Education Required

• Almost all organizations require a bachelor's degree in a closely related field and a master's degree in business administration. Because corporate planning analysts are involved in all aspects of the business, they're required to have good working knowledge of many business sectors and specifically of strategic and growth planning.
  
  

Compensation and Budget Planning

• Large organizations have planning analysts involved with compensation and budget analysis. These professionals are responsible for analyzing corporate budgets and profit and loss statements, and for providing data that will best fit the organization's goals and profit expectations. Their data typically include compensation changes, budget forecasting and suggested salary increases for the upcoming year before performance reviews are done.
  
  Their position requires a solid understanding of market trends and economic conditions that may affect the organization's overall profitability and hiring needs, as well as potential future growth. In some organizations, compensation and budget planning professionals offer valuable input regarding layoffs or needs for budget cuts.
  
  

Systems Planning

• Systems planning analysts are involved with technology needs and upgrades within an organization. Because technology continues to improve and organizations plan future growth, systems planning analysts are needed to make decisions that best fit the organization's current and future technology needs. This involves detailed analyses of system functionality, capacity, and the ability to expand and improve with technology.
  
  Most systems planning analysts are required to have a technical degree, because their job involves a solid understanding of technology and its capabilities.
  
  

Brand Planning

• Brand planning analysts typically work with highly visible organizations that require media and brand marketing. This involves extensive research in marketing and competitor activities, as well as consumer interests and needs. They work with marketing and media outlets to analyze, organize, plan and suggest best branding opportunities within budget guidelines.
  
  

Growth and Future Planning

• All corporate planning analysts are involved in growth and future planning. Growth and planning for future business needs is an important factor for any organization and requires extensive research and strategic design in the many areas of business they plan on expanding. Although planning analysts may work in specific areas of business, organizations that have planning analysts in different business areas require collaborative analysis and insight from their planning analysts.
  
  Some consulting organizations offer services and expertise in corporate planning, and many small and large organizations hire consulting organizations for strategic planning and insight on best practices of corporate planning.