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How to hire a digital communications manager

Digital communications manager hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring digital communications managers in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire a digital communications manager is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new digital communications manager to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a digital communications manager, step by step

To hire a digital communications manager, you should clearly understand the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, and allocate a budget for the position. You will also need to post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a digital communications manager:

Here's a step-by-step digital communications 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 digital communications manager job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new digital communications manager
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a digital communications manager do?

A digital communications manager is an individual who is responsible for promoting the products and goals of an organization to the public using the latest digital marketing strategies. Digital communications managers are required to supervise the daily ownership of the content and management of the organization's website and other digital platforms owned by them. They must work closely with the organization's campaign staff so that they can identify compelling ideas for web stories and maintain a content pipeline. Digital communications managers are also required to be up-to-date with current digital trends and developments.

Learn more about the specifics of what a digital communications manager does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    First, determine the employments status of the digital communications manager you need to hire. Certain digital communications manager roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    A digital communications manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, digital communications 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.

    Here's a comparison of digital communications manager salaries for various roles:

    Type of Digital Communications ManagerDescriptionHourly rate
    Digital Communications ManagerAdvertising, promotions, and marketing managers plan programs to generate interest in products or services. They work with art directors, sales agents, and financial staff members.$21-51
    Manager, StrategyA strategy manager is a professional who reviews a company's objectives for growth and works with executives to formulate actionable plans to achieve these objectives. To make comprehensive recommendations, strategy managers must conduct data analysis of the organization as well as the overall industry... Show more$37-73
    Head Of MarketingThe head of marketing primarily oversees all marketing departments and operations, ensuring to convey the message of the brand. Their responsibilities revolve around devising strategies and business plans, preparing and allocating the budget for all departments, identifying new opportunities and assets, and analyzing consumers' needs... Show more$44-97
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • SEO
    • PowerPoint
    • A/B
    • KPIs
    • Digital Marketing
    • Twitter
    • B Testing
    • Facebook
    • SEM
    • Instagram
    • Google Analytics
    • Digital Channels
    • Linkedin
    • Digital Content
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage an internal development and QA staff with on-going freelance/contractor support.
    • Founded and maintain the department HTML newsletter.
    • Create daily video memes and post to Facebook.
    • Create and maintain content production for Facebook page.
    • Lead re-design of entire site; build out all pages myself within a WordPress template.
    • Develop and execute a CRM strategy using customer behavior data to increase customer retention.
    More digital communications manager duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your digital communications manager job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A digital communications 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 digital communications manager in Kentucky may be lower than in Rhode Island, and an entry-level digital communications manager usually earns less than a senior-level digital communications manager. Additionally, a digital communications 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 digital communications manager salary

    $70,102yearly

    $33.70 hourly rate

    Entry-level digital communications manager salary
    $45,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 17, 2025

    Average digital communications manager salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1California$86,074$41
    2New York$79,737$38
    3Oregon$77,685$37
    4North Carolina$76,666$37
    5Virginia$75,350$36
    6Massachusetts$73,544$35
    7Arizona$72,970$35
    8Delaware$72,605$35
    9Nevada$70,010$34
    10District of Columbia$67,854$33
    11Illinois$67,039$32
    12Maryland$66,842$32
    13Texas$66,432$32
    14West Virginia$65,787$32
    15Iowa$62,901$30
    16South Carolina$62,840$30
    17Pennsylvania$62,481$30
    18Ohio$62,295$30
    19North Dakota$62,185$30
    20New Hampshire$61,950$30

    Average digital communications manager salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Citi$121,700$58.519
    2Intel$112,530$54.101
    3Adobe$106,611$51.2634
    4BrassCraft$100,302$48.22
    5The Rockefeller Foundation$95,145$45.741
    6NBCUniversal$94,749$45.5551
    7Guidehouse$92,485$44.4638
    8Insperity$86,084$41.392
    9JPMorgan Chase & Co.$86,081$41.39132
    10Sanofi US$85,810$41.2524
    11Educators for Excellence$79,989$38.46
    12World Economic Forum$79,865$38.40
    13RPA$76,858$36.95
    14Daiichi Sankyo$74,988$36.053
    15Michael Kors$64,757$31.13
    16GENERAL BOARD OF GLOBAL MINISTRIES$63,684$30.62
    17WebFX$63,684$30.628
    18PCI Pharma Services$63,352$30.46
    19CauseForce$63,223$30.40
    20Pci$62,931$30.26
  4. Writing a digital communications manager job description

