Public relations director

You could do a degree or postgraduate qualification in public relations, communications or marketing before joining an agency.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
• a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements
• student finance for fees and living costs
• university courses and entry requirements

You could join a public relations firm as a manager and with experience, work your way up to become a company director.

You could apply to become a public relations (PR) director if you've got several years' experience at senior management level in PR, marketing or communications.

Further information

You can find out more about a career in public relations from the Public Relations & Communications Association and the Chartered Institute of Public Relations.

You'll need:

• knowledge of media production and communication
• customer service skills
• the ability to use your initiative
• knowledge of English language
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• persistence and determination
• excellent verbal communication skills
• to be flexible and open to change
• to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Your day-to-day duties may include:

• planning and delivering communications campaigns for clients
• raising awareness of your organisation and its aims
• communicating messages through online, print and broadcast media
• managing relationships with clients and sub-contracted agencies
• reporting to the organisation’s board or owner
• representing the organisation at conferences, events and in the media
• keeping up to date with media stories and trends
• managing budgets

You could work in an office or at a client's business.

You may need to wear smart business dress.