Public Relations Executive Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Are you searching for a public relations executive job description? Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a public relations executive. Feel free to use our public relations executive job description template to produce your own public relations executive job description. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a public relations executive.
Who is a Public Relations Executive?
A Public Relations (PR) executive is responsible for formulating, executing, and analyzing a company’s communication strategy to protect the company’s reputation. The purpose of their work is to understand the public that patronizes their clients and supports them through planned publicity campaigns and also maximizes positive exposure in local, national, and international markets.
Public relations executives are the representatives of companies, organizations, and individuals. They act as a link between their clients and the general public by formulating and executing communication strategies that will help sharpen the scope of people on how they view clients.
Public relations executives may work for diverse organizations such as small businesses, non-profit organizations or charities, and also international charities. Regardless of the organization, they work at, their sole job responsibility is to build a positive image of the organization and promote a positive perception of the client to build trust and loyalty with customers or stakeholders.
A public relations executive important tool is the media, they work with the press and public on behalf of their client.
Public Relations Executive Job Description
What is a public relations executive job description? A public relations executive job description is simply a list of duties and responsibilities of a public relations executive in an organization. Below are the public relations executive job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a public relations executive job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
The following are the duties and responsibilities of a Public relations executive:
- Establish communication goals
This is one of the core duties of a public relations executive which is to establish the kind of communication their client will embark on with the press or public. If the client wants effective communication with the public which is transparent; the public relations executive can formulate a plan of which media platforms will utilize to communicate with the public. They formulate a standard of communication that can be referenced in the future. If the client wants to build on the company’s reputation; the public relations officer can work closely with him to accomplish his goals.
- Evaluate their company’s or client’s public image
The sole responsibility of a public relations executive is to assess their client’s public image and they achieve this by reading reviews, examining polls, and monitoring their client’s online presence to ascertain the company’s reputation. A public relations officer starts his work journey with the client by reviewing the past press releases and public events to ascertain how the client handled the press and public relations previously. This analysis can help them to know how to start handling the media and if there are any changes they should initiate to the client’s public image.
- Draft Press Releases
A public relations executive drafts press releases on behalf of the organization or client. Press releases are documents that the organization shares with the press about its new plan of action or initiatives. The organization may determine the tone the media will use and the content of the press release. Regardless of this fact, it is the responsibility of the public relations executive to choose the tone and the information that will be used to make it professional.
- Write Speeches
If an organization or client has a speech to present; the public relations executive assists him or her by drafting the speech. The client usually determines the content of the speech while the public relations executive professionally drafts the speech. The public relations officer employs creativity to draft a speech that will give the perception of what a client wants to present.
Additionally, the public relations executive determines the best time for the client to deliver a speech especially if the speech will address a situation the company is facing.
- Collaborate with the media
The public relations officer partners with the media to inform and receive news from the media. For instance, if the news is about a client that the press wants to publish, the public relations executive will utilize his media contact to find out what the news is before it gets published. They build a bond with the media to communicate the information that the client wishes to share with the public.
- Evaluate marketing Material
A public relations executive also collaborates with the marketing team to a client perception. They usually work with the marketing team to develop marketing materials and also serve as the representative of the client. They ensure that all marketing materials with the public relations goals they have set for their client.
- Responds to public events and inquires
A public relations executive helps a client to build their public perception and sometimes they decide which event invitation a client will accept and which one the client will decline. Additionally, they also help a client to plan his or her events, the public relations executive usually handles the guest lists, sends out invitations to people, and manages the meeting attendees. They are also responsible for handling all client’s inquiries and they also decide what inquiries are viable and also what responses their clients will send.
Other responsibilities they perform are:
- Research and collect opportunities for sponsorships
- Stay up to date with public relations industry trends and best practices
- Cultivate relationships with all stakeholders both internal and external
- Gauge the success of all public relations activities and campaigns
- Generate and present reports on all public relations activities
- Draft and oversee public relations budgets
Qualifications
Education: The basic requirement for a public relations executive is a bachelor’s degree in communications, public relations, journalism, English language, or any related field. A Public relations executive is a higher responsibility and so most employers may prefer a candidate with a master’s degree in public relations or communications.
Training & Experience: Public relations executives need to get job experience as interns or through an entry-level position as a public relations officer. During these periods, they need to learn the fundamentals of public relations, how to draft press releases, how to pitch stories to media platforms, and how to organize events.
Certification & Licenses: although certifications are not mandatory but getting a certification will increase your employment opportunity or your job prospects. Acquiring certifications is highly beneficial because it can also advance your career.
Skills: you need to possess the following skills: Communication, research, Writing, Strategic thinking, leadership, media relations, marketing, and conflict resolution.
