United Kingdom · Public Relations Communications · Senior (5-8 years)

Senior Press Officer

Here is the whole job, in plain words. What it is, a real day, 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.

  • Experience bandSenior (5-8 years)
  • Direct reportsNo direct reports
  • Reports toLead Press Officer or Head of Communications
  • UK framework levelUsually a professional owning their own work, or leading a small team

Also advertised as Senior Media Relations Specialist · PR Lead · Communications Manager (Media Focus)

Built on an analysis of 43,079 real UK job descriptions · grounded in qualifications employers recognise

Start with a free Future Fluency check, tuned to Senior Press Officer

Ten quick questions, one per Future Fluency, asked against this role rather than a generic one. About five minutes, and no card.

Start the check, free

1What this role really is

You're the go-to person for getting our stories into the right hands. This means building real relationships with journalists, crafting pitches that actually land, and making sure our key messages shine through. You'll be leading significant campaigns, not just supporting them, and you'll often be the first point of contact for media inquiries on your patch.

2What you'd actually use

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

Cision / Muck Rack (Media Monitoring & Database)Expert

Creating complex Boolean search queries for media monitoring, analysing competitor coverage, identifying emerging trends, and training junior staff on platform best practices. You'll be the resident expert.

PR Newswire / Business Wire (Press Release Distribution)Advanced

Managing the end-to-end distribution process for major announcements, selecting optimal circuits, timing releases for maximum impact, and analysing performance reports. You'll own the distribution.

Asana / Trello (Collaboration & Project Management)Advanced

Designing and managing entire PR campaign project plans, assigning tasks to junior team members, and using the platform to report progress to stakeholders. You'll be running your campaigns here.

Google Analytics / Sprinklr (Web & Social Analytics)Intermediate

Creating custom dashboards to measure campaign impact on web traffic and conversions, and conducting sophisticated sentiment and share-of-voice analysis. You'll be digging into the data.

Slack / MS Teams (Internal Comms & Collaboration)Advanced

Managing channels for campaign coordination, setting up integrations (e.g., with Cision alerts), and using the platform to coordinate rapid response during breaking news or crises. It's how we talk to each other.

PowerPoint / Google Slides (Executive Reporting)Advanced

Creating detailed media coverage reports and campaign summaries for internal stakeholders, presenting insights clearly and compellingly. You'll be telling the story of our success.

3What 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 inWhere you are nowThe step above
Media Outreach StrategyFollows established media lists and pitch guidelines. Seeks approval for any new journalist outreach.Independently develops media lists and pitch angles for routine campaigns. Seeks approval for high-stakes exclusives.Designs and owns the media outreach strategy for major campaigns. Decides on exclusives and embargoes with manager consultation. Mentors juniors on strategy.
Press Release ContentDrafts sections of press releases based on templates. Requires full review and approval.Drafts full press releases, incorporating feedback from internal stakeholders. Requires final approval from manager and legal.Owns the drafting and messaging of all press releases for their campaigns. Manages legal review process. Provides feedback to juniors.
Spokesperson Selection & BriefingAssists with scheduling spokespeople. Helps compile briefing materials.Identifies appropriate spokespeople for routine media opportunities. Conducts basic briefings under supervision.Recommends and briefs spokespeople for significant media opportunities. Develops comprehensive briefing documents and Q&As. Conducts full media training sessions.
Crisis Communications ResponseMonitors media for crisis mentions. Logs inquiries.Drafts holding statements or initial responses for review. Manages inbound inquiries during minor incidents.Leads initial response efforts during a crisis, drafting holding statements and coordinating media inquiries. Consults with leadership on messaging and strategy.

4How you'll be judged

The scoreboard, honestly: the hard targets, how often each one is actually looked at, and the quiet human signals that never make it onto a dashboard.

