A strategic planner helps an organization plan for future growth and operations by providing a framework. The position necessitates a thorough understanding of the organization as well as the ability to comprehend and work in a variety of disciplines, including finance, marketing, and research. A typical strategic planner will attempt to strike the best balance between fact and speculation using a combination of research and careful projections.
One of a strategic planner’s main responsibilities is to gather and interpret information about his or her company. A person in this position is likely to be well-versed in all aspects of an organization’s history, from financial and operational matters to public perception and marketing efforts. It’s also crucial to stay up to date on current and future financial projections, as well as to comprehend the budget and its implications for future operations.
A strategic planner will also consider external factors such as competitors, customers, and the overall economic climate. In order to determine where the organization stands in relation to the rest of the world, the planner will compare this data to internal data. The planner can use this information to make recommendations about how the company should handle current and future operations.
A strategic planner can look ahead a few years to a couple of decades, depending on the needs of a company. A strategy can be focused on a single issue or provide an overall vision for the company. The planner must be able to reconcile information that is relatively constant, such as the organization’s vision, values, and history, with information that is constantly changing, such as finances, customer behavior, marketing trends, and the overall climate in the external world.
A typical strategic planner collaborates closely with upper management, though it is often necessary to meet with employees at all levels to gain a thorough understanding of how the company operates. Planners tend to have a better understanding of how to succeed in such a position because they spend so much time with senior executives. As a result, many strategic planners advance to the top levels of an organization, even to the position of chief executive officer (CEO).
Many strategic planners are promoted from within due to the depth of organizational knowledge required by the position. They are usually mid-career professionals, though some master’s of business administration graduates do find themselves in this situation on occasion. Working as an assistant strategic planner in a larger organization is another way for an entry-level professional to break into the field.