What does a planning analyst do?
As a planning analyst, you will be responsible for designing and implementing a company's business and marketing strategies with the goal of driving profits and reducing costs. You will propose measures to enhance an organization's overall efficiency, and guide managers on ways to strengthen profit margins through risk awareness reduced costs, and increased revenues. Other duties include conducting risk analyses to identify areas of potential failure, maintaining the business continuity program, and handling internal and external corporate communications with the investment community and industry analysts.
Planning analyst responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real planning analyst resumes:
- Manage 160 footwear SKUs across 3700 stores to ensure optimal inventory depths during peak time frames.
- Reduce work in process inventory by use of KANBAN system which also lead to improve customer service.
- Manage suppliers (KPI's) to deliver target cost, service and quality levels in each operating center.
- Manage cross-functional team which successfully create a manual for ISO 9000 certification and develop a training program for new hires.
- Lead monthly and quarterly EAC forecasting and consolidate forecasts in support of corporate financial reporting.
- Prepare requests for quotes (RFQ) and requests for improvement (RFI) for distribution to existing and potential suppliers.
- Create RFI templates for future bid events with FreeMarket.
- Develop customized KPIs to measure and control the customer contact processes.
- Administer the transition of manual reporting to automation using VBA and SQL.
- Monitor and report KPIs of academic and administrative units in the university.
- Utilize JDA software while performing freight order management task for daily shipping.
- Track actual budget costs and compare to project budget for all DCs.
- Create monthly replenishment plans on a bottom-up approach, such as EDI builds and start-ups.
- Create and test models to determine pricing of circuit boards to be incorporate into the ERP system.
- Calculate operating accruals of ~ $150K monthly by querying GL for purchases make by seven departments.
Planning analyst skills and personality traits
We calculated that 8% of Planning Analysts are proficient in Project Management, Customer Service, and Data Analysis. They’re also known for soft skills such as Time-management skills, Problem-solving skills, and Analytical skills.
We break down the percentage of Planning Analysts that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Project Management, 8%
Project documentation by creating and implementing multiple projects resource and finance plans on a web-based project management system.
- Customer Service, 7%
Managed the corporate Marketing Department market analysis function including perception and image studies, departmental employee satisfaction and customer service surveys.
- Data Analysis, 6%
Deliver optimal shift and driver recommendations based on data analysis and relational management techniques for 200 associates across three sites.
- Logistics, 6%
Coordinated the scheduling of services and materials, procurement and logistics activities and provided seamless integration between office and dock operations.
- Strong Analytical, 5%
Demonstrate strong analytical and written skills with the ability to communicate with internal and external customers.
- SQL, 5%
Created SQL scripts for creating tables, views, and stored procedures, loading data into the tables.
Common skills that a planning analyst uses to do their job include "project management," "customer service," and "data analysis." You can find details on the most important planning analyst responsibilities below.
Time-management skills. One of the key soft skills for a planning analyst to have is time-management skills. You can see how this relates to what planning analysts do because "management analysts often work under tight deadlines and must use their time efficiently to complete projects on schedule." Additionally, a planning analyst resume shows how planning analysts use time-management skills: "review historical data including sales trends, research demand drivers, material on time delivery. "
Problem-solving skills. Many planning analyst duties rely on problem-solving skills. "management analysts must be able to think creatively to solve clients’ problems," so a planning analyst will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways planning analyst responsibilities rely on problem-solving skills: "developed training materials for hr shared services to use for quick resolution of routine inquiries. "
Analytical skills. This is an important skill for planning analysts to perform their duties. For an example of how planning analyst responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "management analysts must be able to interpret information and use their findings to make proposals." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a planning analyst: "assist in analyzing financial data by preparing spreadsheets through erp and edw databases which produce initial reports. ".
Communication skills. A big part of what planning analysts do relies on "communication skills." You can see how essential it is to planning analyst responsibilities because "management analysts must be able to convey information clearly in both writing and speaking." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical planning analyst tasks: "manage the development, integration, optimization, coordination, communication and driving execution of engineering/production planning schedules. "
The three companies that hire the most planning analysts are:
- Meta53 planning analysts jobs
- Masco52 planning analysts jobs
- Northrop Grumman47 planning analysts jobs
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Compare different planning analysts
Planning analyst vs. Business operations analyst
A business operations analyst is an individual who identifies and solves issues related to the performance of the business operations. Together with the management and engineering departments, business operations analysts must analyze and review a vast amount of data to identify business opportunities. They must provide recommendations and updated policies so that they can improve the company's business performance. Business operations analysts are also required to create monthly reports and present them to upper management on their key findings and assessments.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between planning analysts and business operations analyst. For instance, planning analyst responsibilities require skills such as "logistics," "sql," "management system," and "ims." Whereas a business operations analyst is skilled in "provide management," "analyze data," "shared services," and "business operations." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Business operations analysts tend to make the most money working in the technology industry, where they earn an average salary of $69,138. In contrast, planning analysts make the biggest average salary, $76,869, in the automotive industry.The education levels that business operations analysts earn slightly differ from planning analysts. In particular, business operations analysts are 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a planning analyst. Additionally, they're 0.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Planning analyst vs. Administrative analyst
An administrative analyst specializes in analyzing the company's processes and operations to come up with the best practices for the business. Their responsibilities revolve around conducting research and analysis through site inspections, surveys, interviews, and assessments. They must also coordinate with different department personnel to gather and examine data, ensuring that all processes are profitable and efficient. Furthermore, as an administrative analyst, it is essential to present findings and progress reports in adherence to the company's policies and regulations.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that planning analyst responsibilities requires skills like "logistics," "management system," "visualization," and "earned value management." But an administrative analyst might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "patients," "powerpoint," "lease management," and "financial reports."
Administrative analysts may earn a lower salary than planning analysts, but administrative analysts earn the most pay in the technology industry with an average salary of $73,935. On the other hand, planning analysts receive higher pay in the automotive industry, where they earn an average salary of $76,869.In general, administrative analysts achieve similar levels of education than planning analysts. They're 2.7% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for planning analysts in the next 3-5 years?
Erik Johnson Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Economics, Carthage College
Planning analyst vs. Logistics analyst
A logistics analyst is responsible for evaluating the company's supply chain, analyzing the cycle of a company's products to create a strategy on minimizing costs and time for each process of production without compromising the quality of output. Logistics analysts design operational techniques to maximize the productivity of the staff, identifying areas of improvement within the process, monitor shipment details, verify causes of delivery delays, and respond to customer's inquiries and concerns. They also review the payment process of the distribution, requiring them to have excellent analytical and critical-thinking skills.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from planning analyst resumes include skills like "project management," "logistics," "visualization," and "earned value management," whereas a logistics analyst is more likely to list skills in "supply chain," "continuous improvement," "data entry," and "dod. "
Logistics analysts make a very good living in the automotive industry with an average annual salary of $69,843. On the other hand, planning analysts are paid the highest salary in the automotive industry, with average annual pay of $76,869.Most logistics analysts achieve a lower degree level compared to planning analysts. For example, they're 5.3% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Planning analyst vs. Material analyst
A materials analyst is responsible for managing the assets and materials of an organization, ensuring the adequacy of office inventories to support business operational functions. Materials analysts identify cost-reduction materials by coordinating with trusted suppliers and third-party vendors. They handle the distribution of goods and order processes according to the company's supply chain management. A materials analyst must have excellent organizational and analytical skills, especially in conducting data and statistical analysis to obtain high-quality materials that would meet the customers' demands.
Types of planning analyst
Updated January 8, 2025
