Embarking on the job hunt, you've likely discovered that a strategic planning manager cover letter is more than just a formality; it's a chance to stand out. Resist the temptation to rehash your resume. Instead, weave a compelling narrative around your crowning professional achievement. Balance formality with authenticity, steering clear of overused phrases that make hiring managers' eyes glaze over. Remember, brevity is key—this crucial document should encapsulate your value within a single, striking page.
- Including all the must-have paragraphs in your structure for an excellent first impression;
- Learning how to write individual sections from industry-leading cover letter examples;
- Selecting the best accomplishment to tell an interesting and authority-building professional story;
- Introducing your profile with personality, while meeting industry standards.
And, if you want to save some time, drag and drop your strategic planning manager resume into Enhancv's AI, which will assess your profile and write your job-winning cover letter for you.
If the strategic planning manager isn't exactly the one you're looking for we have a plethora of cover letter examples for jobs like this one:
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Strategic planning manager cover letter example
Victoria Baker
Phoenix, Arizona
+1-(234)-555-1234
help@enhancv.com
- Emphasizing Alignment with Company Values: The cover letter opens with a direct statement about the candidate's shared commitment to innovation and strategic solutions, directly mirroring the company’s own values, which helps to establish a cultural fit right from the start.
- Demonstrating Impact Through Metrics: The candidate provides quantifiable outcomes such as redirecting $4M towards new technologies and improving operational efficiency that demonstrate her impact on previous organizations. Including specific figures presents a clear picture of her ability to contribute significantly to financial and operational goals.
- Highlighting Relevant Experience: The cover letter points to a specific relevant project—the enterprise architecture overhaul—to underscore the candidate's direct experience with the kinds of challenges and initiatives likely to be important in the new role.
- Asserting Skills in Strategic Planning and Enterprise Architecture: By mentioning her strategic planning skills and enterprise architecture competencies, the candidate aligns her skill set with critical aspects of the role, asserting her capability to fulfill the job requirements effectively.
Designing your strategic planning manager cover letter: what is the best format
Let's start with the basics, your strategic planning manager cover letter should include your:
- Header
- Greeting
- Introduction
- Body paragraph
- Closing statement
- Signature (that's not a must)
Next, we'll move to the spacing of your strategic planning manager cover letter, and yes, it should be single-spaced (automatically formatted for you in our cover letter templates).
Don't go for a old-school font (e.g. Arial or Times New Roman), but instead, pick an ATS-favorite like Chivo, Volkhov, or Raleway, to stand out.
Our cover letter builder is also set up for you with the standard one-inch margin, all around the text.
Finally, ensure your strategic planning manager resume and cover letter are in the same font and are submitted in PDF (to keep the formatting in place).
P.S. The Applicant Tracker System (or ATS) won't be assessing your [job] cover letter, it's solely for the recruiters' eyes.
The top sections on a strategic planning manager cover letter
- Header: Include your contact information and the date, ensuring the recruiter can easily identify and reach out to you for further discussion about the strategic planning manager position.
- Greeting: Address the letter to a specific person if possible to show you've done your research and are genuinely interested in the position at the company.
- Opening Paragraph: Begin with a strong statement that captures your experience in strategic planning and your understanding of the role's impact on the company's success.
- Body Paragraph(s): Highlight your most relevant achievements, strategic initiatives you've led, and how your skills align with the job description, to demonstrate your capability to meet the company's strategic goals.
- Closing Paragraph: Reiterate your enthusiasm for the role and the contribution you could make to the company's future, while prompting the recruiter for a follow-up conversation or interview.
Key qualities recruiters search for in a candidate’s cover letter
- Demonstrated experience in strategic planning and execution: Essential to show that you can translate high-level visions into actionable plans.
- Strong analytical skills: Necessary for conducting market analysis, competitive analysis, and understanding industry trends.
