Strategic planners identify the long-and-short-term goals of a company and workable strategies to accomplish these goals. They assess the company's goals and identify areas for improvement. They are responsible for researching industry trends and conducting relevant and current market research. They prepare reports on strategic ideas for senior management teams and them with their research findings. They also assess sales metrics to gauge the success of potential new strategies.
Strategic planners rely heavily on their analytical skills. They need to use sound logic when making observations about the company's current methods to suggest the correct ideas to implement improvements. As problem solvers, strategic planners need excellent interpersonal and communication skills and fluency in industry strategies. They also need to interpret relevant and necessary data based on their research. Strategic planners need a minimum bachelor's degree in business, finance, marketing, or related fields and prior experience as a strategic planner or a business analyst.