Head of Strategy: skills & capabilities the market requires

Based on 1,775 real Head of Strategy job postings, here is what companies actually require for this role today: the capabilities that define it, the hard skills named most often, the scope expected, typical experience and pay. The market leans hardest on Strategic Leadership (83%) and Cross-functional Leadership (57%).

Open the interactive Skill Check to filter by country, industry and company size.

Core capabilities for a Head of Strategy

Strategic Leadership — required in 83% of postings
Cross-functional Leadership — required in 57% of postings
Executive Communication — required in 57% of postings
Stakeholder Management — required in 49% of postings
Operational Excellence — required in 48% of postings
Data & Analytics — required in 43% of postings
Risk, Security & Compliance — required in 28% of postings

Most-required hard skills

Strategic Planning
Project Management
Data Analysis
Financial Analysis
Market Analysis
Financial Modeling
Business Development

Leadership & soft skills

Strategic Thinking
Leadership
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Communication

Scope, experience & pay

Head of Strategy roles expect deal / M&A experience in 8% of postings, IPO or capital markets in 3%, and transformation in 27%. Typical stated experience: 10 years. Pay signal from postings (base): $198K–$253K.

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