How to hire a coordinator of public affairs

How to hire a coordinator of public affairs, step by step

Here's a step-by-step coordinator of public affairs hiring guide:

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

What does a coordinator of public affairs do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The coordinator of public affairs hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A coordinator of public affairs's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, coordinators of public affairs 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 coordinators of public affairs and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Coordinator Of Public Affairs	Description	Hourly rate
   Coordinator Of Public Affairs	Public relations specialists create and maintain a favorable public image for the organization they represent. They design media releases to shape public perception of their organization and to increase awareness of its work and goals.	$11-25
   Community Relations Coordinator	A public relations coordinator or community relations coordinator is a professional who is responsible for promoting or creating a public image for individuals, groups, or organizations. Since businesses are major contributors to communities and fundraisers, public relations coordinators are required to handle donations requests and build a marketing platform for the company... Show more	$16-29
   Communications Consultant	Communications consultants are responsible for preparing media releases, whether through print, video, or email. They perform varied tasks that may include working on complete projects such as media analysis and branding, creating strategies to reinforced communication among clients and employees, and providing guidance and recommendations to a company's public relations team... Show more	$30-62

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • PowerPoint
   • Government Affairs
   • Event Planning
   • External Stakeholders
   • Alumni
   • Federal Regulations
   • Press Releases
   • Government Relations
   • Educational Programs
   • SharePoint
   • Expense Reports
   • Travel Arrangements
   • Political Action Committee
   • Financial Aid

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Produce internal HTML department newsletter and manage content for internal team SharePoint site.
   • Manage all social media for the federal affairs practice including twitter, facebook, and blog postings.
   • Develop PowerPoint presentation and assist in managing activities on event days.
   • Manage financial responsibilities including payroll, billing and monthly grant reporting.
   • Assist veterans and families with deployment/relocation initiatives and direct individuals to local, state, and federal agencies.
   • Input part time instructor information using SharePoint.

   More coordinator of public affairs duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your coordinator of public affairs job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A coordinator of public affairs 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 coordinator of public affairs in Oklahoma may be lower than in Washington, and an entry-level coordinator of public affairs usually earns less than a senior-level coordinator of public affairs. Additionally, a coordinator of public affairs 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 coordinator of public affairs salary

   $36,689yearly

   $17.64 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level coordinator of public affairs salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 29, 2025

   Average coordinator of public affairs salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$52,136	$25
   2	Oregon	$49,271	$24
   3	New York	$47,024	$23
   4	Massachusetts	$45,596	$22
   5	District of Columbia	$45,552	$22
   6	Ohio	$41,523	$20
   7	Illinois	$41,247	$20
   8	Maryland	$40,481	$19
   9	Pennsylvania	$40,332	$19
   10	Virginia	$39,679	$19
   11	Arizona	$38,903	$19
   12	New Hampshire	$38,705	$19
   13	Colorado	$38,273	$18
   14	Minnesota	$37,998	$18
   15	Michigan	$35,309	$17
   16	Tennessee	$34,121	$16
   17	Texas	$32,514	$16
   18	Montana	$31,415	$15
   19	Missouri	$31,045	$15
   20	Florida	$29,753	$14

   Average coordinator of public affairs salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Lincoln Memorial University	$57,047	$27.43	1
   2	Columbia University in the City of New York	$53,634	$25.79	5
   3	University of Southern California	$53,381	$25.66	3
   4	University of California-Berkeley	$52,304	$25.15
   5	Stanford Health Care	$48,646	$23.39
   6	Salem State University	$45,214	$21.74
   7	Dartmouth	$44,798	$21.54
   8	ATN International	$42,931	$20.64
   9	The Walt Disney Company	$42,873	$20.61	3
   10	Georgia State University	$42,800	$20.58	2
   11	Edison Electric Institute	$42,550	$20.46	7
   12	California Academy of Sciences	$41,687	$20.04
   13	University Of Minnesota Physicians	$40,863	$19.65
   14	Tyler Junior College	$40,654	$19.55
   15	Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs	$40,401	$19.42
   16	American University	$40,168	$19.31	1
   17	Airlines for America	$39,782	$19.13	1
   18	Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science	$39,595	$19.04
   19	Tennessee Board of Regents	$39,483	$18.98	3
   20	Belcan	$38,514	$18.52

4. Writing a coordinator of public affairs job description

   A coordinator of public affairs 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. Below, you can find an example of a coordinator of public affairs job description:

   Coordinator of public affairs job description example

   Global Strategy Group (GSG) works at the intersection of business, politics, and causes. Our team is made up of a great group of professionals who come from various backgrounds in strategic communications, research, and public affairs. Our culture and values play an integral role in how we operate, and we work hard to bring passion, energy, and drive to everything we do! Global Strategy Group is the go-to public affairs, communications, and research partner for companies, causes, and campaigns. We work with our clients to build their reputations, tackle big challenges, and win.
   
