UK

United Kingdom · PR and communications · Mid-Level (2-5 years)

Media Relations Manager

Here is the whole job, in plain words. What it is, what you decide, how you're judged, how people get here and where they go next. Then the part no course gives you: twelve AI tutors who learn your work.

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  • Experience bandMid-Level (2-5 years)
  • Direct reportsNo direct reports
  • Reports toSenior Media Relations Manager
  • UK framework levelUsually a coordinator, or early in a professional job

Also advertised as PR Specialist · Communications Specialist · Media Specialist

Built on 43,079 real UK job descriptions we analysed · grounded in qualifications employers recognise

Two short quizzes about you

1From this job to a course

The qualifications matched to this job

Pearson BTEC Level 4 Higher National Certificate in Public Services Pearson Education Ltd · Level 4 · covers 1 of 2 standards
NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism NCTJ Training · Level 5 · covers 2 of 2 standards
Pearson BTEC Level 5 Higher National Diploma in Public Services Pearson Education Ltd · Level 5 · covers 1 of 2 standards

Matched from the standards this job is measured against: a suggestion, not an official ruling.

The units you would start with

Crime and the Media Pearson BTEC Level 4 Higher National Certificate in Public Services
Introduction to Public Relations for Journalists NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism

The future skills this job leans on

AI Fluency working with AI as a thinking partner
Data Fluency turning numbers into a decision
AI Governance Fluency using AI responsibly
Start my Media Relations Manager plan, free
Your Plan Illustration

Built for Media Relations Manager

2 units that map to this job, from the qualifications that cover it.

  1. Crime and the Media Pearson Education Ltd · covers 1 of 2 standards Level 4
  2. Introduction to Public Relations for Journalists NCTJ Training · covers 2 of 2 standards Level 5
These are the real units behind this job, in the order they rank for it. Nothing here is marked done, because this plan has not been started by anyone yet. Yours would fill in as you go.

2AI and this work

Will AI change your work as a Media Relations Manager?

Nobody can say exactly how. Here is what this job is being asked for next, and where to start.

The new skills this role is being asked for

  • AI-Powered Content Generation & Editing
  • Advanced Data Storytelling for PR
Why each one is rising

The future skills this job leans on

We'll only ever tell you what we can actually back up. No hype, no scare tactics.

What happens when you start

Next, a free account. We build your Media Relations Manager plan as you set up, starting with a Future Fluency module on using AI in your job. No card.

Your first Future Fluency module is free. After that, your AI tutor is £70 a month.

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3What this role really is

A Media Relations Manager talks to journalists, pitches stories and gets an organisation's name into the news. The work involves handling specific campaigns and media outreach, often with a good deal of independence.

4What you'd actually use

The tools this job runs on, and how well you'd need to know each one.

Cision / Muck Rack (Media Database & Monitoring) Intermediate

Building targeted media lists based on specific criteria, running keyword monitoring reports, and flagging relevant media mentions for review. You'll use it to find new contacts and track what's being said about us.

Business Wire / PR Newswire (News Wire Service) Intermediate

Formatting and uploading press releases for distribution, ensuring they go out to the right circuits. You'll pull basic distribution and performance reports to see who picked up the news.

Google Analytics (Web & Traffic Analytics) Basic

Navigating the platform to find referral traffic from specific media placements. You'll pull top-level metrics like sessions and time on page to show the impact of earned media on our website.

Brandwatch / Sprinklr (Social Listening & Engagement) Intermediate

Monitoring brand mentions and journalist conversations on social platforms. You'll identify and escalate potential issues or opportunities, and sometimes even engage directly with reporters.

Asana / Monday.com (Collaboration & Project Management) Advanced

Managing your own tasks, tracking deadlines for press releases and pitches, and updating shared project plans for media campaigns. You'll use it to keep yourself and your team organised.

PowerPoint / Google Slides (Executive Reporting) Intermediate

Populating pre-made templates with coverage clips and basic metrics for weekly/monthly reports. You'll also start designing your own slides to tell the story of our media wins.

5What you get to decide, and how that grows

Power in a job isn't your title. It's what you're allowed to decide. Here's how it grows as you move up.

