How To Become A Planning Specialist: What It Is and Career Path

What is a planning specialist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A planning specialist develops strategies for achieving goals and objectives. They work with teams to create plans that are tailored to the needs of their clients, while also taking into account industry trends and best practices. Planning specialists must have strong analytical skills and communicate with stakeholders at all levels. They also adapt to changing circumstances and adjust plans as needed. Common duties for planning specialists include conducting research, analyzing data, creating timelines, and presenting findings.

ScorePlanning SpecialistUS Average

Salary

5.4

Avg. Salary $69,170

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.8

Growth rate 28%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

7.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.38%

Asian 11.26%

Black or African American 11.21%

Hispanic or Latino 19.55%

Unknown 5.49%

White 52.11%

Gender

female 50.55%

male 49.45%

Age - 39

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 39

Stress level

6.8

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.5

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

3.5

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a planning specialist?

Pros

Collaborative work environment
Competitive salary and benefits
Job stability
Flexibility in work hours and location
Opportunity to work with a variety of stakeholders

Cons

Limited creativity and autonomy in decision making
Involvement in controversial decisions that may not align with personal beliefs
Potential for conflicts with local residents or community groups
Difficulty in measuring the success of projects
Potential for burnout due to heavy workload and high pressure

Key steps to become a planning specialist

Explore planning specialist education requirements

Most common planning specialist degrees

Bachelor's

67.4 %

Master's

13.0 %

Associate

11.7 %

Start to develop specific planning specialist skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	12.63%
Logistics	10.08%
Project Management	9.68%
Data Analysis	5.81%
Continuous Improvement	4.58%

Complete relevant planning specialist training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New planning specialists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a planning specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real planning specialist resumes.

Gain additional planning specialist certifications

Planning specialist certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific planning specialist certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for planning specialists include Six Sigma Green Belt and Certified Professional, Life and Health Insurance Program (CPLHI).

More About Certifications

Research planning specialist duties and responsibilities

Lead RFP process including issuance, review and award.
Lead SOX compliance process, enabling identification and elimination of control weaknesses in several business cycles.
Lead clients and counsel in new plan conversions, regulations for IRS, ERISA, and DOL agencies.
Maintain assign BOM, in-transit times, and lead times to achieve customer and corporate goals and improve bottom-line.

Prepare your planning specialist resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your planning specialist resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a planning specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable planning specialist resume templates

Build a professional planning specialist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your planning specialist resume.