospitals. As a KAM, you are operating in a landscape where diagnostic speed equals clinical efficiency. Your ability to translate “test results” into “health economics” allows facilities to reduce patient wait times and optimize resource allocation in high-pressure environments like the Emergency Department.

Career Growth & Progression Path

Senior Key Account Manager: Handling larger, multi-state regional accounts or high-complexity IDNs (Integrated Delivery Networks).
Regional Sales Manager: Transitioning into leadership, overseeing a team of KAMs and Sales Development Managers across the Texas/Southwest market.
Global Marketing or Strategy: Moving into Abbott’s corporate divisions to influence the next generation of diagnostic product development and global launch strategies.

Interview Preparation Insights

The “Consultative” Pitch: Be prepared to demonstrate how you move beyond “features and benefits” to discuss Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and patient throughput improvements with a Lab Director or VP of Operations.
Distributor Dynamics: Reflect on your experience managing third-party sales teams. How do you motivate a force that isn’t directly on your payroll to prioritize Abbott products?
Complex Negotiations: Prepare a case study of a difficult contract renewal where you mitigated a competitive threat while improving account profitability.
Data Literacy: Expect questions on how you use PowerBI or SFDC to “find the gap” in a territory and build a roadmap for growth.

Estimated Compensation & Benefits

Base Pay: $68,000.00 – $136,000.00 (depending on experience and location).
Medical: Free medical coverage options in the HIP PPO plan.
Education: Access to FreeU (bachelor’s degree path) and the Freedom 2 Save student debt program.
Retirement: High employer contribution retirement savings plan.

Work Environment & Location Insights

This is a Field-Based role serving the San Antonio/Austin metropolitan areas. The environment is highly autonomous, requiring a self-starter who can manage their own travel logistics and maintain a high-frequency field presence. You will spend the majority of your time in clinical and laboratory settings, necessitating a professional demeanor and a “trusted advisor” approach to client interactions.

Compliance & Equal Opportunity Note

Abbott is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity, including working mothers, female executives, and scientists. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, gender identity, or veteran status. The position requires strict adherence to FDA regulations and company operating procedures.

Key Account Manager (Infectious Disease): Core Data Summary

Category	Key Specifications & Data Points
Role & Location	Key Account Manager
Base Pay Range	$68,000 – $136,000 (Varies by location and experience).
Experience Req.	Minimum 5 years proven success in medical sales (Diagnostics preferred).
Education Req.	Bachelor’s degree (Business, Healthcare, or Life Science preferred).
Travel Req.	4 days/week within territory; up to 35% overnight travel.
Core Product Lines	ID NOW™ (Covid/Flu/Strep), BinaxNOW™, Determine HIV-1/2™, Clearview™.
Target Customers	Hospital Networks, Laboratories, Emergency Depts, and Urgent Care.
Tech Stack	SFDC (Salesforce), PowerBI, and Microsoft Platform.
Contracting	Responsible for pricing, proposal/bid preparation, and contract negotiation.
Distribution	Manage and train third-party distributor sales forces in the territory.
Regulatory	Must comply with FDA regulations and company operating procedures.
Benefits Highlights	Potential for Free Medical Coverage (HIP PPO) and high 401k match.

Strategic Leadership & Diagnostic Impact

Clinical Consulting: This is a technical role requiring a “Deep understanding” of health economics and laboratory operations to influence patient care decision-making.
Innovation Integration: Acts as a trusted advisor, helping healthcare providers implement informatics and rapid diagnostic instruments to make faster clinical decisions.
The “Value Expansion” Goal: Focuses on secure renewals and reagent optimization while mitigating competitive threats through proactive business reviews.
Cross-Functional Bridge: Partners directly with Technical Service, Finance, and Marketing to ensure a unified customer experience for complex health systems.

The San Antonio “Local 16” Landscape

With this addition, you now have 16 distinct roles ranging from service to high-tier medical leadership. Here is how Abbott compares to your other top-tier professional roles:

Role	Industry	Salary/Pay Ceiling	Education
Key Account Manager (Abbott)	Med-Tech	$136,000 (Base)	Bachelor’s + 5 yrs Exp
Project Manager (Carenet)	Health-IT	Competitive Corporate	Bachelor’s + 4-8 yrs Exp
Assoc. Director (UTSA)	Higher Ed	$61,000	Bachelor’s + 3 yrs Exp
B2B Account Exec (AT&T)	Telecom	$225,000+ (With Comm)	2-5 yrs Sales Exp
Supplier Manager II	Gov Services	Contract-to-FTE	Bachelor’s + 3-5 yrs Exp

To apply for this job please visit www.abbott.com.