The choiceComing in Where you are nowThe step above
Media List Creation Builds lists based on specific criteria provided by manager. All lists reviewed. Independently researches and builds targeted media lists for specific campaigns. Manager reviews for high-priority campaigns. Defines criteria for media lists and approves lists built by junior team members. Identifies strategic new outlets.
Press Release Drafting Drafts boilerplate sections or small updates to existing releases. All drafts heavily edited. Drafts full press releases and media alerts from scratch, incorporating key messages. Manager provides final review and approval. Approves press release drafts from junior staff. Provides strategic input on messaging and tone for all releases.
Media Pitch Strategy Executes pitches provided by manager. No independent pitch strategy. Develops individual pitch angles and outreach strategies for specific stories. Consults manager on high-stakes pitches. Defines overall pitch strategy for major campaigns. Mentors junior staff on pitch development.
Spokesperson Briefing Assists with compiling briefing materials. Observes briefings. Prepares briefing documents and assists in coaching spokespeople for routine interviews. Manager leads high-stakes briefings. Leads spokesperson training and briefing for all interviews, including high-stakes ones. Advises on messaging.
Crisis Response (Initial) Flags potential issues to manager immediately. No independent action. Flags potential issues immediately. Helps draft holding statements and Q&A under manager's guidance. No external communication without approval. Identifies and assesses crisis potential. Drafts initial holding statements and Q&A for manager's review. Advises on immediate next steps.

6How you'll be judged

The scoreboard, and what is not on it. The hard targets, how often each is actually looked at, and the quiet signals that never reach a dashboard.

Targeted Pitches Sent
The number of individual, tailored pitches you send to relevant journalists.
Target · 100+ per quarter

You sent 115 pitches last quarter, focusing on specific reporters who cover our industry, rather than just blasting a generic email list.

Secured Media Placements
The actual number of articles, interviews, or mentions published as a direct result of your outreach.
Target · 15-20 per quarter (trade/local media)

Last month, you landed 6 articles in key trade publications and 2 local business features, bringing your quarterly total to 18.

Key Message Pull-Through Rate
The percentage of our agreed-upon core messages that actually appear in the published media coverage.
Target · 70%+

In a recent article about our new product, 3 out of our 4 key messages (75%) were clearly articulated by the journalist, showing your briefing was effective.

Media Coverage Sentiment
The overall positive, neutral, or negative tone of the media mentions you secure.
Target · 90%+ positive/neutral sentiment

Our media monitoring showed that 95% of the coverage you secured last quarter was either positive or neutral, with no negative mentions directly attributed to your efforts.

Journalist Relationship Quality
How well you're building and maintaining genuine relationships with reporters.
  • Journalists proactively reaching out to you for comments or story ideas. Positive feedback from reporters about your helpfulness and understanding of their beat. Regular, non-pitch-related engagement on social media or email.
Proactive Story Identification
Your ability to spot news opportunities and internal stories that would resonate with the media.
  • Bringing fresh, relevant story ideas to weekly team meetings. Successfully 'newsjacking' a trending topic with a timely pitch. Identifying internal experts or customer stories that haven't been shared externally yet.
Internal Collaboration & Communication
How effectively you work with other internal teams to gather information and align on messaging.
  • Positive feedback from Marketing or Product teams about your clear communication and responsiveness. Smooth coordination of internal subject matter expert interviews. No surprises for internal teams from media coverage you've secured.
Crisis Preparedness Contribution
Your input and support during potential or actual crisis situations.
  • Contributing to holding statements or Q&A documents. Monitoring media for early signs of issues. Quickly flagging potential negative stories to your manager for review.

7Would you like it

Both sides. What people enjoy, and what grinds them down.

What people enjoy
Seeing Your Stories Published

You get a real buzz from seeing our company mentioned in a respected publication, knowing your hard work made it happen. You're constantly checking for new coverage and sharing it with the team.

That feeling when you see your pitch turn into a front-page story in a key trade magazine? That's what gets you out of bed.

Building Genuine Relationships

You enjoy the process of getting to know journalists, understanding their beats, and becoming a trusted resource for them. It's not just about the transaction; it's about the connection.

A journalist you've worked with before calls you directly for a comment on a breaking story, knowing you'll give them a straight answer quickly.

Making a Tangible Impact

You want your work to contribute directly to the company's success, whether that's boosting brand awareness or supporting sales efforts. You like seeing the numbers move.

