Public relations job description templates and guide: PR specialist, coordinator, manager, communications, and small-business generalist, with FLSA notes.
Six editable public relations job description templates, from PR specialist and coordinator to manager, communications, publicist, and a small-business PR and marketing generalist, with the FLSA classification guidance most templates skip.
In a job description, PR means public relations: managing how an organization is seen by the public, press, and community. But "PR job description" covers several different roles at different levels, from an entry-level coordinator to a senior manager, plus communications specialists and publicists. Picking the right title, scope, and classification matters more than copying a generic duties list, especially since the same function can be exempt or non-exempt depending on the level.
This guide explains what each PR role does, how they differ, what they pay, and how to classify them under the FLSA, with six editable templates to download. It also addresses the question most small businesses should ask first: whether to hire PR in-house at all, or fold it into a broader role. For the fundamentals behind any posting, the guide to writing a job description is a useful companion.
TL;DR
"PR" means public relations. The cluster spans several roles: PR specialist (BLS median $69,780), PR coordinator (entry-level, often non-exempt), PR manager (median $138,520, senior and exempt), communications specialist, and publicist. FLSA status depends on duties and pay, not title: PR can qualify for the administrative exemption above the $684/week threshold, but coordinator roles are often non-exempt. Most small businesses fold PR into a generalist role rather than hiring a pure PR specialist. Six editable templates below.
What PR Means in a Job Description
PR stands for public relations: the work of building and protecting how an organization is perceived by the public, press, customers, and community. A PR role writes press materials, pitches and responds to media, maintains consistent messaging, supports marketing and content, tracks coverage, and helps manage reputation. It overlaps with marketing and communications, and at smaller companies the functions are often combined.
The closest federal occupation is public relations specialists, which the Bureau of Labor Statistics describes as drafting press releases, contacting media, and helping maintain a favorable public image. The term spans several titles, from coordinator to manager, that differ mainly by seniority and scope.
PR Duties and Responsibilities
PR duties cluster into four areas: writing and messaging, media relations, campaigns and reporting, and reputation and coordination. A strong job description picks the responsibilities that match the level and the company, rather than listing every possible task.
Writing and messaging
Write press releases, pitches, and statements
Maintain key messaging and brand voice
Edit content across web, social, and email
Media relations
Build and maintain reporter relationships
Pitch stories and respond to media inquiries
Coordinate interviews and press opportunities
Campaigns and reporting
Support marketing and content campaigns
Track coverage, reach, and engagement
Maintain a media list and editorial calendar
Reputation and coordination
Help prepare for and manage crisis issues
Protect reputation and public image
Coordinate freelancers or agency partners
A coordinator weights execution and organization; a manager weights strategy and leadership. For a structured way to scope the role, the guide to defining job responsibilities walks through the process.
Which Template Should You Use?
Pick the template by the title and level you are hiring for. The structure is consistent across all six, but each emphasizes the duties, salary, and classification that fit a specific role. Use this guide to choose the closest fit, then adjust.
PR Specialist
Core PR role
The standard individual-contributor PR role: writing press materials, pitching media, and managing public messaging. The closest match to the federal occupation.
Communications Specialist
PR plus internal comms
A broader role blending PR, content, and internal and external communications, often used interchangeably with PR specialist at many companies.
PR Coordinator
Entry-level, execution
A junior, execution-focused role: drafting materials, maintaining media lists, and keeping campaigns organized. Often non-exempt.
PR Manager
Senior, strategy and leadership
A senior role that sets PR strategy, leads media relations, and manages staff or agency partners. A high-salary, exempt position.
Publicist
Talent and brand promotion
A relationship-driven role focused on securing coverage and managing image, skewing toward entertainment, talent, or consumer brands.
PR & Marketing Generalist
Best small-business fit
One combined role covering PR, social, content, and marketing, the realistic hire for a growing company that needs a single communications person.
Match the Template to the Role
Core individual contributor: PR Specialist. PR plus internal communications: Communications Specialist. Entry-level execution: PR Coordinator. Senior strategy and leadership: PR Manager. Talent or consumer-brand promotion: Publicist. A growing company that needs one person across PR, social, content, and marketing: PR & Marketing Generalist, which is usually the best small-business fit.
6 Editable PR Job Description Templates
Download all six as a single editable Word document, or copy individual templates. Each follows the same structure: company and job summary, key responsibilities, qualifications, a compensation block, and how to apply, with an EEO statement. Fill in the brackets and post.
Download All 6 Job Description Templates
PR specialist, communications specialist, coordinator, manager, publicist, and small-business generalist. One editable DOCX.
