How to hire a public relations and communications director

How to hire a public relations and communications director, step by step

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

What does a public relations and communications director do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a public relations and communications director, 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 public relations and communications director's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, public relations and communications directors 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.

   This list shows salaries for various types of public relations and communications directors.

   Type of Public Relations And Communications Director	Description	Hourly rate
   Public Relations And Communications Director	Public relations managers plan and direct the creation of material that will maintain or enhance the public image of their employer or client. Fundraising managers coordinate campaigns that bring in donations for their organization.	$33-102
   Director Of Public Affairs	Directors of Public Affairs are executives who manage the public relations and communications initiatives of the company. They oversee all external communications that are intended for broadcast... Show more	$33-89
   Director, Customer Relations	Director of Customer Relations is responsible for leading the design and improvement of an organization's overall customer service experience. Their duties include developing customer service budget, driving customer service process improvements, implementing customer service agents, managing email and telephony customer service routing, and creating training programs for customer service staff... Show more	$43-94

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Press Releases
   • Crisis Communications
   • External Communications
   • Community Relations
   • Strategic Communications
   • Communications Plan
   • Website Content
   • Crisis Management
   • Corporate Communications
   • Brand Awareness
   • Graphic Design
   • Public Speaking
   • Community Outreach
   • ROI

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Maintain strong working relationships across all departments to manage successful on-site opportunities, content and multimedia asset development and spokesperson requests.
   • Maintain strong working relationships across all departments to manage successful on-site opportunities, content and multimedia asset development and spokesperson requests.
   • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate CSR strategy, infrastructure and initiatives.

   More public relations and communications director duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your public relations and communications director job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A public relations and communications director 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 public relations and communications director in Ohio may be lower than in California, and an entry-level public relations and communications director usually earns less than a senior-level public relations and communications director. Additionally, a public relations and communications director 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 public relations and communications director salary

   $123,145yearly

   $59.20 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level public relations and communications director salary

   $70,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

   Average public relations and communications director salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$175,483	$84
   2	District of Columbia	$141,789	$68
   3	Massachusetts	$137,321	$66
   4	Texas	$128,186	$62
   5	New York	$124,106	$60
   6	Virginia	$116,393	$56
   7	Oklahoma	$115,886	$56
   8	Washington	$111,984	$54
   9	Utah	$109,939	$53
   10	Florida	$78,554	$38

   Average public relations and communications director salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	TripActions	$185,923	$89.39
   2	Michael Kors	$181,201	$87.12
   3	Edison Electric Institute	$180,190	$86.63
   4	Faraday Technology	$169,319	$81.40
   5	Amazon	$163,593	$78.65	91
   6	Feed the Children	$131,412	$63.18	2
   7	Air Incorporated	$121,616	$58.47
   8	Culture Amp	$118,114	$56.79
   9	Mythical Store	$117,457	$56.47
   10	Eleanor Health	$117,437	$56.46
   11	Cambridge Mobile Telematics	$116,502	$56.01
   12	Convene	$114,693	$55.14
   13	Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts	$113,853	$54.74	5
   14	Girl Scouts of the USA	$105,763	$50.85	2
   15	Snappy	$103,607	$49.81
   16	Reef	$102,054	$49.06
   17	Children's Home Society of Florida	$72,295	$34.76	1

4. Writing a public relations and communications director job description

   A job description for a public relations and communications director 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 public relations and communications director job description:

   Public relations and communications director job description example

   Credit Sesame is the only platform that helps consumers achieve financial wellness by allowing them to manage and grow their credit and cash in one place, for free. We have created a whole new market category in financial services that sits at the intersection of a credit market place and credit builder digital banking services. Our purpose is clear, to make financial inclusion and wellness a reality for everyone.
   
   Credit Sesame is a fast growing, venture backed and operationally profitable FinTech startup based in San Francisco, CA. We are looking for a talented Director of PR & Corporate Communications who can help fuel Credit Sesame's growth by developing and implementing comprehensive PR and communication strategy. As a key member of the marketing organization, this person will be responsible for working closely with key Internal stakeholders, customers, industry influencers, reporters and our public relations agencies to build Credit Sesame's identity and visibility in the main stream press. The position involves personal engagements with reporters and creating powerful messages, storylines and communications with investors, which will create buzz and drive awareness among consumers.
   
   The goal of the position will be to establish and develop Credit Sesame's brand among mainstream consumers, gain industry recognition and leverage PR for further user growth. You should have excellent contacts with the biggest influencers in the press, exceptional written and verbal communications skills, have the ability to manage multiple projects and initiatives simultaneously with ease, be a natural influencer, collaborator and relationship builder, and have strong attention to detail coupled with an extreme sense of urgency.
   
   You'll...Lead external communications for Credit SesameCreate and execute media relations strategy for new and existing products and initiatives Develop and maintain relationships with key media (business, trade and consumer press) Serve as company spokesperson in the national, local, and trade press Manage communications budget and agency relationship Respond to media inquiries and manage reactive communications related to consumer businesses Function as primary Internal contact for senior executives on media strategy and issues Oversee executive and company speakers and help manage speaking opportunities.
   
   You're a great fit for our team because...You have minimum of 10+ years' experience in communications and PR; agency or prior in-house startup experience that has gotten noticeable PR and branding exposure You have expertise in corporate communications and integrated communications campaigns You have strong media relations skills and network of media contacts You have the ability to cultivate and maintain close working relationships with Internal business partners You have history of building productive working relationships across an organization You have the ability to strategically and creatively think in a fast-paced environment You have excellent writing skills and great attention to detail
   
   You'll love it here because...you'll have huge potential to grow with a company that's a category leader;you'll have equity in a pre-IPO company backed by top VCs;we offer comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance with many plan options;we offer monthly phone and internet reimbursement;you can fuel up at our stocked kitchens with endless snacks and drinks;we prize EQ and empathy, and have a culture that emphasizes total wellness, including work-life harmony.
   #LI-BH1
   
   We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, or veteran status. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find public relations and communications directors 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 public relations and communications directors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level public relations and communications directors 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 public relations and communications director job on Zippia to find and recruit public relations and communications director candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit public relations and communications directors, 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 public relations and communications director

   Once you've selected the best public relations and communications director candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   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 employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

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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