When the sales team tells you a recent article you secured helped them close a deal, you know your work matters.

What frustrates people
  • Having to politely explain to internal teams why their minor product update isn't a front-page story for The Guardian.
  • Chasing internal experts for quotes or data, often last minute, for a journalist on a tight deadline.
  • A journalist loving your pitch but then using your data as a minor point in a story that features a competitor more prominently.
  • The constant pressure of the 24/7 news cycle, meaning urgent requests can pop up at any time, sometimes messing up your weekend plans.
What this role does not give you
  • A predictable, 9-to-5 routine with no urgent requests.
  • Guaranteed placement for every story you pitch.
  • Complete creative freedom without internal or external constraints.
  • A role focused purely on strategy without any hands-on execution.

8Who you work with

Your work directly influences our brand's visibility and reputation. Get us great coverage, and we look like leaders. Get it wrong, or miss opportunities, and we fade into the background. You're a crucial part of how the outside world sees us, which, let's be honest, impacts everything from sales to talent acquisition.

Inside the business
  • Marketing Team (for campaign alignment and content)
  • Product Team (for understanding new features and launches)
  • Sales Team (to understand market needs and share media wins)
  • Internal Subject Matter Experts (for interviews and insights)
  • Legal Team (for reviewing sensitive statements)
Outside the business
  • Journalists (trade, local, and increasingly, national tech press)
  • Editors and Producers
  • Industry Analysts
  • Event Organisers

9What you need before you start

Not a wish list. The things you would be expected to already have.

  • At least 2-5 years of hands-on experience in a media relations or public relations role, either in-house or at an agency.
  • A proven track record of securing media placements in relevant trade or local publications.
  • Demonstrable experience in drafting compelling press releases, pitches, and other media materials.
  • Experience using media monitoring and database tools (like Cision or Muck Rack) to build lists and track coverage.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills – you should be able to write clearly and speak confidently.

10What to practise next

Where the job is going, and what to do about it starting this week.

Enhanced Media Monitoring & Analysis

Simply tracking mentions isn't enough anymore. We need to understand the deeper trends, competitive share of voice, and the true sentiment behind the coverage. Tools are getting smarter, and so should we.

Boolean Search Mastery · Competitor Benchmarking

  • This week: Review your current search queries in our media monitoring tool. Can they be more precise?
  • This month: Take an online tutorial or webinar on advanced Boolean search techniques for media monitoring.
  • Month 2: Set up a new, more detailed competitor monitoring report and share your findings with your manager.
  • Month 3: Propose a new way to visualise our media sentiment data for internal reporting.

Quick win: Spend 30 minutes in your media monitoring platform exploring its advanced search features. You'll likely find something useful immediately.

Social Listening for Proactive PR

Social media is where news often breaks first, and where journalists are increasingly active. Using social listening tools isn't just for crisis management; it's for proactively identifying opportunities and building relationships.

Journalist Identification on Social · Trend Spotting

  • This week: Spend time exploring the social listening features in our current tool. Who are the key influencers talking about our industry?
  • This month: Identify 2-3 journalists on social media who regularly cover our sector and start engaging with their content.
  • Month 2: Propose a 'newsjacking' opportunity based on a trending social media conversation you've identified.
  • Month 3: Work with the social media team to understand how PR can better support their efforts and vice-versa.

Quick win: Follow 5-10 key journalists in our industry on X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn. Engage with their posts authentically.

11Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up
  • Regularly attending industry webinars and virtual events focused on media relations trends and best practices.
  • Subscribing to key journalism and PR industry newsletters (e.g., PRWeek, The Holmes Report) to stay current.
  • Actively participating in online PR communities or forums, sharing insights and learning from peers.
  • Taking short courses on advanced writing, digital analytics, or specific media relations tools.
  • Reading books or articles on crisis communications, media psychology, or narrative storytelling.

12The rising capability

The rising capability

Zavmo analysis

What's rising in its place

This is where the work is heading, and the higher pay with it. Get fluent here and the shift stops being a threat and starts being your edge.

AI-Powered Content Generation & Editing

Frankly, competitors are already using tools like ChatGPT and Claude to draft reports and pitches in minutes, not hours. Analysts who master this will outproduce their peers significantly. It's about working smarter, not harder.

