Market Research Analyst

QUALIFICATIONS

A Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration (BBA) in finance, business administration, public administration, or a related field, or a Bachelor’s degree in engineering accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET); A Master’s degree – MBA Finance would be an added plus; along with management analyst study programs or related certifications like the Certified Management Consultant (CMC) from The Institute of Management Consultants (IMC), or the Certified Analytics Professional (CAP), from the Certified Analytics Professional Program; encompassing at least 4-year requisite study and practice credit hours in the area or field of management consulting, research & analysis, and practice; combined with – On the Job Training (OJT) programs, Apprenticeships, Management Analysts Workforce Job Training or Experience; covering work topics including business & management fundamentals, concepts and principles, operations research, quantitative and qualitative methods, business economics, business laws, industry and markets, export/ import management, human resources management & industry relations, finance & accounts, sales & distribution, entrepreneurship, e-commerce, business math, business analytics, project management, processes, market dynamics, demand & supply, budgeting, data visualization, competitive analysis, branding, consumer behavior, MIS & Computer applications, measurement metrics and indicators, etc.

AVERAGE ANNUAL PAY
(Credits: www.payscale.com)

PROJECTED GROWTH
(Credits: www.bls.gov)

Management Analyst is an exciting career, in which employment is expected to grow at a strong 11 percent from 2019 to 2029.

SKILLS/ TRAITS NEEDED

Management Analysts are quintessential “system builders” and Management consultants; who as multi-taskers, must be intellectually curious, “process-oriented”, “people-centric”, and tech-savvy; with data visualization skills and the ability to understand, interpret, analyze and assimilate vast amounts of data & information, from various angles and sources; tracking and leveraging the emerging technology trends for improving operational efficiency and effectiveness of the organization; they must possess great listening skills, adaptability, resilience, problem-solving, critical and structured logical thinking, and observation skills – with transparency, objectivity, fairness, trust, and impeccable integrity. They need to be “always switched on” result-oriented “go-getters”, an excellent negotiator and communicator, with strong business vertical knowledge & networking skills; also, they must be measurement & data-driven, familiar with measurement metrics, process design, risk mitigation, and overall management and operations procedures; in their quest to design and prepare a smooth operations framework and an easy to follow Standard Operations Procedures (SOP) – in alignment with and to proliferate & progress the organization goals. Also, they must be ethical, accountable, maintain confidentiality, and need to be proactive & research-oriented individuals with an organization-level vision, cool temperament, memory, imagination, enthusiasm, trust, strong conviction, planning, and execution; coupled with strong decision-making, with excellent verbal & written communication, and interpersonal/ soft skills; ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced work environment, cool temperament, delegation, tactfulness, self-learning abilities, managerial skills, ability to motivate, and influence the management decisions; and follow-up, time management, people & stakeholder management, prioritization, presence of mind, creativity and innovation; an open mind with an aptitude for research & controlled experimentation, patience, persuasiveness, perseverance, persistence & presence. They must be detail-oriented & self-organized with a “can-do attitude” and a strong passion for their work.

WORK FUNCTIONS

Management Analysts being quintessential “system builders” and Management consultants, are responsible for studying, designing, and correcting organizational processes and procedures, operations workflow, etc.; besides providing appropriate and timely advice and inputs to the managers on how to lower costs, improve sales, revenue, and profitability of the organization; and documenting them in user-friendly operations and procedures manuals, to assist staff and management of the company in operating more efficiently and effectively. They are constantly involved in studying existing organizational systems and workflows, conducting detailed processes and procedures analysis and studies; identifying the procedural pain-points, lacunae, limitations, and loopholes, and plugging them after evaluating, simulating, and testing alternative effective and efficient tech & non-tech solutions; suggesting/ providing procedural course corrections and workarounds. Then based on the work process simplification findings, and measurement studies conducted – they streamline, recalibrate or redesign the entire process chain to smoothen out the rough edges, making the process extremely smooth & seamless; and finally documenting them in the organization’s SOP manual; overseeing and validating the rectified processes implementation in the respective departments to gradually shift the workflow, procedures and operations baseline to follow the modified SOP manual. Besides these activities, Management Analysts also prepare and deliver presentations, and assist top management in conducting marketing and employee surveys from time to time; and help in conflict management and resolution, formulate and draft organizational policies, provide statistical analysis & reporting, etc., train & mentor juniors, ensuring compliance, facilitating staff training, and perform other administrative functions. They also work closely with the top and middle management to handle management budgets, lowering the cost of operations by bringing in operational efficiencies, maximizing the organization’s sales, profitability, resulting in a positive ROI for the organization. Hence, Management Analysts play a pivotal role in the sustainability and growth of any organization, ensuring positive organizational outcomes and maintaining business continuity. They generally work with corporate entities, institutions, and other organizations, or may have their own Management consulting business.