PR Officers: Job Description

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Public relations (PR) officer: job description
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Public relations (PR) officer: job description
Public relations officers use a wide range of media to build and sustain a good image for a company, organisation or brand through planned publicity campaigns and PR activity.
What does a public relations officer do? Typical employers | Qualifications and training | Key skills

Public relations account executives are responsible for handling all aspects of planned publicity campaigns and PR activities.

Other tasks include:

planning publicity strategies and campaigns
writing and producing presentations and press releases
dealing with enquiries from the public, the press, and related organisations
organising promotional events such as press conferences, open days, exhibitions, tours and visits
speaking publicly at interviews, press conferences and presentations
providing clients with information about new promotional opportunities and current PR campaigns progress
analysing media coverage
commissioning or undertaking relevant market research
liaising with clients, managerial and journalistic staff about budgets, timescales and objectives
designing, writing and/or producing presentations, press releases, articles, leaflets, ‘in-house’ journals, reports, publicity brochures, information for web sites and promotional videos.
Typical employers of public relations officers
Advertising or marketing agencies
Consultancies
Commercial and industrial organisations
Private companies
Retailers
Manufacturers
Charities
Government organisations
Vacancies are advertised by careers services, specialist recruitment agencies and in national newspapers and trade publications including Press Gazette and PR Week. The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) publishes lists of voluntary placements and salaried graduate training schemes.

The Hollis UK Public Relations Annual can provide useful contact information for networking and speculative applications, for which a portfolio of written work may be useful for highlighting relevant abilities. Many graduates enter the profession at a junior level or move into PR following a marketing, journalism or advertising career.

Qualifications and training required
There are routes into PR for both university graduates and school leavers.

A degree in any subject is acceptable, although English, management, business or media studies, marketing or behavioural sciences may be preferred by some employers. A PR postgraduate qualification can also be helpful.

Work experience gained within the PR, marketing, fundraising, events promotion, or journalism trades may also be beneficial in your applications.

To find out how to get into PR via a school leaver route, visit the PR section and media section of TARGETcareers, our website aimed at school leavers.

Key skills for public relations officers
Excellent communication skills both orally and in writing
Excellent interpersonal skills
Good IT skills
Presentation skills
Initiative
Ability to prioritise and plan effectively
Awareness of different media agendas
Creativity
Next: search graduate jobs
View our Graduate marketing, advertising and PR vacancies
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https://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-advice/job-descriptions/278247-public-relations-pr-officer-job-description