How to hire a communications program manager

How to hire a communications program manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step communications program manager hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a communications program manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new communications program manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a communications program manager do?

Post a communications program manager job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a communications program manager, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A communications program manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, communications program managers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of communications program managers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Communications Program Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Communications Program Manager	Social and community service managers coordinate and supervise social service programs and community organizations. They manage staff who provide social services to the public.	$27-59
   Public Information Officer	The primary job of a public information officer involves the promotion of a positive public image on social media. Public information officers offer significant information during a crisis... Show more	$18-39
   Manager Of Corporate Communications	A manager of corporate communications is primarily responsible for overseeing the external and internal communications in a company, ensuring everything is running smoothly. They are also responsible for managing marketing communications and public relations, and even developing various marketing content... Show more	$27-58

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Project Management
   • Program Management
   • PowerPoint
   • Public Health
   • Website Content
   • HR
   • Graphic Design
   • Community Engagement
   • Community Outreach
   • Mental Health
   • Social Work
   • Facebook
   • Strategic Communications
   • Professional Development

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and overseen housing operations, administration of HUD programs, supervise maintenance and/or improvements of residential properties.
   • Implement process improvements and Medicare department reorganization that establish a foundation for improve member outcomes and satisfaction and increase product margins.
   • Develop and facilitate clinic QA visit process.
   • Include supporting beta and QA testing, authoring/reviewing product specifications, training and localization documentation.

   More communications program manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your communications program manager job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A communications program manager salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a communications program manager in Florida may be lower than in New Jersey, and an entry-level communications program manager usually earns less than a senior-level communications program manager. Additionally, a communications program manager with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average communications program manager salary

   $85,031yearly

   $40.88 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level communications program manager salary

   $58,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 19, 2026

   Average communications program manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New Jersey	$97,640	$47
   2	Virginia	$93,485	$45
   3	California	$92,798	$45
   4	District of Columbia	$89,290	$43
   5	Arizona	$88,220	$42
   6	Illinois	$86,552	$42
   7	Washington	$86,387	$42
   8	Oregon	$84,752	$41
   9	Utah	$84,652	$41
   10	New York	$83,180	$40
   11	West Virginia	$81,915	$39
   12	Massachusetts	$79,074	$38
   13	Maryland	$78,208	$38
   14	Connecticut	$76,836	$37
   15	Nevada	$74,600	$36
   16	Georgia	$72,862	$35
   17	Delaware	$71,857	$35
   18	North Carolina	$67,630	$33
   19	Louisiana	$66,609	$32
   20	Texas	$65,939	$32

   Average communications program manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Apple	$131,077	$63.02	155
   2	Meta	$128,707	$61.88	318
   3	Zscaler	$114,655	$55.12	9
   4	Nike	$113,957	$54.79	4
   5	Autodesk	$112,564	$54.12	15
   6	J.P. Morgan	$112,221	$53.95
   7	Amazon	$111,520	$53.62	337
   8	Bloom Energy	$109,224	$52.51	6
   9	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	$107,428	$51.65	189
   10	Stanford University	$105,889	$50.91	24
   11	Medtronic	$105,783	$50.86	33
   12	Adobe	$105,264	$50.61	29
   13	Agilent Technologies	$101,203	$48.66
   14	Kern Community College District	$97,757	$47.00	3
   15	Micron Technology	$97,670	$46.96	3
   16	Northrop Grumman	$94,302	$45.34	142
   17	Santa Clara University	$92,338	$44.39	4
   18	Raymond James Financial	$90,743	$43.63	7
   19	Cleveland Clinic	$89,059	$42.82	35
   20	ManTech	$87,719	$42.17	7

4. Writing a communications program manager job description

   A communications program manager job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a communications program manager job description:

   Communications program manager job description example

   Our Corporate Communications team is looking for an experienced Sr. Employee Communications Manager to join the Employee Communications team focused on Intuit's People & Places initiatives. This individual will be responsible for creating and executing high-priority communications that inform, engage, and inspire employees worldwide.
   
   We are looking for someone with a proven track record of supporting HR-driven programs by developing successful, multi-channel communications in a fast-paced, dynamic environment. The ideal candidate is a team player, ready to jump in.
   What you'll bring
   
   + 10-15 years of communications experience, with a focus on internal communications for HR and culture related programs in a global enterprise.
   
   + Strong writer who can connect and distill key messages and present them in a compelling way to multiple internal audiences.
   
   + Passion for storyteller across media and channels. You possess an understanding of best practices as well as emerging trends in employee communications.
   
   + You've supported communications and engagement programs that deliver business outcomes and inspire employees.
   
   + Great people skills: strategic advisor to executives, diplomacy, integrity and presence that enables you to build strong relationships and work effectively up, down and across organizations.
   
   + Thrives in a fast-paced environment. You are flexible, resilient, comfortable with ambiguity and adapt easily to change.
   
   + You embrace measurement and data. You are passionate about testing new ideas to improve impact.
   
   + This is a full-time position based in Mountain View, CA.
   
   How you will lead
   
   + End to end management of impactful employee communications strategies, plans and tactics that effectively communicate People & Places programs & initiatives such as Career Growth, Internal Mobility, and Employee Success across Intuit's global offices.
   
   + Provide creative thinking and attention to detail, working in partnership with the Chief of Staff for our CHRO, to engage the P&P global organization through events and creative communications.
   
   + Advise and execute communications strategies with the ability to scale from driving communications for the largest priorities to consulting and coaching on other various programs.
   
   + Support the development and execution of narratives, multi-channel engagement programs and change management communications on various people cycle processes.
   
   + Contribute to enhancing internal communications channels such as the intranet and manager channels.
   
   + Build measurability into programs and gather insights to continuously improve.
   
   EOE AA M/F/Vet/Disability. Intuit will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with requirements of local law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right communications program manager for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your communications program manager job on Zippia to find and recruit communications program manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting communications program managers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new communications program manager

   Once you've found the communications program manager candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new communications program manager first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a communications program manager?