Public relations and communications directors: pay and what the work involves

Occupation 1133 · Managers, directors and senior officials

Public relations and communications directors

Public relations and communications directors plan, organise, direct and co-ordinate the public relations, communications and public information activities of an organisation or on behalf of clients.

How people enter it

Entry is generally via career progression from related occupations (e.g. communications officer, public relations officer) and although there are no pre-set entry standards, in practice most communications and public relations directors hold a degree. Off and on-the-job training is provided.

What the work involves

develops and reviews the public relations policy and direction of an organisation
directs and oversees the work of the communications department of an organisation or work on behalf of clients at a public relations firm
liaises with client to discuss their needs and develops the most appropriate strategy to deliver the objectives directs public relations campaigns and communicates messages through a variety of media
reviews and revises campaign strategy and takes appropriate corrective measures if necessary
stays abreast of changes in media, readership or viewing figures
directs the arranging of conferences, exhibitions, seminars, etc. to promote the image of a product, service or organisation

Also called

Head of communications · Head of public relations

What it pays

Measure	Hours	Basis	Period	Value	Source
1133 : Public relations and communications directors	None	None	2026-03	27,900.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
1133 : Public relations and communications directors	None	None	2026-03	29,900.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
1133 : Public relations and communications directors	None	None	2026-03	32,200.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
1133 : Public relations and communications directors	None	None	2026-03	—	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) Not published: Estimate and confidence interval not available since the group sample size is zero or disclosive (0-2)
1133 : Public relations and communications directors	None	None	2026-03	2,400.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
1133 : Public relations and communications directors	None	None	2026-03	32,200.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
1133 : Public relations and communications directors	None	None	2026-03	1,900.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)

Every regional figure

ONS does not publish occupational pay below region. Cells the survey could not support are shown as withheld, with its reason — adding a region split to a specific occupation leaves roughly a tenth of cells publishable.

Region	Measure	Hours	Value	Period
East	1133 : Public relations and communications directors	None	1,200.00	2026-03
East Midlands	1133 : Public relations and communications directors	None	700.00	2026-03
London	1133 : Public relations and communications directors	None	14,300.00	2026-03
North East	1133 : Public relations and communications directors	None	700.00	2026-03
North West	1133 : Public relations and communications directors	None	1,800.00	2026-03
Northern Ireland	1133 : Public relations and communications directors	None	withheld	2026-03
Scotland	1133 : Public relations and communications directors	None	2,400.00	2026-03
South East	1133 : Public relations and communications directors	None	5,600.00	2026-03
South West	1133 : Public relations and communications directors	None	1,600.00	2026-03
Wales	1133 : Public relations and communications directors	None	1,900.00	2026-03
West Midlands	1133 : Public relations and communications directors	None	900.00	2026-03
Yorkshire and The Humber	1133 : Public relations and communications directors	None	1,200.00	2026-03

Common questions

Does pay for public relations and communications directors vary by region?

ONS publishes regional pay for this occupation where the survey sample supports it — 11 of 12 cells on this page. The rest are withheld by ONS, and are shown as withheld with the reason, rather than left out.

Where do these pay figures come from?

The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, published by the Office for National Statistics. Figures are shown exactly as ONS publishes them — we do not adjust, model or fill them in, and every number on this page carries the series and period it came from.

Classified alongside this

Charitable organisation managers and directors · Financial managers and directors · Functional managers and directors n.e.c. · Human resource managers and directors · Information technology directors · Marketing, sales and advertising directors · Purchasing managers and directors