Tier-1 Media Placements
The number of significant stories you secure in our target top-tier publications (e.g., Financial Times, BBC News, The Times, key industry journals).
Target · 5-10 quality placements per quarter

Securing an exclusive feature in The Guardian on our new product launch, or a spokesperson interview on Sky News.

Key Message Pull-Through Rate
How often our agreed-upon core messages appear accurately in the published coverage.
Target · 75%+ in top-tier coverage

If we have three core messages for a campaign, and a journalist includes at least two of them in their article, that's good pull-through.

Media Sentiment Improvement
The shift towards more positive or neutral sentiment in media mentions related to our brand or specific campaigns.
Target · 10% year-over-year improvement in positive/neutral sentiment for your assigned areas

Moving from 60% neutral/positive sentiment to 70% for coverage related to our latest financial results.

Inbound Media Inquiry Response Time
How quickly you acknowledge and respond to direct media inquiries, especially during critical periods.
Target · Acknowledge within 30 minutes, provide substantive response or holding statement within 2 hours (during working hours)

Receiving an urgent email from a journalist at 10 AM, acknowledging by 10:20 AM, and providing a holding statement by 11:30 AM.

Stakeholder Trust & Counsel
Your ability to be a trusted advisor to internal business leaders, offering sound media relations guidance and managing their expectations effectively.
  • Mid-level managers proactively ask for your advice before making announcements
  • they trust your judgment on media strategy
  • you're included in early planning meetings for significant initiatives.
Journalist Relationship Quality
The strength and depth of your relationships with key journalists, leading to more receptive pitching and proactive inbound inquiries.
  • Journalists reach out to you directly for expert commentary or sources
  • they respond positively to your pitches
  • you get 'first look' opportunities or exclusives because of your relationship.
Campaign Leadership & Execution
Your effectiveness in leading PR campaigns from strategy to execution, ensuring all elements are coordinated and deadlines are met.
  • Campaigns you lead hit their media coverage targets
  • you proactively identify and resolve roadblocks
  • junior team members look to you for guidance on campaign execution.
Mentorship & Team Contribution
Your positive impact on the development of junior team members and your overall contribution to team knowledge and best practices.
  • Junior colleagues actively seek your advice
  • you regularly provide constructive feedback on their work
  • you share learnings and new approaches with the wider team
  • you help unstick others.

5Would you like it

The honest version. What people enjoy, and what grinds them down.

What people enjoy
Seeing Your Stories Land

You get a real buzz from seeing your pitch turn into a prominent article in a national paper or a segment on a news channel. That public validation of your hard work is a big driver.

You've worked for weeks on an exclusive with a journalist, and when the story breaks, you feel a genuine sense of accomplishment and pride.

Building Meaningful Relationships

You enjoy the process of getting to know journalists, understanding their beats, and becoming a trusted resource for them. You like the networking aspect of the job.

A journalist you've cultivated a relationship with calls you directly for a comment on a breaking story, because they know you'll deliver quickly and accurately.

Shaping the Narrative

You're driven by the idea of influencing public perception and ensuring our company's story is told accurately and positively. You like being at the forefront of how we're seen.

Successfully guiding the media conversation around a new, potentially controversial product launch, ensuring the key benefits are understood.

What frustrates people
  • The 'black hole' of unanswered pitches, especially after significant effort.
  • Internal stakeholders having unrealistic expectations about media coverage.
  • Last-minute 'urgent' requests with insufficient information or time.
  • Legal/compliance watering down or blocking compelling stories.
  • The endless struggle to quantify PR's value to data-driven executives.
What this role does not give you
  • A predictable, routine day-to-day schedule.
  • Guaranteed immediate gratification for every piece of work.
  • Complete creative freedom without corporate or legal oversight.
  • A quiet, solitary work environment (it's often fast-paced and collaborative).

6Who you work with

This role directly shapes our public perception and brand reputation. Your ability to secure positive, accurate media coverage influences everything from customer acquisition to investor confidence. You're a key guardian of our narrative, making sure we're seen in the best possible light, especially when things get a bit tricky.

