Management Analysts

Career summary

Organizations hire management analysts when they have problems that need to be solved. Problems range from reorganizing the corporate structure to setting up a new method to track inventory.

Management analysts begin by collecting, reviewing, and analyzing information. They observe the business to see how work is done. Analysts also:

• Read business reports
• Examine financial statements
• Talk to employees

Management analysts analyze the information they gathered and develop solutions. Analysts consider how similar businesses are run. Analysts also look at how work is assigned. For example, they look at which group of employees is supervised by each manager and how they interact.

Once they have solutions, management analysts report their findings to clients. Some clients want only the reports. Other clients have the analysts apply their solutions. In these situations, analysts work with the employees to make the changes. Analysts may write or edit manuals that explain procedures. They may conduct reviews to check that the procedures are working.

Management analyst is the term used for people who work for government agencies. In business, the term for these workers is management consultant.

Related careers

This career is part of the Business Management and Administration cluster of careers.

Related careers include:

• Administrative Services Managers
• Financial Analysts
• Financial Managers
• Human Resources Managers
• Market Research Analysts
• Operations Research Analysts

Military careers

• Management Analysts and Planners

Job duties

Task list

The following list of tasks is specific to management analysts.

• Collect information about organizations. Read reports.
• Plan study of work problems and procedures.
• Confer with employees to make sure new procedures and systems work as planned.
• Analyze data they gathered and create solutions.
• Write reports of recommendations or give presentations.
• May help clients make changes to their organizations.
• Prepare manuals and train workers in new procedures.
• May work alone or as part of a team, depending on the project.
• Develop new systems for keeping and maintaining records and files.

Common work activities

Management analysts perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many careers.

• Provide advice and consultation to others
• Make decisions and solve problems
• Get information needed to do the job
• Analyze data or information
• Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates
• Establish and maintain relationships
• Explain the meaning of information to others
• Organize, plan, and prioritize work
• Develop and build teams
• Process information
• Identify objects, actions, and events
• Develop goals and strategies
• Update and use job-related knowledge
• Judge the value of objects, services, or people
• Coordinate the work and activities of others
• Think creatively
• Monitor events, materials, and surroundings
• Evaluate information against standards
• Coach others
• Resolve conflicts and negotiate with others
• Schedule work and activities
• Estimate sizes, quantities, time, cost, or materials needed
• Use computers
• Teach others
• Convince others to buy goods or change their minds or actions
• Guide, direct, and motivate others
• Document and record information
• Communicate with people outside the organization
• Monitor and control resources

Work requirements

Working conditions

In a typical work setting, management analysts:

Interpersonal relationships

• Communicate by e-mail, telephone, and in person on a daily basis. They also write letters and memos, but less often.
• Have a medium level of social contact with clients and their employees.
• Are responsible for the work done by the workers they train.
• Often work as part of a team of analysts.
• Occasionally speak in front of large groups.
• Are occasionally placed in conflict situations in which others may have strong disagreements about decisions.

Physical work conditions

• Always work indoors.
• Work close to others, such as when sharing office space.

Work performance

• Must fully complete and be exact in their work. Errors could cause clients to lose money or time.
• Make decisions that affect their company and clients on a regular basis. They often make decisions without consulting a supervisor, but also seek input from others.
• Set most of their daily tasks and goals without consulting another first.
• Must meet regular weekly deadlines.
• Repeat the same mental tasks.

Hours/travel

• Generally work 40 hours per week on a set schedule.
• May work nights and weekends to meet deadlines.
• Travel frequently and may be away from home for long periods while working on projects.

Physical demands

Management analysts frequently:

• Sit for long periods of time.

It is important for management analysts to be able to:

• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Understand the speech of another person.
• See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.

It is not as important, but still necessary, for management analysts to be able to:

• See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.

Skills and abilities

Management analysts need to:

Communicate

• Understand spoken information.
• Understand written information.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Listen to others and ask questions.
• Write clearly so other people can understand.
• Read and understand work-related materials.

Reason and problem solve

• Combine several pieces of information and draw conclusions.
• Analyze ideas and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
• Identify what must be changed to reach goals.
• Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
• Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
• Judge the costs and benefits of a possible action.
• Recognize when important changes happen or are likely to happen in a system.
• Recognize the nature of a problem.
• Follow guidelines to arrange objects or actions in a certain order.
• Think of new ideas about a topic.
• Understand new information or materials by studying and working with them.
• Think of original, unusual, or creative ways to solve problems.
• Develop rules that group items in various ways.

Use math and science

• Choose a mathematical method or formula to solve problems.
• Use math skills to solve problems.

Manage oneself, people, time, and things

• Check how well one is learning or doing something.
• Manage the time of self and others.
• Motivate, develop, and direct people as they work.

Work with people

• Be aware of others' reactions and understand the possible causes.
• Change behavior in relation to others' actions.
• Look for ways to help people.
• Persuade others to approach things differently.
• Teach others how to do something.
• Use several methods to learn or teach new things.
• Solve problems by bringing others together to discuss differences.

Work with things

• Analyze needs and requirements when designing products.

Education and training

Educational programs

The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.

Programs of study directly related to this occupation

• Business Management and Administration
• Organizational Leadership

Other programs of study to consider

• Accounting
• Business Economics
• Business, General
• Economics
• Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
• Human Resources Management
• International Business, Trade, and Finance
• Labor and Industrial Relations
• Management Information Systems
• Management Sciences
• Nonprofit Management
• Operations Management
• Operations Research
• Project Management
• Public Administration

Training

To work as a management analyst, you typically need to:

• have a high school diploma or equivalent;
• have a bachelor's degree; and
• have one to five years of related work experience.