Template 1: Public Relations Specialist
The core individual-contributor PR role: press materials, media pitching, and messaging. The closest match to the federal occupation, and a strong default starting point.
Public Relations Specialist Job Description
PUBLIC RELATIONS SPECIALIST JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: __ (Marketing Lead / Owner / Communications Manager)
A junior, execution-focused role: drafting materials, maintaining media lists, and keeping campaigns organized. Often non-exempt; see the classification note.
Public Relations Coordinator Job Description
PUBLIC RELATIONS COORDINATOR JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: __ (PR / Communications Manager / Marketing Lead)
A relationship-driven role focused on securing coverage and managing image, skewing toward entertainment, talent, or consumer brands, and sometimes engaged as a contractor.
One combined role covering PR, social, content, and marketing: the realistic hire for a growing company that needs a single communications person rather than a dedicated PR specialist.
[Company Name] is hiring a PR & Marketing Generalist to own public relations,
social media, content, and marketing support as one combined role. This is the
right fit for a growing company that needs one capable person to handle
communications and marketing rather than a separate PR hire. You will wear several
hats and have real ownership of how the company shows up publicly.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Handle PR: press releases, media pitches, and coverage
•Manage social media accounts and content calendar
•Write content: blog posts, newsletters, web, and email
•Support marketing campaigns and brand consistency
•Maintain messaging across all public channels
•Track results across PR, social, and marketing
•Coordinate any freelancers or agency partners
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, PR, or related, or equivalent experience
•Strong writing and multi-channel communication skills
•Self-directed and comfortable owning several areas
•Organized, with the ability to prioritize
PREFERRED
•2+ years across PR, social, content, or marketing
•Experience in a small-team or startup environment
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Salary range: $_____ to $_____ per year
Benefits: __
To apply, send your resume, writing samples, and social or campaign examples to __.
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
FLSA: Is a PR Role Exempt or Non-Exempt?
This is the part most generic templates skip, and it is where a misclassification gets expensive. Public relations can qualify for the FLSA administrative exemption, but whether a specific role is exempt depends on its duties and pay, not its title. The level matters: a manager is usually exempt, while an entry-level coordinator may not be.
PR can qualify for the administrative exemption
Public relations is named by the Department of Labor as a functional area that can fall under the FLSA administrative exemption. But the title alone does not make a role exempt. To be exempt under the administrative exemption, an employee must be paid on a salary basis at or above the federal threshold, have a primary duty of office work directly related to management or general business operations, and exercise discretion and independent judgment on matters of significance. A PR manager who sets strategy and makes judgment calls typically qualifies; a coordinator who mostly executes routine tasks may not. Classify against the actual duties and pay, not the title. This is general information, not legal advice.
The federal salary threshold is $684 per week
For the administrative, executive, and professional exemptions, the federal salary level is $684 per week, which is $35,568 per year, and the highly compensated employee threshold is $107,432 per year. The Department of Labor formally rescinded its 2024 rule in 2026, so these 2019 levels are the operative federal thresholds. A salaried PR specialist or manager above the threshold who meets the duties test is generally exempt. A role paid below it, or one that does not meet the duties test, is non-exempt and overtime-eligible. Several states set higher thresholds, so check state law too. This is general information, not legal advice.
Coordinator and entry roles are often non-exempt
Entry-level and coordinator PR roles that mostly carry out routine tasks, such as formatting releases, updating media lists, scheduling, and compiling clips, may not meet the discretion-and-independent-judgment part of the administrative test, which can make them non-exempt and overtime-eligible. This is a common misclassification. If the role is junior and execution-focused, treat non-exempt as the likely default and confirm against the duties. This is general information, not legal advice.
A contract publicist may be a contractor, not an employee
Small companies often engage a publicist or PR consultant on a retainer or project basis rather than hiring an employee. If you do, confirm the worker is properly classified as an independent contractor under IRS and DOL rules before contracting, since misclassifying an employee as a contractor carries tax and wage-and-hour risk. When the role is an actual W-2 hire, use the employee templates and the classification guidance above. This is general information, not legal advice.
The Federal Threshold Is $684 per Week
Public relations is named by the U.S. Department of Labor in Fact Sheet 17C as a functional area that can fall under the administrative exemption, if the role is salaried at or above $684 per week ($35,568 per year), performs office work tied to business operations, and exercises discretion and independent judgment. The DOL rescinded its 2024 rule in 2026, so the 2019 salary levels apply. This is general information, not legal advice.
For the rules behind the classification, the exempt versus non-exempt guide explains how to apply the duties test, and the Fair Labor Standards Act overview covers the framework. If you engage a publicist or consultant instead of hiring, the line between an employee and a contractor matters too.