Inside the business
  • Product Marketing Managers
  • Head of Product
  • Legal & Compliance Team
  • Sales Leadership
  • Internal Communications Manager
Outside the business
  • Key journalists (trade, national, broadcast)
  • Industry analysts
  • External PR agencies (when applicable)
  • Event organisers

7What you need before you start

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

  • Proven experience (5+ years) in a dedicated media relations or press officer role, either in-house or at a PR agency.
  • A strong portfolio of secured media coverage, demonstrating success in placing stories in reputable publications.
  • Demonstrable experience in crafting compelling written content for various media formats (press releases, pitches, thought leadership articles).
  • Experience managing PR campaigns from conception to execution and reporting.
  • A solid understanding of the UK media landscape and key journalists across different beats.
  • Experience in mentoring or guiding junior team members (even informally).

8What to practise next

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

Advanced PR Measurement & Attribution

Executives increasingly want to see a direct link between PR efforts and business outcomes. Moving beyond basic clip counts to demonstrate impact on web traffic, lead generation, or sales requires more sophisticated measurement techniques and tools.

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) for PR · CRM Integration · Brand Lift Studies · Share of Voice (SOV) Analysis

  • This week: Familiarise yourself with the new interface of Google Analytics 4. It's different from Universal Analytics.
  • This month: Work with our digital marketing team to understand how they track PR-driven traffic and conversions.
  • Next quarter: Explore online courses or webinars on advanced PR measurement, focusing on attribution models.
  • Month 3-6: Propose a new, more robust measurement framework for one of your upcoming campaigns, incorporating GA4 data.

Quick win: Start adding specific UTM parameters to all links in your press releases and pitches. This immediately improves tracking in Google Analytics without needing new tools.

9Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up
  • Regularly attending industry events and webinars (e.g., PRCA, CIPR events) to stay current on trends.
  • Subscribing to key media industry newsletters (e.g., Press Gazette, HoldtheFrontPage) to understand the evolving landscape.
  • Taking online courses in advanced digital analytics or AI for communications.
  • Participating in media training workshops, even as a refresher, to hone your coaching skills.
  • Mentoring junior colleagues and actively seeking mentorship from more senior leaders.

10How the AI economy is changing work like this

Before we ask anything of you, here's what we can already say about AI and work of this kind:

The new skill this role is being asked for: AI-Powered Content Generation & Optimisation

Competitors are already using tools like ChatGPT and Claude to draft press releases, pitches, and even social media copy in minutes. Those who can effectively prompt and refine AI outputs will significantly outproduce their peers and create more tailored content.

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

Your PlanIllustration

Built for Senior Press Officer

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

  1. PR and Communications for JournalistsNCTJ Training · covers 3 of 3 standardsLevel 5
  2. Crime and the MediaPearson Education Ltd · covers 1 of 3 standardsLevel 4
  3. News Media PracticeOpen College Network West Midlands · covers 2 of 3 standardsLevel 2
  4. Assist in the production of press releases and evaluate their effectivenessBIIAB · covers 1 of 3 standardsLevel 2
  5. Engaging with the MediaAgored Cymru · covers 1 of 3 standardsLevel 2
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.

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 & Optimisation

Competitors are already using tools like ChatGPT and Claude to draft press releases, pitches, and even social media copy in minutes. Those who can effectively prompt and refine AI outputs will significantly outproduce their peers and create more tailored content.

