“Strategy” is one of those catch-all corporate phrases that can actually represent an incredible array of job opportunities. It can also provide maximum flexibility for PhDs and graduate students pursuing these jobs to showcase their various skills beyond a narrow domain expertise.
What are strategy jobs?
They are a diverse and growing category of roles across industries that focus on high-level planning, analysis, and decision-making to guide organizations toward their long-term goals. For PhDs, these positions leverage advanced analytical, research, and problem-solving skills developed during doctoral training, and offer intellectually stimulating alternatives to traditional academic careers.
These jobs can be represented across corporate, government, nonprofit, and consulting fields, often involving cross-functional collaboration, leadership, and the ability to translate complex data into actionable plans125.
PhDs are well-suited for these roles due to their expertise in critical thinking, data analysis, and managing complex projects12.
Here are a few examples:
Strategy Job Titles Across Fields
| Field | Example Job Titles |
|---|---|
| Corporate | – Chief Strategy Officer (CSO)23 – Corporate Strategist5 – Director of Strategy3 – Strategy Insights & Planning Associate/Consultant3 – Strategic Planner4 – Business Development Analyst5 – Business Analyst5 |
| Consulting | – Strategy Consultant35 – Management Consultant5 – Insights & Planning Consultant3 |
| Government | – Policy Advisor2 – Strategic Planning Specialist (Government Agency)2 |
| Nonprofit | – Director of Strategic Initiatives – Program Strategy Manager |
| Research/Academia | – Research Manager (Strategy Focus)2 – Research Scientist, Demography and Survey Science3 – University Professor (Strategic Management)2 |
| Healthcare/Pharma | – Director, HIV Scientific Lead (Strategic Research)3 – Healthcare Strategy Consultant3 |
| Legal | – Director, Litigation Strategy3 |
| Entrepreneurship | – Founder/CEO (Strategic Ventures)2 – Strategic Advisor (Startups)2 |
| Finance | – Finance Manager (Strategic Planning)5 – Financial Advisor (Strategy Focus)5 |
| Technology/Data | – User Experience Researcher (Strategic Analysis)3 – Modeling and Simulation Lead (Strategic Projects)3 |
This week we compiled a cluster of representative strategy and consulting jobs on our SmartJobs page. These include a range of positions across healthcare, financial services, non-profit NGOs, climate businesses and technology firms,to name a few.
Bottom line: strategy jobs are ideal for PhDs seeking impactful, intellectually engaging careers beyond academia. These roles exist in every sector and value the advanced skills PhDs bring—making them a natural fit for those ready to make an impact.
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