Skills and Requirements
PR roles weight writing, communication, and media judgment. Scale the requirements to the level rather than copying a generic list.
Requirement
What to look for
Education
Bachelor's in PR, communications, journalism, or marketing, or equivalent experience
Experience
Coordinator: 0-2 years; specialist: 1-3 years; manager: 5+ years with leadership
Core skills
Writing, editing, media pitching, and clear verbal communication
Tools
Media databases, social platforms, and coverage analytics
Judgment
Discretion on messaging and reputation, especially at specialist and manager level
Classification
Set exempt or non-exempt by duties and pay, not title
Keep the posting neutral and inclusive, since the EEOC prohibits job advertisements that show a preference based on a protected characteristic, and the SHRM guide covers the standard sections of a job description.
PR Salary Benchmarks
PR pay differs sharply by level, which is the clearest signal of how senior a role really is. Set your range using government data as a baseline, then adjust for your market.
Specialist $69,780, Manager $138,520 (BLS)
Public relations specialists had a median annual wage of $69,780 in May 2024 (10th percentile under $40,750; 90th over $129,480), and the role is projected to grow about 5 percent from 2024 to 2034 (BLS). Public relations managers, a senior role, had a median of $138,520 (BLS). This is general information, not compensation advice.
Entry-level and coordinator roles sit below the specialist median, often in the $45,000 to $56,000 range in lower-cost areas. The wide gap between the specialist and manager medians is the signal to watch: a true PR manager is a six-figure leadership hire, while a specialist or generalist is a mid-range individual contributor. Anchor your range on the level and your local market.
Do Small Businesses Hire PR In-House?
Usually not, at least not as a dedicated role. Most small businesses and startups handle PR in one of three ways: the founder or marketing lead does it directly, they retain a boutique agency or freelance consultant on a monthly basis, or they fold PR into a broader role. A dedicated in-house PR specialist is more common at mid-size and larger organizations, agencies, education, and government, which are the largest employers of the role.
The Realistic Small-Business Hire Is a Generalist
When a growing company does bring communications in-house, it is usually one person who handles PR, social, content, and marketing together, not a pure PR specialist. That is why these templates include a dedicated PR and marketing generalist version. If you reach the point of making that hire, FirstHR helps with the part that comes after the job description: e-signature for the offer letter, structured onboarding to set messaging and brand-voice expectations, and document management to store the signed offer, policies, and a record of the FLSA classification decision. FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, not a PR, media-monitoring, or payroll tool. Applicant tracking is coming soon.
If your PR needs are occasional or project-based, an agency or freelancer is often the more practical path, and it sidesteps the employee-versus-contractor and classification questions. If PR and communications are constant and you have enough adjacent work to fill a role, an in-house generalist hire makes sense.
From Hiring to Onboarding
Once a candidate accepts, the job description becomes the basis for the offer and onboarding. Because PR roles carry an exempt-versus-non-exempt decision and need clear messaging and brand-voice guidelines from day one, getting the offer, classification, and onboarding right matters.
Send and sign the offer
Confirm the salary, classification, and start date in writing with an offer letter the new hire can e-sign.
Onboard and set expectations
Give the new hire messaging guidelines, brand voice, media policy, and goals through a structured onboarding flow.
Document the classification
Record the FLSA exempt or non-exempt decision and the duties basis, so the classification is defensible later.
Store records in one place
Keep the signed offer, policies, and onboarding records organized and easy to find.
When your offer is ready, the offer letter template handles the next step, and an onboarding template gives the new hire a structured start. FirstHR connects the offer, e-signature, onboarding, and document management in one place, so a small business can run the full process and keep a clear record of the classification decision. FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, not a PR, media-monitoring, or payroll tool. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
Key Takeaways
PR means public relations; the cluster spans specialist, coordinator, manager, communications specialist, and publicist roles at different levels.
Pick the title and level by scope: coordinator for execution, specialist for core IC work, manager for senior strategy and leadership.
FLSA status depends on duties and pay, not title: PR can qualify for the administrative exemption above the $684/week threshold, but coordinator roles are often non-exempt.
BLS reports a median of $69,780 for PR specialists and $138,520 for PR managers (May 2024); the gap signals how senior the role is.
Most small businesses outsource PR or fold it into a combined PR and marketing generalist role rather than hiring a pure PR specialist.
After hiring, document the classification decision and onboard with clear messaging and brand-voice guidelines.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does PR mean in a job description?
In a job description, PR means public relations: the practice of managing how an organization is perceived by the public, press, customers, and community. A public relations role writes press materials, pitches and responds to media, maintains consistent messaging and brand voice, supports marketing and content, tracks coverage, and helps protect reputation during sensitive or crisis situations. PR is not the same as advertising, which is paid placement, or pure marketing, though the functions overlap and at smaller companies are often combined into one role. The term covers several titles, including PR specialist, communications specialist, PR coordinator, PR manager, and publicist, each at a different level and scope. This is general information, not legal advice.
