Business Plan Consultant Job Description Template
A business plan consultant provides a financial, marketing, and operational roadmap to align stakeholders and help your business achieve its goals.
Business plans are the North Star for early-stage businesses, used as a reference point when making major business decisions, collateral when securing a new fundraising round, and as an introduction to the business and its goals when recruiting new key hires.
While business plan templates can be found online, these ready-made guides can drive entrepreneurs and their businesses away from what they actually need to achieve. A top business plan consultant will construct a custom plan that takes into account the specifics of your business, or review and pressure-test an existing plan while taking into account the latest industry trends.
Business Plan Consultant - Job Description and Ad Template
Copy this template, and modify it as your own:
Company Introduction
{{Write a short and catchy paragraph about your company. Provide information about the company’s culture, perks, and benefits. Mention office hours, remote working possibilities, and anything else that makes your company interesting.}}
Job Description
A business plan consultant provides strategic direction by {{creating or methodically pressure-testing and refining}} a company’s business plan, using an understanding of the company’s core operations, competitive advantages, and goals to provide direction on how to structure, run, and grow the business.
The ideal candidate will have some experience in running or advising early stage businesses, combining the analytical abilities of a CFA charterholder with the broad vision of a CEO to provide a roadmap to growth.
Responsibilities
- Develop an understanding of the existing business (including products/services, customers, competitors, the overall market and trends) through careful research and analysis
- Understand how major stakeholders are thinking about near-term growth, generally and in reference to specific growth initiatives, through interviews with these stakeholders
- Build a detailed financial analysis showing all of the assumptions, drivers, and financial statements for the next 3 - 5 years, accounting for a conservative, base, and aggressive case
- Conduct a total addressable market analysis for the business’ core market, assess major industry trends affecting the business, and describe what impact these trends may have on the business
- Review research reports and conduct primary research to hone in on ideal buyer type and assess customer demand for the company’s existing products and services
- Map out direct and indirect competitors, including potential future competitors, for existing and potential revenue channels
- Define a go-to-market strategy, including testing out potential marketing channels (if applicable)
- Review compensation plans and organizational structure to align incentives and ensure the health of the organization in the long-run
Skills and Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in finance, operations, research, statistics, math, economics, or related analytical discipline preferred
- Financial management experience with planning, forecasting, and business analysis; prior experience as an advisor to or executive at an early-stage company a plus
- Advanced Excel proficiency. 3+ years of practical experience of using Excel for building and maintaining financial models
- Proficiency with analytical and presentation tools {{(Excel pivot tables, SQL queries, graphing, PowerPoint)}}
- Experience within {{preferred industry}}
- A natural curiosity and a “big picture” mentality
- Experience conducting market research, including analyzing and synthesizing research reports and conducting primary research
- An understanding of marketing channels and go-to-market strategies
- Excellent spoken and written communication; comfort reaching out to and interviewing the company’s management, employees, and customer base
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How to Hire Business Plan Consultants
Business plan consultants have the industry knowledge and expertise to develop a business plan that maximizes your company’s potential and attracts investors. This guide to hiring business plan experts offers insight into best practices, skill requirements, job description tips, and interview questions and answers to help you identify the best candidate for your needs.
Read Hiring GuideHire a Top Business Plan Consultant Now
Toptal is a marketplace for top Business Plan consultants and experts. Top companies and startups hire freelance Business Plan consultants from Toptal for their mission critical projects.
See Their ProfilesAndon Baltakov
Andon is a fractional CFO and a fundraising expert for clients of Toptal. Most recently, he devised a novel business plan and a financial model for a sports information company. He also provided advisory services to launch a new social, digital business. Currently, he is working with the CFO of an entertainment enterprise to structure a business model and expand a side video project into a multimillion-dollar film business. Andon is a seasoned strategy executive who worked at the AP, CNN.
Show MoreTrevor Davis
Trevor is an experienced entrepreneur and banker with a background in business plan development, financial modeling, M&A, capital raising, and business valuation. He has worked and advised clients across many industries. Trevor has worked on over $5 billion of M&A and financing transactions and has advised clients ranging from early-stage startups to multi-billion dollar businesses.
Show MoreAaleem Jiwa
As a Deloitte consulting manager, Aaleem led the creation of a business plan and financial model for a city-owned real estate firm that enabled them to develop 50 properties in 10 years. He has helped owners of small companies and executive teams at multi-billion dollar entities optimize their businesses through financial analysis. Aaleem travels extensively, and freelancing allows him to deliver value to companies from any city in the world.
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