How to hire a public affairs officer

How to hire a public affairs officer, step by step

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

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the public affairs officer you need to hire. Certain public affairs officer 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?

   Yes

   No

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

   Type of Public Affairs Officer	Description	Hourly rate
   Public Affairs Officer	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.	$18-52
   Media Consultant	A media consultant is responsible for coordinating with different people and groups to boost brand awareness and promote the brand image to the public through media communication. Media consultants work closely with the marketing or public relations team to conduct press releases, develop media campaigns, and advise executives with their speech during interviews and other related public appearances... Show more	$15-42
   Account Coordinator	An account coordinator assists account executives by providing day-to-day administrative support such as preparing and filing sales contracts and reports. As coordinators, they must maintain a good relationship with their clients and vendors by addressing issues and with regular communication... Show more	$13-25

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Press Releases
   • Public Affairs Guidance
   • Crisis Communications
   • Strategic Communications
   • Community Relations Programs
   • Press Conferences
   • News Articles
   • External Communications
   • Facebook
   • Community Outreach
   • Government Agencies
   • External Audiences
   • DOD
   • Fact Sheets

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage social-networking updates for Facebook and command website.
   • Respond to media queries, write news releases and manage media engagements while acting as spokesperson for several multifacete organizations.
   • Use writing/graphic skills to create PowerPoint presentations for boating safety classes and training seminars.
   • Collaborate with marketing department to generate publicity through social media including Facebook to promote brand awareness.
   • Coordinate media interviews, prepare congressional and senior level briefings using PowerPoint, PageMaker, and PhotoShop.
   • Respond to media queries, write news releases and manage media engagements while acting as spokesperson for several multifacete organizations.

   More public affairs officer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your public affairs officer job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A public affairs officer can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, public affairs officers' average salary in hawaii is 66% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level public affairs officers 64% less than senior-level public affairs officers.
   • Certifications. A public affairs officer with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a public affairs officer's salary.

   Average public affairs officer salary

   $66,001yearly

   $31.73 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level public affairs officer salary

   $39,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

   Average public affairs officer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	District of Columbia	$110,960	$53
   2	New York	$92,114	$44
   3	Connecticut	$89,395	$43
   4	Washington	$84,382	$41
   5	California	$77,745	$37
   6	Massachusetts	$73,396	$35
   7	Delaware	$71,910	$35
   8	Illinois	$66,303	$32
   9	Maryland	$65,921	$32
   10	Georgia	$62,907	$30
   11	North Carolina	$61,569	$30
   12	Iowa	$56,654	$27
   13	Texas	$52,998	$25
   14	Alabama	$48,359	$23
   15	Arizona	$48,205	$23

   Average public affairs officer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Earthjustice	$116,825	$56.17	6
   2	University of California-Berkeley	$91,091	$43.79
   3	New York University	$85,489	$41.10	7
   4	Yale University	$81,208	$39.04	9
   5	UCI Health	$77,770	$37.39	4
   6	Seattle Indian Health Board	$71,250	$34.25	1
   7	Wells Fargo	$70,105	$33.70	5
   8	City of Houston	$68,283	$32.83	1
   9	Minnesota State Fair	$57,750	$27.76	23
   10	Upstream USA	$55,607	$26.73
   11	Houston Airport System	$48,849	$23.49

4. Writing a public affairs officer job description

   A public affairs officer 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 public affairs officer job description:

   Public affairs officer job description example

   Global Strategy Group works at the intersection of business, politics, and causes.
   
   While we are not actively hiring at the moment, we are always looking for qualified candidates to consider for future opportunities. Our buzzing Communications & Public Affairs Practice is interested in connecting with potential candidates for our team. Viable candidates will have experience in NY issues, will be up to speed on the media scene, familiar with city-wide publications, and understand how these elements come together!
   
   Ideal candidates will have creative plans for pitching media, especially for our corporate and advocacy clients. We would be interested in connecting with individuals who have a desire to work in a fast-paced, dynamic and demanding environment. All GSG employees are expected to successfully juggle multiple assignments, while simultaneously meeting important deadlines, including managing projects for clients, drafting memos, pitching stories to reporters, helping to build coalitions, working on digital or social campaigns, or helping to develop a new business proposal.
   You should:Have excellent project management and organizational skills Have an ability to work in a fast-paced environment Have strong written and verbal communications skills Be detail-oriented and strong at multi-tasking Be motivated, responsible, and proactive
   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 Build and maintain media lists, draft pitch materials, and work to sustain media relations with reporters Conduct regular media monitoring (traditional and social) and 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 Identify and conduct outreach to potential coalition partners Help manage activities of subcontractors/third party vendors Understand and comply with agency operations and procedures (e.g., time sheets, expense reports) Produce grammatically correct, typo-free copy and demonstrate a keen attention to detail Complete assignments, meet deadlines, and work with supervisors to successfully juggle multiple projects
   QualificationsA Bachelor's degree in the areas of communications, 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, politics, non-profits, or agency spaces, political campaigns, or a related industry Note: the level of experience will vary on the level of position we would consider you for.Excellent writing and verbal communication skills Strong interest in corporate and advocacy clients Ability to advance communications and public affairs approaches, tactics, and strategies, based on the general understanding of client service Experience using digital communications and social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, blogs, etc.Team player with the ability to build and maintain strong working relationships with team membersA natural problem-solver with good judgment and ability to manage up Ability to work efficiently under pressure and maintain quality, detail and organization across multiple assignments Initiative, resourcefulness, and the desire to work hard Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite of applications
   Bonus QualificationsBilingual or multi-lingual abilities are highly valued
   If this sounds like the professional adventure for you, please send your information our way!
   
   Along with your resume, you will be asked to answer a few questions on the following page. Please be sure to give us a thorough glance of why you're the right addition for GSG! We are interested in candidates who align with our mission and want to contribute to our continued growth.
   
   Candidates who meet 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 the right public affairs officer 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 public affairs officers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit public affairs officers 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 public affairs officer job on Zippia to find and attract quality public affairs officer candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as pr news job board, pr council, prsa job center, hoojobs.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit public affairs officers, 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.

   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 public affairs officer

   Once you've found the public affairs officer 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 public affairs officer 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.)

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