- Proven track record in project management: Indicates that you can handle the complexities of managing multiple strategic initiatives simultaneously.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills: Critical for articulating strategic plans to stakeholders and aligning teams to common goals.
- Experience with financial modeling and budget management: Shows competency in quantifying strategies and ensuring alignment with financial objectives.
- Leadership and stakeholder management abilities: Essential for gaining buy-in, leading cross-functional teams, and navigating organizational dynamics effectively.
How to address hiring managers in your strategic planning manager cover letter greeting
Goodbye, "Dear Sir/Madam" or "To whom it may concern!"
The salutation of your strategic planning manager cover letter is how you kick off your professional communication with the hiring managers.
And you want it to start off a bit more personalized and tailored, to catch the recruiters' attention.
Take the time to find out who's recruiting for the role (via LinkedIn or the company page).
If you have previously chatted or emailed the hiring managers, address them on a first or last name basis.
The alternative is a "Dear HR team" or "Dear Hiring Manger", but remember that a "Dear Ms. Simmons" or "Dear Simon," could get you farther ahead than an impersonal greeting.
List of salutations you can use
- Dear Hiring Manager,
- Dear [Company Name] Team,
- Dear [Department Name] Team,
- Dear Mr./Ms. [Last Name],
- Dear [Department Head's Name],
Using your strategic planning manager cover letter intro to show your dedication
We know just how difficult it is to start writing your strategic planning manager cover letter introduction.
There are so many great qualities you have as a professional, which one should you choose?
How about writing up to two sentences about your passion and commitment to the work you do or are set to do?
Try to describe exactly what you enjoy about the potential role.
A positive attitude from the get-go will help you stand out as a motivated strategic planning manager professional.
Storytelling in the middle (or body) of your strategic planning manager cover letter
You've got your whole resume sorted, detailing your achievements and skills. What else can you write in your strategic planning manager cover letter?
For starters, take the time to re-assess the job requirements and re-discover the most crucial skills and requirements (or keywords).
After making a list of these important keywords, look back on your experience to select just one of your past accomplishments.
Choose the achievement that is the most noteworthy, relevant to the role, and matches the required skills.
Use the next between three and six paragraphs to narrate how:
- you've grown your skill set, thanks to your achievement;
- you'd use the know-how you've gained in your new role;
- your accomplishment could help your potential employers grow.
Remember that recruiters don't need a retelling of your whole resume, but want to find out what makes you, you.
Thinking about the closing paragraph of your strategic planning manager cover letter
Before your signature, you have extra space to close off your strategic planning manager cover letter.
Use it to either make a promise or look to the future.
Remind recruiters how invaluable of a candidate you are by showing what you plan to achieve in the role.
Also, note your availability for a potential next meeting (in person or over the telephone).
By showing recruiters that you're thinking about the future, you'd come off as both interested in the opportunity and responsible.
Keep this in mind when writing your zero experience strategic planning manager cover letter
Even though you may not have any professional experience, your strategic planning manager cover letter should focus on your value.
As a candidate for the particular role, what sort of skills do you bring about? Perhaps you're an apt leader and communicator, or have the ability to analyze situations from different perspectives.
Select one key achievement from your life, outside work, and narrate a story that sells your abilities in the best light.
If you really can't think of any relevant success, you could also paint the picture of how you see your professional future developing in the next five years, as part of the company.
Key takeaways
Summarizing the most important aspects in writing your strategic planning manager cover letter, remember to:
- Create a personalized strategic planning manager cover letter for each role you apply for, that includes the recruiter's name in the salutation;
- Format your strategic planning manager cover letter with single-spacing, one-inch margins, and a modern, yet ATS-friendly font;
- Always start off your strategic planning manager cover letter with two sentences that reflect what is most important about your application;
- Your strategic planning manager cover letter body should feature your biggest accomplishments and the job-relevant skills it has taught you;
- Instead of opting for the "Sincerely yours" ending, close your strategic planning manager cover letter with a nod to the future with what you aim to achieve in this potential role.
