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Public relations manager vs communications lead

The differences between public relations managers and communications leads can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a public relations manager, becoming a communications lead takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a communications lead has an average salary of $96,988, which is higher than the $91,426 average annual salary of a public relations manager.

The top three skills for a public relations manager include press releases, web content and pr campaigns. The most important skills for a communications lead are project management, strategic communications, and HR.

Public relations manager vs communications lead overview

Public Relations ManagerCommunications Lead
Yearly salary$91,426$96,988
Hourly rate$43.95$46.63
Growth rate8%12%
Number of jobs35,27320,413
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 79%Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Average age4245
Years of experience46

What does a public relations manager do?

A public relations manager is responsible for monitoring the public relations department to boost its brand image and attract potential clients through press releases and media coverage. They work closely with the marketing team, developing marketing campaigns and promotional strategies for creating brand awareness. Public relations managers maintain the company's presence on various social media platforms, responding to the customers' inquiries and concerns regarding the company's goods and services. A public relations manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills, especially in identifying business opportunities to increase revenues and profitability.

What does a communications lead do?

The global senior program manager acts as a coordinator for the organization's projects and performs various tasks including supervision, account management, daily staff assignments, budget planning, cost control, and tracking program expenses by collaborating with various global departments to enhance all global programs. He/she should have excellent analytical, decision-making, leadership, and organization skills and knowledge about project management to be able to oversee and organize activities to ensure its compliance with the organization's goals.

Public relations manager vs communications lead salary

Public relations managers and communications leads have different pay scales, as shown below.

Public Relations ManagerCommunications Lead
Average salary$91,426$96,988
Salary rangeBetween $64,000 And $128,000Between $67,000 And $139,000
Highest paying CityLas Vegas, NVSan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateNevadaCalifornia
Best paying companyGoogleMeta
Best paying industryTechnologyInternet

Differences between public relations manager and communications lead education

There are a few differences between a public relations manager and a communications lead in terms of educational background:

Public Relations ManagerCommunications Lead
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 79%Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Most common majorCommunicationBusiness
Most common collegeNorthwestern UniversityUniversity of Pennsylvania

Public relations manager vs communications lead demographics

Here are the differences between public relations managers' and communications leads' demographics:

Public Relations ManagerCommunications Lead
Average age4245
Gender ratioMale, 34.5% Female, 65.5%Male, 41.4% Female, 58.6%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 5.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 5.1% White, 74.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.0% Asian, 5.1% White, 62.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage16%14%

Differences between public relations manager and communications lead duties and responsibilities

Public relations manager example responsibilities.

  • Manage social media - provide content ideas, monitor FB and Instagram activity.
  • Manage events and promotions; create Christmas event, manage twitter account and make marketing plans.
  • Lead a successful rebranding effort to transition the organization into a premier corporate training provider in SoCal.
  • Lead a rebranding and revitalization of the intranet by focusing on improving internal communication, search capabilities, and branding elements.
  • Interview featured alumni, manage copywriting staff and editorial calendar, and coordinate photography.
  • Maintain strong working relationships across all departments to manage successful on-site opportunities, content and multimedia asset development and spokesperson requests.
  • Show more

Communications lead example responsibilities.

  • Lead content migration of old intranet to new SharePoint platform.
  • Manage editorial calendar and writing content for digital assets including intranet and external web.
  • Lead copywriting for newly launch Chinese language website LeEco.com/Chinese to attract Chinese American customers.
  • Manage intranet content, with responsibility for project news, executive visibility, community activities, educational outreach.
  • Manage and overseen housing operations, administration of HUD programs, supervise maintenance and/or improvements of residential properties.
  • Serve as SharePoint site administrator, creating intranet, surveys and resource repository.
  • Show more

Public relations manager vs communications lead skills

Common public relations manager skills
  • Press Releases, 20%
  • Web Content, 5%
  • Pr Campaigns, 4%
  • Marketing Campaigns, 4%
  • Digital Marketing, 4%
  • Facebook, 3%
Common communications lead skills
  • Project Management, 9%
  • Strategic Communications, 6%
  • HR, 5%
  • Customer Service, 5%
  • Community Outreach, 4%
  • Digital Marketing, 4%

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