  • Prompt Engineering
  • AI Output Validation
  • Ethical AI Use in PR

Advanced Data Storytelling for PR

CFOs and CEOs want to see real business impact from PR, not just vanity metrics. Being able to connect a great media placement to website traffic, lead generation, or brand search lift is becoming non-negotiable. It's about proving our value with numbers.

  • UTM Tracking
  • Google Analytics Custom Dashboards
  • Correlation vs. Causation

13What you’ll use

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

  • Narrative Design & Storytelling
  • Tiered Media Strategy (Application)
  • Spokesperson Briefing & Support
  • Reputation Monitoring & Reporting
  • Crisis Communications (Basic Awareness)

14The pathway

The pathway

How you actually get there, here

How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.

  1. 1

    Media Relations Coordinator / Junior PR Executive

    2-3 years

    Skills to master

    • Building accurate media lists, drafting basic press materials, understanding media monitoring, supporting senior team members, and learning the ropes of journalist outreach.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Consistently accurate media lists and coverage reports.
    • Ability to draft clear, concise internal communications and basic external materials.
    • Proactive in identifying media opportunities and supporting team campaigns.
    • Positive feedback from managers on reliability and willingness to learn.
  2. 2

    Journalist / Editor Transition

    3-5 years (post-journalism)

    Skills to master

    • Understanding the 'other side' of the media, adapting journalistic writing to PR messaging, building on existing media contacts, and learning corporate communications strategy.

    You're ready to move on when

    • A strong network of media contacts from your journalism career.
    • Demonstrable ability to understand what makes a story newsworthy from a reporter's perspective.
    • Quick adaptation to corporate messaging and brand guidelines.
    • Excellent writing skills, even if it means adjusting your style.
  3. 3

    Marketing Specialist with Comms Focus

    3-4 years

    Skills to master

    • Translating marketing objectives into media opportunities, understanding earned vs. paid media, developing pitch angles from marketing campaigns, and building media relationships from scratch.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Proven ability to generate content and campaigns that attract attention.
    • Strong understanding of brand messaging and target audiences.
    • Enthusiasm for building relationships with external media.
    • Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally with PR teams.

15Where this role leads

The long view: This work can lead to a specialist media strategy role, a management role over a media relations team, or a director of communications role.

16Pay and demand

Pay & demand

Typical pay £37,563 a year Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025 (provisional), under the Open Government Licence v3.0

The figure is the median for full-time employees in the ONS occupation this job title codes to (Public relations professionals), from the April 2025 survey, about six months old when published, as ASHE always is. It is that occupation's middle, not this role's. Half earn more.

The ten Future Fluencies

Zavmo analysis

The credential is what you can do today. These are what keep you valuable.

A qualification proves you can do the job as it's defined today. These ten are what decide whether you're still the obvious person for it in five years. They're the capabilities employers are now writing into senior roles faster than people are learning them. Zavmo weaves them through whatever you study, so you come out with both: the credential and the fluency.

The highlighted ones are the Fluencies your role leans on hardest, from how Media Relations Manager is actually changing.

Where it leads

Roles this leads to

How you would learn this

One to one, on the work you already do

A tutor sets the task against your own job and marks the reasoning, at your pace. There is no cohort to fall behind.

A lesson from Crime and the Media, worked against Media Relations Manager.

Crime and the Media Level 4

Applied to your work in Media Relations Manager

The objective of this unit is to enable learners to examine the reporting of crime in various media formats and analyse its impact on public perception. Learners will also discuss the ethical issues in media reporting of crime and review media theories and methodologies in relation to crime.

How the thinking builds
  1. 1 Remember
  2. 2 Understand
  3. 3 Apply
  4. 4 Analyse
  5. 5 Evaluate
  6. 6 Create
An illustration of a Zavmo lesson, built from this role’s own route. The unit, its objective and every criterion above are the awarding body’s own words, not an example.

It is £70 a month, billed monthly. Your free first module is Future Fluency, and you can cancel any time.

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See Your Progress Grow Illustration
Media Relations Manager
  • Narrative Design & Storytelling
  • Tiered Media Strategy (Application)
  • Spokesperson Briefing & Support
  • Reputation Monitoring & Reporting
  • Crisis Communications (Basic Awareness)
This is your Mind Palace on learn.zavmo.ai. Every skill above comes from this role's own record, not an example borrowed from another job. A node lights up when you evidence it, and what you build stays yours between jobs. That is the part a course cannot do.

