How to hire a Communications Manager

How to hire a communications manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step communications manager hiring guide:

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

What does a Communications Manager do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The communications manager hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine Employee vs Contractor Status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A communications manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, communications managers 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 communications managers.

   Type Of Communications Manager	Description	Hourly Rate
   Communications Manager	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.	$25-58
   Manager	Managers are responsible for a specific department, function, or employee group. They oversee their assigned departments and all the employees under the department... Show More	$17-44
   Leasing Manager	A leasing manager is responsible for processing the lease requirements of multiple properties for potential renters and ensuring that all documents are filed accurately, following the standards of property management and clients' qualifications. Leasing managers develop marketing campaigns to advertise leasing properties through media relations and posting on social media platforms... Show More	$14-36

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common Skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Property Management
   • Yardi
   • Project Management
   • Press Releases
   • Web Content
   • Facebook
   • Resident Retention
   • PowerPoint
   • Resident Relations
   • Communications Strategy
   • HR
   • External Communications
   • Financial Reports

   Check All Skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Co-administered sales campaigns in Salesforce, CRM to efficiently manage sales productivity of communication and leads.
   • Lead and manage marketing department's copywriting and editing team and develop many aspects of corporate communication.
   • Manage creative agency relationships and lead execution of commercial excellence awards program, Americas mid-year growth summit and kick-off meetings.
   • Manage all Medicaid paperwork, manage staff payroll, client attendance.
   • Manage all facets of community programs and recruitment for HIV prevention clinical trials.
   • Train in YARDI to complete daily transitions, manage resident ledgers and prepare weekly/monthly reports.

   More Communications Manager duties

3. Make a budget

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

   $81,304yearly

   $39.09 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level communications manager salary

   $53,000 yearly salary

   Updated March 16, 2025

   Average communications manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. Salary	Hourly Rate
   1	California	$116,875	$56
   2	Washington	$100,129	$48
   3	Nevada	$97,471	$47
   4	Rhode Island	$97,084	$47
   5	Connecticut	$95,838	$46
   6	Virginia	$92,924	$45
   7	New York	$87,425	$42
   8	District of Columbia	$86,831	$42
   9	Oregon	$83,368	$40
   10	Ohio	$82,262	$40
   11	Maryland	$82,036	$39
   12	Massachusetts	$80,352	$39
   13	Iowa	$79,658	$38
   14	Arkansas	$78,348	$38
   15	Minnesota	$76,104	$37
   16	Pennsylvania	$75,908	$36
   17	Georgia	$72,180	$35
   18	North Carolina	$72,039	$35
   19	Illinois	$71,647	$34
   20	Arizona	$71,192	$34

   Average communications manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average Salary	Hourly Rate	Job Openings
   1	McKinsey & Company Inc	$153,901	$73.99
   2	Meta	$141,365	$67.96	42
   3	Google	$139,172	$66.91	15
   4	Apple	$134,830	$64.82	36
   5	Schlumberger	$128,610	$61.83
   6	Urban Institute	$125,631	$60.40
   7	Genentech	$123,226	$59.24	1
   8	Microsoft	$123,116	$59.19	1
   9	Flexport	$121,866	$58.59	4
   10	Reddit	$121,024	$58.18
   11	Atlassian	$119,491	$57.45	2
   12	Yahoo	$119,449	$57.43
   13	HSBC Bank	$118,132	$56.79
   14	Edwards Lifesciences	$117,994	$56.73	1
   15	Novo Nordisk	$117,016	$56.26	1
   16	Amd	$116,547	$56.03	1
   17	Amgen	$116,172	$55.85	5
   18	Autodesk	$115,389	$55.48
   19	Palo Alto Networks	$115,185	$55.38	4
   20	Pinterest	$114,792	$55.19

4. Writing a Communications Manager Job Description

   A communications manager 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. Below, you can find an example of a communications manager job description:

   Communications Manager job description example

   Cato Networks is the provider of the world’s first SASE platform, Cato SASE Cloud. SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) is the convergence of network and network security into a unified, global, and cloud-native service. You can read more about SASE here.
   
   We are looking for a Media and Communications Manager to join our product marketing team. This is an exciting opportunity to work with the company who reimagined enterprise network and security and now leads what’s called the SASE revolution. You will play a critical role in expanding Cato’s awareness among journalists worldwide while creating engaging content to attract new customers.
   
   In this role, you will work closely with Cato’s Director of Technology Evangelism to educate the market about the Cato revolution. Your persuasive, organizational, and technical skills will be used to engage journalists and influencers. Your content creation skills will be used to produce, write, and edit blogs, case studies, papers, video testimonials, and more.
   This role is virtual and highly preferred to be located in east coast time zone.
   
   Responsibilities:
   Responsibilities Help lead communication and marketing strategies for product launches and news events. Create informative and engaging press releases and related marketing materials. Reach out to influencers, media and beyond in order to arrange story placement on a national and global level Manage, edit, and review case studies, customer video testimonials, and internal produced materials for adherence to Cato messaging standards Assist in driving PR operations by identifying new media targets, preparing detailed media activity reports, and maintaining PR administration Collaborate with different departments to generate new ideas and strategies.
   
   Requirements:
   
   Required Skills 3-5 years of experience in B2B media relations or marketing Outstanding written, verbal, analytical, and communication skills. Proven success designing and executing marketing and communications strategies and campaigns Strong knowledge of communication practices and techniques. Capable of working well in a team and independently Detail oriented and excellent organizational skills Native English speaker; excellent English (verbal and written) Proficiency with business tools – Microsoft PowerPoint, Word, Excel Optional Skills and Experiences Journalism experience editing and producing engaging blogs and articles Demonstrated understanding of enterprise networking and/or security Demonstrated experience in video editing and production Multilingual, French or Spanish Education Bachelor’s degree in English, Journalism, Marketing or Communications

   Copy This Example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right communications manager for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your communications manager job on Zippia to find and attract quality communications manager 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 communications managers, 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 communications manager

   Once you've decided on a perfect communications manager candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   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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How much does it cost to hire a communications manager?