What does a communications associate do?
A communications associate is responsible for assisting with writing and communication projects and tasks within an organization. They are responsible for planning and implementing communication strategies, overseeing the company's media promotion, and editing and proofreading communication materials and texts. As a communications associate, you will be most likely to manage an organization's online presence by developing, updating, or revising its website and creating copy for social media. You also must cultivate and consolidate good media relations, and oversee the company's promotion campaigns and advertising.
Communications associate responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real communications associate resumes:
- Create and manage several internal communications SharePoint sites and survey tools.
- Save $60K annually by administering digital asset management system and managing migration of externally-host system to internal SharePoint solution.
- Co-developed regional, national and international trade show strategy including logistics, management, qualifying leads, communications and ROI tracking.
- Establish and moderate a Facebook group for a youth sports league.
- Maintain school's website, including writing/editing content, and official Facebook page.
- Write and produce weekly HTML newsletters that are distribute to corporate and enterprise-wide audiences.
- Create well-regarded PowerPoint presentations for high-level meetings.
- Respond to emergency situations to coordinate and process incoming patients under emergency care.
- Process patients for schedule surgical appointments and provide instruction for proper location for procedures.
- Execute internal communications projects/programs through internal newsletters and intranet to promote company-wide, department, or practice objectives.
- Save $60K annually by administering digital asset management system and managing migration of externally-host system to internal SharePoint solution.
- Produce annual kick-off events, employee roundtables and quarterly 'all-hands' employee Webcasts.
- Coordinate meetings, webcasts and conference calls including scheduling, room reservations, equipment needs, materials preparation and catering requests.
- Perform specialized operational securities processing activities in support of the firm's business lines
- Perform daily reconciliation for cash and securities while adhering to establish quality control measures and procedures.
Communications associate skills and personality traits
We calculated that 12% of Communications Associates are proficient in Customer Service, Patients, and PowerPoint. They’re also known for soft skills such as Interpersonal skills, Organizational skills, and Problem-solving skills.
We break down the percentage of Communications Associates that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Customer Service, 12%
Produced a baseline assessment of stakeholder satisfaction to provide a basis for final client recommendations for governance and customer service practices.
- Patients, 7%
Processed patients for scheduled surgical appointments and provided instruction for proper location for procedures.
- PowerPoint, 6%
Develop PowerPoint presentations for Baptist Health personnel and physicians.
- Project Management, 4%
Performed extensive marketing project management for thirteen national locations.
- Press Releases, 4%
Collaborated with corporate communications to produce press releases, managed brochure and sales promotion of stationery.
- Facebook, 4%
Pitched Neon Tommy stories to other media outlets Updated Twitter account with recent headlines Aided in increasing following on Facebook and Twitter
"customer service," "patients," and "powerpoint" are among the most common skills that communications associates use at work. You can find even more communications associate responsibilities below, including:
Interpersonal skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a communications associate to have is interpersonal skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "public relations specialists deal with the public and the media regularly." Communications associates often use interpersonal skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "possessed strong customer service, data entry on a daily basis, and interpersonal skills for working in a team environment. "
Organizational skills. Another essential skill to perform communications associate duties is organizational skills. Communications associates responsibilities require that "public relations specialists are often in charge of managing several events or communications at the same time, which requires excellent skills in coordinating arrangements." Communications associates also use organizational skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "write press releases, media advisories, create key speaking points for organizational president. "
Problem-solving skills. This is an important skill for communications associates to perform their duties. For an example of how communications associate responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "public relations specialists sometimes must explain how a company or client is handling sensitive issues." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a communications associate: "saved $60k annually by administering digital asset management system and managing migration of externally-hosted system to internal sharepoint solution. ".
Speaking skills. communications associate responsibilities often require "speaking skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "public relations specialists regularly speak on behalf of clients or their organization." This resume example shows what communications associates do with speaking skills on a typical day: "provide internal and external crisis communications support including employee communications and press releases as well as speaking directly with the media. "
Writing skills. A commonly-found skill in communications associate job descriptions, "writing skills" is essential to what communications associates do. Communications associate responsibilities rely on this skill because "public relations specialists must be able to write well-organized and clear press releases, speeches, and social media posts." You can also see how communications associate duties rely on writing skills in this resume example: "support chase s broader employee experience and hr initiatives by developing communications plans, managing business-wide projects and writing intranet articles. "
The three companies that hire the most communications associates are:
- ICF115 communications associates jobs
- Guidehouse54 communications associates jobs
- Pet Paradise19 communications associates jobs
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Compare different communications associates
Communications associate vs. Social media specialist
A social media specialist is an individual who is responsible for creating and administering content on all social media platforms to build an audience and ensure customer engagement. By using platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, social media specialists must create content that resonates with the interests of the intended audience. They are required to understand social media metrics so that they can use the information to ensure success in their social media strategy. Social media specialists must also work with industry professionals and influencers via social media to create a strong network.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between communications associates and social media specialist. For instance, communications associate responsibilities require skills such as "patients," "project management," "administrative tasks," and "photoshop." Whereas a social media specialist is skilled in "social media marketing," "digital marketing," "social platforms," and "social channels." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Social media specialists earn the highest salaries when working in the professional industry, with an average yearly salary of $52,527. On the other hand, communications associates are paid more in the finance industry with an average salary of $63,395.social media specialists tend to reach similar levels of education than communications associates. In fact, social media specialists are 3.9% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.7% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Communications associate vs. Publicist
Public Relations Supervisors are responsible for implementing the media and public relations strategy of an organization. Their duties include developing public relations campaigns, organize public relations events, assist in emergency response planning, updating documentation, monitoring media, improve management of press office, and manage media databases. They are responsible for assisting with journalistic content writing, refine internal processes, and track public relations activity performance. They help prepare reports as well as undertake competitor and market research.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that communications associate responsibilities requires skills like "customer service," "patients," "project management," and "facebook." But a publicist might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "public relations campaigns," "photo shoots," "publicity materials," and "press coverage."
Publicists may earn a higher salary than communications associates, but publicists earn the most pay in the media industry with an average salary of $52,774. On the other hand, communications associates receive higher pay in the finance industry, where they earn an average salary of $63,395.publicists earn similar levels of education than communications associates in general. They're 4.1% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.7% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Communications associate vs. Media coordinator
A media coordinator acts as a communications professional in charge of developing and implementing target communications and advertising for various media platforms. Media coordinators plan, implement, and monitor the social media strategy of an organization. They discern the most successful media outreach and establish advertising partnerships and business deals. They aim to increase their respective companies' brand awareness, strengthen their advertising campaigns, improve their marketing strategies, and increase their sales.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, communications associates are more likely to have skills like "customer service," "patients," "project management," and "administrative tasks." But a media coordinator is more likely to have skills like "digital marketing," "social media marketing," "social platforms," and "video content."
Media coordinators earn the best pay in the manufacturing industry, where they command an average salary of $48,229. Communications associates earn the highest pay from the finance industry, with an average salary of $63,395.Most media coordinators achieve a similar degree level compared to communications associates. For example, they're 4.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.7% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Communications associate vs. Communications/senior communications manager
A communications/senior communications manager specializes in handling and overseeing internal and external communications within a workplace, ensuring accuracy and timeliness. Their responsibilities typically revolve around developing strategies for better workforce and public communications, crafting marketing materials such as press kits and newsletters, and coordinating with other departments to create new materials and opportunities for marketing. A communications/senior communications manager may also participate in managing social media operations and launching strategies for product launches and events. Furthermore, as a manager, it is essential to lead and encourage the team, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Types of communications associate
Updated January 8, 2025