Education after high school

Management analysts learn their skills through formal training programs. You must have at least a bachelor's degree. Several fields of study provide good preparation for this occupation. Common areas of study are business, management, computer and information science, and engineering. Many analysts have a master's degree in business administration (MBA).

Work experience

This is not an entry-level occupation. Most management analysts have years of work experience in other occupations. You should get experience in management, human resources, information technology, accounting, or other administrative areas.

Military training

Some branches of the military train people to be management analysts and planners. You need a bachelor's degree to enter this military occupation. Training lasts six to ten weeks, depending on your specialty. Additional training occurs on the job.

Helpful high school courses

In high school, take classes that prepare you for college. A college preparatory curriculum may be different from your state's graduation requirements.

You should also consider taking some advanced courses in high school. This includes Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses if they are available in your school. If you do well in these courses, you may receive college credit for them. Advanced courses can also strengthen your college application.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:

• Business Law
• Computer Applications
• Economics
• Probability and Statistics
• Psychology

Many management analysts are self-employed. If you want to run your own business some day, you should consider taking these courses as well:

• Accounting
• Entrepreneurship
• Introduction to Business

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups that may be available in your high school or community.

Things to know

Educational requirements vary by employer. Employers in private industry prefer to hire analysts who have a master's degree in business administration (MBA). They also prefer applicants who have several years of experience. In contrast, government agencies will hire analysts who have only a bachelor's degree. These agencies usually will pay for analysts to take graduate classes in management analysis.

Employers look for applicants who are motivated and need little supervision. They also look for applicants who have excellent communication and analytical skills. In addition, employers look for applicants who have excellent people skills and can work well on a team.

Management analysts may improve their chances of being hired by becoming certified by the Institute of Management Consultants (IMC) listed in the Other Resources section of this description. General certification requirements include: member of IMC, at least three years experience as a full-time management consultant, a bachelor's degree, references from five clients, written summaries and a discussion with a panel of five client assignments, and the ability to pass a code of ethics exam and qualifying interview conducted by senior certified consultants. Those who qualify must renew their certification every three years.

#made minor changes to requirements 3/5/09 cj. For general info go to: http://www.imcusa.org/?CERTWHATCMC  Checked above info 3/2/15 cj, lh 1/28/16 & 11/15/16 cj.

Tips

A strong academic record and experience in a related field are important for this type of work.

Costs to workers

Workers usually must wear business attire when working directly with clients. They may also wish to join a professional association, which may have annual dues. Management analysts, who are members of The Institute of Management Consultants and wish to be certified by it, must pay a $350 initial application/assessment fee. The renewal fee is $150 every three years. Other fees may apply. Annual dues vary depending on the application date and class of membership.

#Checked the IMC web site, updated fees, removed admin fee as it only applies if documents are in non-digital format, did not see any info on oral exam entrance fee so removed and added generic fee statement. Lh 5/7/10. Info/fees still the same, 2/9/11, cj. Ok 2/1/12 lh. Ok 3/13/13, 3/2/15, 11/15/16, 4/10/19 cj.

Job listings

Listed below are links to job categories from the National Labor Exchange that relate to this career. Once you get a list of jobs, you can view information about individual jobs and find out how to apply. If your job search finds too many openings, or if you wish to search for jobs outside of Washington, you will need to refine your search.

• Management Analysts 

To get a listing of current jobs from the WorkSource system, go to the WorkSource website .

Wages

Wages vary by employer and area of the country. The analyst's reputation, experience, and ability also affect wages.

Management analysts who work full time usually receive benefits. Typical benefits include sick leave, paid vacation, and health and life insurance. Some employers also provide a retirement plan. Analysts may receive profit sharing and bonuses for outstanding work. Employers usually pay for all travel costs. Self-employed analysts must provide their own insurance and retirement plan.

Employment and outlook

Washington outlook

The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.

National employment

About 18% of management analysts are self-employed.

Major employers:

• Management consulting companies
• Finance and insurance companies
• Federal, state, and local government agencies
• Computer systems design companies

National outlook

There will be strong growth in this occupation. The demand for management analysts will stem from organizations hiring outside experts to improve their performance. Foreign and domestic competition is forcing US companies to find ways to become more efficient. The government will also hire management analysts to help them become more efficient. Companies will also turn to management analysts to look for ways to be more energy efficient.

Competition will be very strong as this occupation pays well and there are a lot of qualified workers. Those with an advanced degree, a specialization, or fluency in a foreign language will have the best job prospects.

Other resources

American Academy of Financial Management 
1670 F East Cheyenne Mtn Blvd
Colorado Springs, CO 80906

Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences 
5521 Research Park Drive, Suite 200
Catonsville, MD 21228
800.446.3676
443.757.3500

Institute of Financial Operations 
149 Terra Mango Loop, Suite B
Orlando, FL 32835
877.885.4277
407.351.3322

Institute of Management Consultants 
2598 E. Sunrise Boulevard, Suite 2104
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304
561.472.0833

Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics 
3600 Market Street, 6th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19104
215.382.9800

Washington Business Week 
PO Box 1170
Renton, WA 98057
253.237.3545

References

Career cluster

• Business Management and Administration

Career path

• Investigative (Science)

O*Net  occupation

• Management Analysts (13-1111.00) 

O*Net job zone 

• Job Zone 5 - Extensive preparation needed. Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience.

DOT occupations

• Clerical-methods Analyst (161.267-010) 
• Director, Records Management (161.117-014) 
• Forms Analyst (161.267-018) 
• Management Analyst (161.167-010) 
• Manager, Forms Analysis (161.167-014) 
• Manager, Records Analysis (161.167-018) 
• Manager, Reports Analysis (161.167-022) 
• Records-management Analyst (161.267-022) 
• Reports Analyst (161.267-026) 

Holland occupational cluster

• Investigative/Enterprising/Conventional

COPSystem

• Business Professional