Strategic Business Partners: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of strategic business partners about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for strategic business partners to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of strategic business partners expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for strategic business partners.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Strategic Business Partners?
Do strategic business partners need a degree? What kind of experience do strategic business partners typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for strategic business partners to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Strategic Business Partners
Jobs Postings for Strategic Business Partners By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 17,647 (44%)
- No Education Listed: 12,159 (30%)
- Master's degree: 5,064 (13%)
- High School or GED: 4,526 (11%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 577 (1%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of strategic business partners. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 44% of positions. In 30% of job listings no education level was listed and in 13% of postings a master's degree was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Strategic Business Partners
Jobs Postings for Strategic Business Partners By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 3,500 (18%)
- 2-3 Years: 6,834 (34%)
- 4-6 Years: 6,044 (30%)
- 7-9 Years: 2,125 (11%)
- 10+ Years: 1,398 (7%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for strategic business partners. In 34% of job postings for Strategic Business Partners, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 30% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience, while 0-1 years of experience was sought in 18% of job postings for strategic business partners.
What Kind of Degree Do Strategic Business Partners Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for strategic business partners, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 36 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective strategic business partners, and in 2023 a total of 1,081,261 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective strategic business partners.
Top Degree Programs for Strategic Business Partners
Top 5 Degree Programs for Strategic Business Partners (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 335,156 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 333,999 |
| General Studies. | 123,192 |
| Business/Commerce, General. | 57,116 |
| Criminal Justice/Safety Studies. | 43,663 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 335,156 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 333,999 |
| General Studies. | 123,192 |
| Business/Commerce, General. | 57,116 |
| Criminal Justice/Safety Studies. | 43,663 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other. | 34,318 |
| Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration. | 27,457 |
| Economics, General. | 21,664 |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician. | 21,228 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other. | 13,002 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General. | 9,274 |
| Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies. | 9,123 |
| International Business/Trade/Commerce. | 7,469 |
| Operations Management and Supervision. | 5,855 |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other. | 4,872 |
| Business/Managerial Economics. | 4,864 |
| Sustainability Studies. | 4,382 |
| Small Business Administration/Management. | 2,948 |
| Fashion Merchandising. | 2,911 |
| Homeland Security. | 2,894 |
| Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management. | 2,481 |
| Intelligence, General. | 2,413 |
| Cyber/Computer Forensics and Counterterrorism. | 1,935 |
| Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other. | 1,386 |
| Taxation. | 1,256 |
| Accounting and Business/Management. | 1,214 |
| Retail Management. | 983 |
| Energy Systems Technology/Technician. | 806 |
| Accounting and Related Services, Other. | 795 |
| Securities Services Administration/Management. | 696 |
| Security and Loss Prevention Services. | 500 |
| E-Commerce/Electronic Commerce. | 415 |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations, Other. | 335 |
| Science/Technology Management. | 321 |
| Solar Energy Technology/Technician. | 228 |
| Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians, Other. | 110 |
Top Online College For Working Adults
Franklin University is a top choice for adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org/800.621.7440), Franklin offers more than 50 affordable bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.
Degree Options for Strategic Business Partners
<p>Explore Franklin’s 100% online accredited business administration degree with project management specialization. Build practical skills for project-focused careers in business.</p>
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
- Accreditation: IACBE
Learn to identify, resolve, and prevent white-collar crime in a variety of business settings while preparing for the CFE exam.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
- Accreditation: IACBE
<p>Gain college credit for your training and work experience and prepare to move into management or grow your small business.</p>
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
- Accreditation: IACBE
The B.S. in Sport Management major provides big-league career opportunities for sports-minded individuals with a head for business. You’ll learn how essential business concepts translate to the sports industry and open the door to a variety of roles.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
- Accreditation: IACBE
What Skills Do Strategic Business Partners Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by strategic business partners to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for strategic business partners, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Strategic Business Partners
Based on 34,199 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Strategic Business Partners
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | 8,502 | 25% |
| Project Management | 6,756 | 20% |
| E-Commerce | 5,431 | 16% |
| Merchandising | 3,904 | 11% |
| Data Analysis | 3,711 | 11% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Strategic Business Partners
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 16,133 | 47% |
| Management | 12,934 | 38% |
| Sales | 11,232 | 33% |
| Customer Service | 10,502 | 31% |
| Leadership | 8,488 | 25% |
Based on 34,199 job postings related to strategic business partners, marketing was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 25% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for project management, e-commerce, merchandising, data analysis and auditing were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for strategic business partners, followed by management, sales, customer service, leadership and operations.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | 8,502 | 25% |
| Project Management | 6,756 | 20% |
| E-Commerce | 5,431 | 16% |
| Merchandising | 3,904 | 11% |
| Data Analysis | 3,711 | 11% |
| Auditing | 3,563 | 10% |
| Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) | 3,326 | 10% |
| Cyber Security | 3,258 | 10% |
| Finance | 2,935 | 9% |
| Computer Science | 2,765 | 8% |
| Analytics | 2,728 | 8% |
| Digital Marketing | 2,524 | 7% |
| Environmental Social And Corporate Governance (ESG) | 2,439 | 7% |
| Search Engine Optimization | 2,414 | 7% |
| Continuous Improvement Process | 2,282 | 7% |
| New Product Development | 2,113 | 6% |
| Accounting | 1,994 | 6% |
| Warehousing | 1,978 | 6% |
| User Experience (UX) | 1,961 | 6% |
| Business Development | 1,893 | 6% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 16,133 | 47% |
| Management | 12,934 | 38% |
| Sales | 11,232 | 33% |
| Customer Service | 10,502 | 31% |
| Leadership | 8,488 | 25% |
| Operations | 8,488 | 25% |
| Detail Oriented | 7,698 | 23% |
| Problem Solving | 7,040 | 21% |
| Writing | 6,691 | 20% |
| Planning | 6,432 | 19% |
| Research | 6,224 | 18% |
| Presentations | 6,074 | 18% |
| Microsoft Excel | 5,797 | 17% |
| Microsoft Office | 5,337 | 16% |
| Consulting | 4,529 | 13% |
| Self-Motivation | 4,496 | 13% |
| Organizational Skills | 3,862 | 11% |
| Innovation | 3,753 | 11% |
| Coordinating | 3,732 | 11% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 3,675 | 11% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about strategic business partners? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for strategic business partners.
What do strategic business partners do?
How much do strategic business partners make?
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