   Are you looking for your next big opportunity with GSG, but don't see a position that matches your skills and interests? We would still love to hear from you, as we are always looking for qualified candidates to consider for future opportunities. Our growing Communications & Public Affairs practice is interested in connecting with talented candidates for our team. Viable candidates will be at the Manager, Director or VP level, have Beltway experience, will be up to speed on the media scene, familiar with influential publications, and understand how these elements come together!
   
   Ideal candidates are hungry to work in a fast-paced, dynamic, and demanding environment. GSG employees successfully juggle multiple assignments, while simultaneously meeting important deadlines, including managing projects for clients, drafting memos, working on digital or social campaigns, or helping to develop a new business proposal.
   
   As a member of the Communications & Public Affairs practice, you will:Research and draft client-facing materials, including memos, presentations, press releases, talking points, fact sheets, media lists, and social media content Draft pitch materials and work to sustain media relations with reporters Create coverage reports for a range of clients and industries Assist senior team members in the development and execution of campaign plans, including communications, grassroots/field, and digital engagements Contribute to the development of new business proposals and presentations for prospective clients; display confidence in taking a first pass at composing proposals, demonstrating the ability to think through a bigger picture execution plan Assist with managing projects, including taking notes in client meetings and on conference calls, tracking client deliverables and deadlines, managing task spreadsheets, and providing activity reports Perform background research and create briefing materials for the account team in preparation for meetings and calls with existing or potential clients Understand and appropriately utilize resources (e.g., online research, monitoring tools, other reference materials) Provide support and contribute ideas to internal planning discussions and brainstorming sessions Understand and comply with agency operations and procedures (e.g., time sheets, expense reports) Identify and conduct outreach to potential coalition partners Help manage activities of subcontractors/third party vendors Produce grammatically correct, typo-free copy and demonstrate a keen attention to detail
   
   Qualifications:Bachelor's degree in the areas of communications, journalism, public relations, political science, public affairs, public policy, or other relevant field3+ years of experience in strategic communications or public affairs within the corporate, government, journalism, politics, non-profit, or agency spaces, political campaigns, or a related industry, and a strong interest in corporate and advocacy clients *Note: the level of experience will vary on the level of position we would consider you for.Excellent writing and verbal communication skills; bilingual or multi-lingual abilities are highly valued Possess resourcefulness and the desire to work hard and be motivated, responsible, and proactive Have excellent project management and organizational skills; be detail-oriented and strong at multi-tasking Team player with the ability to build and maintain strong working relationships with team members Ability to advance communications and public affairs approaches, tactics, and strategies, based on a general understanding of client serviceA natural problem-solver with good judgment and ability to manage up Experience using digital communications and social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, blogs, etc.Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite of applications Ability to work efficiently under pressure and maintain quality, detail, and organization across multiple assignments
   If this sounds like the opportunity for you, please send your information our way!
   
   When submitting your resume, please include a cover letter which highlights your relevant experience, along with your desire to be a part of the team at GSG. We are interested in candidates who align with our mission and want to contribute to our continued growth.
   
   Candidates who match the needs for the position will be contacted via email.
   
   Global Strategy Group, LLC.
   Honored to be named Public Affairs Agency of the Year by The Holmes Report, we are distinguished by our depth of talent, influential clients, and winning track record. Battle-tested in the trenches of corporate reputation management and political campaigns, we bring unrivaled commitment to every assignment. Our culture of independence, integrity, and responsiveness established by our co-founders two decades ago drives our team of 125+ smart, strategic, and creative professionals today.
   
   Our clients - which include Fortune 100 companies, national political leaders, associations and nonprofits - rely on us for candid guidance and fast, effective execution. We provide a combination of critical thinking and on-the-ground results that many other firms talk about, but few deliver.
   
   Global Strategy Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
   At GSG, we are distinguished by our depth of talent. Our people are team players, straight shooters and problem solvers. We bring passion, energy and drive to everything we do. This all comes from our closely-held firm values, which have guided us since the day GSG opened its doors. We are committed to ensuring that our workplace provides a diverse, inclusive, and culturally rich atmosphere and are always looking for talented individuals to add to our culture.
   
   We do not discriminate against any applicant for employment on any legally recognized basis including, but not limited to: race, religion or creed, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, genetic information, citizenship status, veteran status, uniform service member status, or any other protected class under federal, state or local statute.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find coordinators of public affairs for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any coordinators of public affairs they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level coordinators of public affairs with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your coordinator of public affairs job on Zippia to find and recruit coordinator of public affairs candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as pr news job board, pr council, prsa job center, hoojobs.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit coordinators of public affairs, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates 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 coordinator of public affairs

   Once you have selected a candidate for the coordinator of public affairs position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new coordinator of public affairs. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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.)

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