What does a public relations specialist do?
A public relations specialist builds and protects an organization's public image. The day-to-day work includes writing press releases and media pitches, building relationships with reporters, responding to media inquiries, maintaining key messaging and brand voice, supporting social media and marketing campaigns, tracking media coverage, and helping prepare for reputation or crisis issues. The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics classifies this role under public relations specialists and describes the core duties as drafting press releases, contacting media, and helping maintain a favorable public image for the organization. At a small company the role is hands-on and broad; at a larger one it may specialize in media relations, internal communications, or a specific product or region. This is general information, not legal advice.
Is a PR role exempt or non-exempt under the FLSA?
It depends on the level, duties, and pay, not the title. Public relations is named by the Department of Labor as a functional area that can qualify for the FLSA administrative exemption, but a role is only exempt if it is paid on a salary basis at or above the federal threshold of $684 per week ($35,568 per year), has a primary duty of office work directly related to management or general business operations, and exercises discretion and independent judgment on matters of significance. A PR manager who sets strategy generally qualifies as exempt. A PR coordinator or entry-level role that mostly executes routine tasks may be non-exempt and overtime-eligible, which is a common misclassification to watch for. Several states set higher salary thresholds. This is general information, not legal advice.
How much does a PR specialist or PR manager make?
Pay differs sharply by level. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, public relations specialists had a median annual wage of $69,780 in May 2024, with the lowest 10 percent earning less than $40,750 and the highest 10 percent earning more than $129,480. Public relations managers, a senior leadership role, had a much higher median of $138,520 in May 2024, with the lowest 10 percent under $78,880 and the highest 10 percent over $239,200. Entry-level and coordinator roles sit below the specialist median, often in the $45,000 to $56,000 range in lower-cost areas. For a posting, set a salary range based on the level and your local market. This is general information, not compensation advice.
What is the difference between a PR specialist, coordinator, and manager?
They are the same function at different levels. A PR coordinator is the most junior, focused on execution: drafting materials, maintaining media lists, scheduling, and tracking coverage, often an entry-level and frequently non-exempt role. A PR specialist is the core individual-contributor role, owning press materials, media pitching, and messaging with more independence. A PR manager is senior, setting PR strategy, leading media relations, managing staff or agency partners, and carrying a much higher salary, with the role typically exempt. Choose the level that matches the scope and seniority you actually need, since pay and classification follow the level. A communications specialist is broadly similar to a PR specialist with added internal-communications scope. This is general information, not legal advice.
Do small businesses hire PR staff in-house?
Most do not hire a dedicated in-house PR employee. Small businesses and startups typically handle PR in one of three ways: the founder or marketing lead does it themselves, they retain a boutique PR agency or freelance consultant on a monthly basis, or they fold PR into a broader role. When a small company does bring PR in-house, it is usually as part of a combined role, a PR and marketing generalist or a communications specialist who also handles social, content, and campaigns, rather than a pure PR specialist. That combined generalist role is the realistic small-business hire, which is why these templates include a dedicated PR and marketing generalist version alongside the standard PR titles. This is general information, not legal advice.
Should we hire a PR employee or use an agency or freelancer?
It depends on volume and stage. If your PR needs are occasional or project-based, such as a launch, a funding announcement, or a single campaign, a freelance consultant or boutique agency on a retainer is usually the more practical choice, and it avoids the cost and classification questions of a W-2 hire. If PR and communications are constant and central to growth, and you have enough adjacent work, such as social, content, and marketing, to fill a role, an in-house hire, often a PR and marketing generalist, makes more sense. Many growing companies start with an agency or freelancer and move PR in-house once the workload and budget justify a full-time employee. If you engage a freelancer, confirm their independent-contractor classification under IRS and DOL rules. This is general information, not legal advice.
What should a PR job description include?
Start by choosing the right title and level: PR specialist, communications specialist, PR coordinator, PR manager, publicist, or a combined PR and marketing generalist for a small company. Include a short company summary, a job summary, and responsibilities grouped into writing and messaging, media relations, campaigns and reporting, and reputation and coordination. List required and preferred qualifications scaled to the level, the salary range, and the FLSA classification, since this is where generic templates fall short: an entry or coordinator role may be non-exempt, while a manager role is typically exempt. Close with an equal opportunity statement and clear apply instructions, asking for writing samples, then bridge into a structured onboarding once a candidate accepts. This is general information, not legal advice.