17The detail, folded away

Everything else the record holds

The career branches in full, how AI is already showing up in the day-to-day, and the questions people ask about this job. Here when you want them, out of the way while you decide.

Where it leads next, rung by rung

Where it leads

The career path, and where it branches

Media Relations Manager is a start, not a ceiling. Each step below asks for new skills and hands back more autonomy.

  1. Senior Media Relations Manager (Level 003)

    2-3 years

    Owns complete media workstreams, leads campaigns, mentors junior staff, and secures Tier 1 coverage.

    • Tier 1 Media Outreach Consistently securing placements in top-tier national and international outlets.
    • Complex Narrative Development Crafting overarching narratives for major company initiatives.
    • Crisis Communications Leadership Taking a more active role in managing media during sensitive situations.
Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

Let's be honest, media relations can be a grind sometimes. The research, the drafting, the endless monitoring – it all takes time. But what if you could cut through some of that busy work and focus on the really important stuff, like building relationships and crafting brilliant stories? That's where AI comes in.

We're not talking about replacing your job; we're talking about giving you a superpower. Imagine having a personal assistant that handles the tedious bits, leaving you free to be more creative, more strategic, and ultimately, more impactful. Our AI Productivity Hub is designed to do just that, giving you access to tools that make your day-to-day work faster and smarter.

Automated Coverage Reporting

Use AI to automatically clip, summarise, and analyse the sentiment of daily media mentions. The system can draft your morning coverage report, flagging key articles for immediate review. No more manually sifting through dozens of articles – the AI does the heavy lifting, letting you focus on the insights.

Predictive Pitching Insights

AI can analyse thousands of articles from a target journalist, identifying their most-covered topics, typical sentiment, and even the time of day they usually publish. This gives you data-driven recommendations for pitch angles and optimal timing, making your outreach far more effective and less like guesswork.

First-Draft Generation

Staring at a blank page is the worst. Use generative AI to create initial drafts of press releases, media alerts, pitch emails, and journalist briefing documents based on a few key inputs and messages. This turns a daunting blank-page problem into a much quicker editing task, saving you loads of time and mental energy.

Global Media Monitoring

If we're working internationally, AI-powered translation and monitoring tools can track brand mentions and sentiment across multiple languages and regions in real-time. This gives you a global view of our reputation without needing a massive international team, cutting down on agency spend and giving you instant insights.

Common questions

Common questions

How do you become a Media Relations Manager?

Common routes in include Media Relations Coordinator / Junior PR Executive (2-3 years), Journalist / Editor Transition (3-5 years (post-journalism)) and Marketing Specialist with Comms Focus (3-4 years). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a Media Relations Manager progress to?

This role can lead on to Senior Media Relations Manager (2-3 years), depending on the skills you build.

What new skills matter most for a Media Relations Manager?

Increasingly, AI-Powered Content Generation & Editing and Advanced Data Storytelling for PR. These are the skills our record of this role lists as growing.

Free tools

Want a read on where you stand?

Three free tools, no account needed. Each one ends with a role, a level and a way in.

Read the Zavmo manifesto to understand how you will be taught Meet your tutors

Or try another one

18Where to go from here

Other roles at Level 3

Same depth of qualification, different job. Useful if the work appeals but this particular role does not.

 More jobs in PR and communications

Stay in the field you know and move sideways rather than up.
If you leave this industry

Skills such as storytelling, relationship building, crisis management and strategic communication carry across sectors. They can lead into corporate communications, investor relations, internal communications or marketing roles, in finance, consumer goods or agency work.

This role profile is © 2026 Growth Engineering Technologies Ltd. Built from UK occupational standards and regulated qualification data, and written for Zavmo.

You're not behind. You're right on time. The shift is only just beginning. Your role won't look the same in two years. Be the one who leads the change, not the one it happens to. Start my Media Relations Manager plan, free What happens next: a free account, then we build your plan as you set up. No card. Build your plan, see your roadmap and meet the twelve tutors matched to you. All free. When you're ready to start learning, it's £70 a month, billed monthly. Cancel any time and billing stops.