A strategic planner is a professional who is responsible for developing and executing strategies and processes to help a company reach its growth objectives. They are tasked with forming business strategy, creating plans, analyzing data, and aligning goals to achieve company objectives. Strategic planners must possess sound strategic thinking, analytical skills, and market research experience. The job of a strategic planner involves assessing and studying the current corporate or institutional culture and objectives to determine if they are the correct objectives.
If they are, the planner must then decide the best way to accomplish them. In addition to identifying and motivating people to reach those goals, they must be able to balance their strategies with productivity and profitability. Strategic planners analyze markets, sales trends, and niches and provide recommendations to senior management on marketing approaches. The goal of a strategic planner is to maintain existing markets, as well as to research future opportunities for a company to improve its profit and revenue share. These professionals work in a variety of industries, from entertainment, communications, or manufacturing. The usual practice in strategic planning is to chart a short-term future, usually for the next three to five years, although there are exceptions.
Strategic planners must also keep their eyes and ears open, continuously monitoring the business climate. To become a strategic planner, you need several qualifications, including post-secondary education and years of management and analytical experience. It is often necessary for a strategic planner to work closely not only with the company's top executives, but also with department managers. If you're interested in the job description of a strategic planner, it might be time to take the next step in your career. While it's possible to find a job as a strategic planner with just a master's degree and relevant work experience, you can stand out from the competition by earning a doctorate. Strategic planners may need to modify their strategic processes to align them with emerging regulatory guidelines. If you're currently a high school student considering pursuing a career as a strategic planner, you should enroll in a business-related degree program.
