Description of a Corporate Planning Job

Corporate planners recommend organizational objectives and plans.

Corporate planning managers guide the organizational planning, decision making and budgeting processes. Corporate planners analyze and interpret data about an organization, prepare economic and strategic assessments, identify corporate issues requiring attention and provide information pertaining to executive deliberations. They function in a consultative manner and propose options and courses of action to improve business processes. Corporate planners are also referred to as strategic planners and strategic planning managers.

Job Profile

Corporate planners help a company's top management develop and execute strategic plans, implement improvements to business processes and present corporate plans to stakeholders. They conduct market and competitive research relative to a company's future. They also study business performance, industry trends, regulatory requirements and assess the potential impact to business operations. Strategic planners report their findings to senior managers and make recommendations on alternative courses of action, covering areas such as corporate risk, capital investments, acquisitions, divestment and growth at the corporate level.

Skills for Success

Strategic planning managers possess a variety of highly developed personal qualities, in addition to advanced technical skills and specialized business knowledge. They possess excellent written and verbal communications skills and a work ethic that demonstrates assertiveness, motivation and dedication to the job. Corporate planners demonstrate their interpersonal, communication and people skills when collaborating with diverse groups and interacting with staff at all levels of the organization. Their strategic thinking, analytical ability and problem-solving skills also contribute to job effectiveness.

Educational Background

The formal education and professional experience required for corporate planning jobs varies extensively from company to company. Many strategic planners, particularly those at the senior management level, have a bachelor's or master's degree in business administration and considerable professional experience. Qualified individuals with strong finance and business management backgrounds are ideal candidates for a career in corporate planning.

Work Conditions

Corporate planning managers spend a majority of their work hours indoors, in clean, well-lit offices. Strategic planners working for in a contractor position may travel frequently, especially if they have several clients located in different cities. Managers in this role usually work 40 hours per week; however, overtime and weekend work is sometimes necessary to meet deadlines. The work of corporate planners rarely is dangerous, though the atmosphere is sometimes stressful, especially for planners employed by organizations with strict time constraints.

Earnings Projections

PayScale indicates strategic planning managers in the United States average a base salary range of $71,603 to $108,143, with a bonus potential range of $5,033 to $14,994. Corporate planning managers employed by companies offering profit sharing programs can expect additional earnings ranging from $2,300 to $9,933. The estimated total compensation for strategic planning managers in the United States, inclusive of salary, bonus and profit sharing, ranges from $75,004 to $119,113.

References

• Jobs Results Management Institute: Corporate Planning Job Titles
• PayScale: Salary Snapshot for Strategic Planning Manager Jobs
• U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics: Management, Scientific and Technical Consulting Services
• U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics: Management Analysts