    A job description for a digital communications manager role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a digital communications manager job description:

    Digital communications manager job description example

    **San Francisco, CA, USA**

    **Senior Communications Manager, Digital Twin/XR/AI/ML**

    Location

    San Francisco, CA, USA

    Department

    Marketing & Communications


    JOBREQ-228607

    **Role description**

    **The opportunity**

    Unity is seeking a Senior Communications Manager to proactively and reactively craft and deploy strategic PR activities focused around amplifying our Digital Twin and XR/AI/ML businesses and positioning Unity as a global leader in the space. This position will also support the Sports & Live Entertainment division!

    Reporting directly to the Director of Communications, you will be leading the communications, ensuring the successful delivery of the strategic agenda but also the operational, day-to-day "business as usual" work.

    You will manage the daily priorities of the team, map out and drive the communications strategy and key narratives, supervise the delivery of key initiatives and ensure cross-functional alignment, coordination, and collaboration with other partners across the team. You will also work closely with the Director of Communications in determining strategy and initiatives while liaising closely with a range of internal partners in delivering the communications plan.

    We are looking for a senior communications leader with broad experience and a proven track record of strategic planning and delivery of measurable results as well as a deep understanding of the evolving media landscape and the way content is consumed.

    **What you'll be doing**

    + Leading communications initiatives that positively impact the reputation of Unity by increasing its share of voice and amplify the Digital Twin, XR, and AI&ML business units

    + Develop and implement strategic PR tactics that drive awareness for the Unity brand and its partners

    + Work as a trusted partner and strategic counselor to various internal groups within the company, in particular for speaking opportunities

    + Contribute to our global storytelling efforts by using global and locally-relevant data points, customer stories, and insights to generate positive press mentions in tier 1 media outlets and favorably influence the perception of Unity as an industry leader among key partners

    + Draft written materials, including press releases, memos, pitches, statements, Q&As, and more

    **What we're looking for**

    + Public Relations experience with a focus on North America including extensive knowledge and experience in the technology industry

    + A motivated self-starter who is able to work cross-functionally in a fast-paced environment

    + Excellent written and oral communication skills

    **You might also have**

    + Technical background with an understanding of real-time engines and technology platforms

    **Life at Unity**

    Unity (NYSE: U) is the world's leading platform for creating and operating real-time 3D (RT3D) content. Creators, ranging from game developers to artists, architects, automotive designers, filmmakers, and others, use Unity to make their imaginations come to life. Unity is the foundation upon which the world's most powerful digital content is created. Specifically, Unity's platform provides a comprehensive set of software solutions to create, run and monetize interactive, real-time 2D and 3D content for mobile phones, tablets, PCs, consoles, and augmented and virtual reality devices.

    In the fourth quarter of 2021, Unity had, on average, 3.9 billion monthly active end users who consumed content created or operated with its solutions. The applications developed by these creators were downloaded, on average, five billion times per month in 2021. For more information, please visit www.unity.com .

    _Unity is a proud equal opportunity employer. We are committed to fostering an inclusive, innovative environment and celebrate our employees across age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, disability, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law. Our differences are strengths that enable us to support the growing and evolving needs of our customers, partners, and collaborators. If there are preparations or accommodations we can make to help ensure you have a comfortable and positive interview experience, please let us know._

    _Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records._

    _Headhunters and recruitment agencies may not submit resumes/CVs through this Web site or directly to managers. Unity does not accept unsolicited headhunter and agency resumes. Unity will not pay fees to any third-party agency or company that does not have a signed agreement with Unity._

    \#SEN #LI-MJ1
  5. Post your job

    To find the right digital communications manager for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

    • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with digital communications managers they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit digital communications managers who meet your education requirements.
    • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your digital communications manager job on Zippia to find and recruit digital communications manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    To successfully recruit digital communications managers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

    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 digital communications manager

    Once you've found the digital communications 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 important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

    To prepare for the new digital communications 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

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

There are different types of costs for hiring digital communications managers. One-time cost per hire for the recruitment process. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, onboarding, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider all of these costs when evaluating hiring a new digital communications manager employee.

You can expect to pay around $70,102 per year for a digital communications manager, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for digital communications managers in the US typically range between $21 and $51 an hour.

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