Benjamin Franklin is reported as saying that by failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail. Having a plan in order to achieve success is something that more and more organisations are spending time and resources on, but there are already some jobs that are all about planning. Here, we profile some of those roles and examine what, if anything, they have in common.
Town planner
It’s easy to fall into the trap and think that being a Town Planner could be a bit of a yawn – refereeing arguments between neighbours about unsightly granny annexes. In reality, it’s an important role that helps to manage and develop cities, towns, villages and the countryside. The challenge is to balance the conflicting demands of housing, businesses, farming, recreation, transport and the environment.
A Royal Town Planning Institute-accredited degree or postgrad course is usually required to get started in this career before, with experience, becoming a Chartered Town Planner. Problem-solving, analytical and communication skills are essential, as is attention to detail and up-to-date knowledge to pick your way through the planning regulation ‘minefield’.
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Financial planner
At the heart of this job, sometimes also known as an Independent Financial Adviser or Wealth Manager, is the need for an A-Z understanding of a client’s financial situation so that advice can be given on investments, estate planning, tax, mortgages and pensions.
A financial planner must become chartered through the Personal Finance Society, or obtain certification from the Institute of Financial Planning, to practise. Communication, interpretation and evaluation skills are vital, as is an encyclopaedic knowledge of the constantly changing landscape of this heavily legislated industry.
Marketing planner
Also often described as Marketing Manager/Officer, Media Planner or Advertising Account Planner, this really is an army general-type role – but involves directing a marketing campaign across multiple media platforms rather than a battle! You’ll coordinate with creative, financial and admin colleagues to make sure the campaign ideas work and are targeted at the right audience.
A successful marketing ‘general’ needs to have much the same people and organisational skills as a Financial or Town Planner, as well as being familiar with clients’ needs and the latest marketing methods.
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Strategic planner/manager
Job titles vary, but whatever it is the task is to set up an organisation’s goals and plan how they can be achieved, so it’s a role for senior in-house leaders or possibly external Management Consultants.
Fulfilling this role requires broad experience in the relevant industry sector and the ability to analyse information about an organisation, track industry trends, identify business threats and find strategic solutions. In the majority of roles you will also need qualifications in management. Again, the role demands people, analytical and problem-solving strengths – allied to an understanding of both the organisation and its sector.
So what does this tell us about planners? It’s clear you need to know ‘your stuff’ whatever the field – you can’t navigate a course if you don’t know north from south. Planners need to be able analyse the available information and solve problems using that data. Lastly, because they can’t do it all alone, a planner must have excellent communication skills to explain to others their part in implementing a plan.
All these attributes help to see ‘the bigger picture’ and come up with a strategy. If that sounds like you, perhaps it’s time to plan a new career move!
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