Essential Skills
- Communication: Public relations executives need to possess communication skills both verbal and written because the bulk of the work of a public relations executive is more about communication. They must communicate with both internal and external contacts. Internal contacts are team members and other company departments while external contacts are the public. Communication is highly crucial because it is only through communication that they can build their clients’ image or perception. Public relations officers frequently communicate by using direct dialogue, written documents, and public speaking.
- Media Relations: Public relations executives can not work without collaborating with the media because their job demands that they interact with the media to promote an organization. They use the media to encourage good publicity and build their client reputation. These professionals need to understand how a media outlet work and also how to work with them. They serve as a liaison between the media and their client and so they must ensure that they provide the press with information their client needs to pass across. Public relations practitioners build a bond with press members so that they can easily share information.
- Marketing: the role of a public relations executive sometimes demands that he collaborates with the marketing department. The public relations executive needs to understand how the marketing team works. They usually achieve this by monitoring all marketing activities to ensure that it complies with positive impression and brand.
- Conflict Resolution: public relations serves as a liaison between the public and the organization. Public relations executives help their clients find solutions to conflicts whether it is internal or external parties that are involved. They also employ their understanding of public perception and marketing to help clients have their privacy from the press and leave a situation in a positive condition.
- Research: A Public relations executive needs to research to discover information about the organization and the competitors and the new trends emerging in the public relations industry. This information obtained can help them map out strategies or tactics for their campaigns. They also need to research their audiences, such as their interest and demographics. This information can help them pass across information to their audiences.
- Attention to Detail
- Leadership
- Strategic thinking
- Organizational and skills
- Presentation and Public Speaking skills
How to Become a Public Relations Executive
- Earn a Bachelor’s Degree
The first step to becoming a public relations executive is to earn a bachelor’s degree in communication, journalism, public relations, or any similar field. This degree will help you to master the art of public speaking or writing. For instance, if you study journalism you may be mandated to enroll for your job training in media. This will give you an excellent experience of how the media house works and it will also help you to collaborate with the media once you start your career. Use these opportunities to create a list of contacts of media personalities.
- Enroll for a Master’s Degree
A public relations executive is a top-notch role and enrolling for a master’s degree will boost your career. You can enroll for a master’s degree in communications, public relations, or any related field. This master’s degree will help you have an in-depth understanding of the scope of public relations. Some employers may prefer candidates with a master’s degree for the job position of public relations executive.
- Get Experience
You can kick start your career by taking lower job positions or entry-level job positions to gain experience. You can take up jobs like a freelance journalist, social media manager, and public relations intern. Enrolling in an internship will help you get more contacts and skills which will help you to have an incredible career as a Public relations executive officer.
- Apply for Jobs
Once you have all the necessary skills or requirements, the next thing to do is to start applying for jobs. Before you apply for a job; draft a marketable resume that highlights all your skills, qualifications, and experience. You can also utilize the internet or search engines to look for more job vacancies. You must decide the kind of industry you will love to work in as a public relations executive
Where to Work as a Public Relations Executive
Public relations executives can virtually work in all sectors of the economy; they can work in corporate offices, public relations firms, government agencies, non-governmental agencies, and advertising agencies. They may be mandated to travel meet with clients, and attend events or conferences. They can also travel to carry out research or to observe the effects of the campaign they organized. They must be able to handle deadlines and criticisms.
Public Relations Executive Salary Scale
The salary of a public relations executive varies based on different countries of the world. Here are some examples below:
- In the United States, The average public relations executive salary in the USA is $69,174 per year or $35.47 per hour. Entry-level positions start at $50,045 per year while most experienced workers make up to $105,638 per year. The average public relations executive salary in California is $91,001 per year or $46.67 per hour. Entry-level positions start at $59,238 per year while most experienced workers make up to $122,275 per year. The average public relations executive salary in Missouri is $25,350 per year or $13 per hour. Entry-level positions start at $25,350 per year while most experienced workers make up to $25,350 per year.
- In Canada, The average public relations executive’s salary in Canada is $59,475 per year or $30.50 per hour. Entry-level positions start at $54,386 per year, while most experienced workers make up to $64,350 per year.
- In the United Kingdom, Starting salaries for Public Relations Executives are around £18,000 to £24,000. Senior Public Relations Executive salaries range from £25,000 to £40,000.
- In Singapore, The average public relations executive salary in Singapore is S$42,000 per year or S$21.54 per hour. Entry-level positions start their career at S$33,000 per year, while most experienced workers make up to S$73,800 per year.
- In Nigeria, A person working as a Public Relations Executive in Nigeria typically earns around 198,000 NGN per month. Salaries range from 98,800 NGN (lowest) to 306,000 NGN (highest).