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Strategic Planner Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

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Strategic Planner information

See California salary details

$44.9K

$98.1K

$131.3K

How much do strategic planner jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 23, 2026, the average yearly pay for strategic planner in California is $98,125.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $83,900.00 and $119,400.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a strategic planner?

A strategic planner develops long-term goals for a business or organization, including non-profits and educational institutions. Your duties and responsibilities in this career are to set institutional priorities, improve operations, and provide direction to management and workers to ensure they are working towards a common goal. Your job involves assessing and analyzing the current corporate or institutional culture and goals and determining whether they are the right goals. If they are, you determine the best way to achieve them. In addition to identifying and moving people towards those goals, you need to be able to balance your strategies against productivity and profitability.

What does a strategic planner do?

A Strategic Planner is responsible for helping organizations define their long-term goals and develop actionable plans to achieve them. They analyze market trends, assess internal strengths and weaknesses, and work with leadership to create strategies that drive growth and efficiency. Strategic Planners often facilitate decision-making processes, monitor progress, and adjust plans as needed to ensure objectives are met. Their work is essential for ensuring a company's long-term success in a competitive environment.

What skills make a successful strategic planner?

To thrive as a Strategic Planner, you need strong analytical abilities, business acumen, and experience in market research, often supported by a degree in business, marketing, or a related field. Familiarity with data analysis tools (like Excel or Tableau), project management software, and sometimes certifications such as PMP or Six Sigma are valuable. Exceptional communication, critical thinking, and collaboration skills help you influence stakeholders and drive organizational alignment. These skills are crucial for developing effective strategies that ensure long-term business growth and competitive advantage.

How does a strategic planner typically collaborate with other departments within an organization?

Strategic Planners work closely with a range of internal teams, such as marketing, finance, operations, and executive leadership, to gather insights and ensure alignment between strategy and execution. Their role often involves facilitating cross-functional meetings, translating high-level goals into actionable plans, and providing data-driven recommendations. Effective communication and collaboration are essential, as Strategic Planners must balance diverse perspectives and priorities to create cohesive strategies that drive organizational success.

What is the difference between Strategic Planner vs Market Analyst?

AspectStrategic PlannerMarket Analyst
Required CredentialsBachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or related field; often certifications in strategic planningBachelor's degree in Economics, Business, or related; certifications in data analysis or market research
Work EnvironmentCorporate strategy departments, consulting firms, or government agenciesMarket research firms, consulting agencies, or corporate marketing teams
Employer & Industry UsageUsed across industries for long-term planning and strategy developmentCommon in finance, retail, and consumer goods for market trend analysis

The main difference is that Strategic Planners focus on developing overall business strategies and long-term plans, while Market Analysts concentrate on analyzing market data and trends to inform strategic decisions. Both roles require analytical skills and industry knowledge but serve different functions within an organization.

What are strategic planner jobs?

Strategic planner jobs involve developing long-term strategies to help organizations achieve their goals. These roles typically require analyzing market trends, conducting research, and collaborating with leadership to create actionable plans. Strong analytical skills, industry knowledge, and proficiency with planning tools are essential for success in this field.

What is the career path of a strategic planner?

A strategic planner typically starts in entry-level roles such as research analyst or marketing coordinator, then advances to senior strategic planner or manager positions. With experience, they can move into roles like strategic director, business development manager, or executive leadership, often developing skills in data analysis, market research, and strategic thinking along the way.

What are the most commonly searched types of Strategic Planner jobs in California?

The most popular types of Strategic Planner jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Strategic Planner jobs in California?

For Strategic Planner jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Strategic Planner jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Strategic Planner jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Strategic Planner jobs?

Cities in California with the most Strategic Planner job openings:

Infographic showing various Strategic Planner job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 92% Full Time, 6% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 79% Physical, 6% Hybrid, and 15% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $98,125 per year, or $47.2 per hour.

Social Strategic Planner

United Collective

Huntington Beach, CA โ€ข On-site

Full-time

Posted 4 days ago


Job description

Company Description
As a team of innovative digital craftspeople, Gallegos United thinks beyond technology to celebrate and create meaningful experiences that awaken a sense of awe and discovery in people. It requires having unique cultural sensibilities and unparalleled digital creative and technical skill to be able to successfully connect brands to the modern consumer. The agency believes that when you create user experiences in service to people, you're not chasing the cultural landscape, you're shaping it. Improving upon it and delighting people-one digital experience at a time.
As technology continues to revolutionize the way people behave, there has never been a more exciting time to be a strategic planner. At Gallegos United we're looking for someone who is passionate about consumer behaviors and how they manifest across a constantly evolving digital landscape. If you are a person who is obsessed with how brands can show up to better serve consumers through cohesive and rich digital brand experiences and communications, we want you!
In this role you will work closely with a Strategy Director, who is looking for a person who is a collaborative team player but willing to stand up for strategies and creative ideas that will drive the growth for our clients.
Join us at Gallegos United to help create future forward brands.
This is a full-time in-person role based in Huntington Beach, CA.
Job Description
Responsibilities:
  • A strong command of consumer understanding will be essential in developing insights that enable audience-first planning across a wide range of audiences; including Hispanics & beyond.
  • Lead planning across accounts - brand, social, comms, etc
  • Provide support, as needed, across the agency (e.g. new business, processes, etc.)
  • Collaborate with team leaders to ensure consistent delivery of high quality materials
  • Deliver ongoing thought leadership in areas related to agency and client business
  • Participate in the development of strategic partnerships, including but not limited to the identification and application of innovative technologies/emerging media

Qualifications
  • 8+ years of strategy experience in an agency or related environment; with a focus on social media efforts
  • Solid understanding of agency and creative processes, including proficiency with building integrated campaigns / experiences
  • Positively impacted the creative product through cultural insights and inspiration
  • A proven track record of delivering insight-based strategic recommendations through understanding of social/digital platforms & metrics + presentations/storytelling
  • Experience interfacing with clients and building relationships
  • Led qualitative and quantitative research + reporting
  • Experience in working with proprietary and 3rd party strategic tools
  • Experience working across consumer account and/or working in startups

Additional Information
$90,000 - $120,000
All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.
*Actual offer may vary by market location, job-related knowledge, skills and experience.