  • Prompt Engineering
  • AI Content Refinement
  • Ethical AI Use in PR
  • Sentiment Analysis with AI

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

  • Media Relations & Pitch Crafting
  • Crisis Communications & Management
  • Narrative Development & Message Mapping
  • Spokesperson Training & Media Coaching
  • Measurement & Reporting (AMEC Framework)
  • Digital PR & SEO Integration

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

    From Mid-Level Press Officer (In-house)

    3-5 years as a Press Officer

    Skills to master

    • Independent campaign execution, strong journalist relationships, basic crisis comms involvement, consistent media placement.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Consistently hitting media coverage targets for your assigned areas.
    • Receiving positive feedback from journalists on your professionalism and pitch quality.
    • Successfully handling minor media inquiries independently.
    • Proactively identifying story opportunities without constant prompting.
  2. 2

    From PR Agency Account Manager/Senior Account Executive

    4-6 years in agency roles

    Skills to master

    • Client management, media relations across multiple sectors, campaign strategy and execution, team leadership (even informal).

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully managed a portfolio of clients and exceeded their media objectives.
    • Proven ability to secure coverage for diverse clients and industries.
    • Experience in pitching and winning new business (even if not the lead).
    • Strong organisational skills to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
  3. 3

    From Journalism (with PR experience)

    5-7 years as a journalist, plus 1-2 years in PR

    Skills to master

    • Understanding the 'other side' of the news desk, translating journalistic instincts into PR strategy, strong writing and editing skills, basic PR tools.

    You're ready to move on when

    • A deep network of journalistic contacts.
    • Exceptional news judgment and ability to identify compelling angles.
    • Demonstrated ability to adapt writing style from journalistic to PR-focused.
    • Some exposure to PR agency or in-house communications work.

11Where this role leads

The long view:Your journey starts here, but where it goes is really up to you. We're committed to giving you the tools and opportunities to build a truly impactful and rewarding career in communications.

Pay & demand

Pay and demand for this role will appear here, each figure traced to a named authoritative source (e.g. the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, under the Open Government Licence). We don’t show numbers we can’t attribute.

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 Senior Press Officer is actually changing. In about two minutes, the free confidence check asks where you stand on each of the ten. That's the whole check, and it's what makes the plan yours rather than generic.

12The team that's yours

No two people are taught the same way. This is one-to-one, not one-to-many.

Zavmo is a hyper-personalised AI learning platform. Twelve virtual tutors, each with a different way of teaching, and one orchestration agent that picks the right one for the moment. So every single lesson is shaped around you, your role, and the way you learn. Not a course everyone sits through. A conversation built for you, and no one else.

…and nine more, matched to you after your first chat. Meet all twelve

13What it feels like

A conversation, not a course

Because your tutor knows your role, your projects and your last session, learning sounds like this. And it's different for every single person:

PR and Communications for JournalistsLevel 5

Applied to your work in Senior Press Officer

The objective of this unit is to enable learners to understand and evaluate the role of PR and communications within various organisations. Learners will be able to explain and apply the basic concepts of running PR campaigns, managing internal communications, developing CSR policies, handling crises, and creating suitable content for clients.

How the thinking builds
  1. Remember
  2. Understand
  3. Apply
  4. Analyse
  5. Evaluate
  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.

One to one, not one to many

No two people run this the same way

A course is written once and handed to everyone. This is assembled around you, and keeps changing as it learns you. Five things it reads, and what each one changes.

  1. Your actual work Every lesson is taught against a live piece of your own work, not a worked example from a textbook.
  2. What you already know The first conversation finds your starting point, so you skip what you can already do and spend the time on what you cannot.
  3. The conditions you learn under Not a learning-styles quiz. The evidence does not support those. The dimensions the research does back, read once and used to shape the plan.
  4. How far you got last time It picks up mid-thought. The tutor knows what you said, what you struggled with, and what it asked you to try.
  5. Which tutor suits the moment Twelve of them, each for a different kind of thinking. The one who walks you through a first idea is not the one who stress-tests it.

See how you learn, free. Eight questions, no sign-up. A directional taster; the diagnostic inside Zavmo goes deeper and keeps adapting.

DemonstrateIllustration

Evidenced on your work in Senior Press Officer

You do not finish by watching something. You finish by showing it on the work you already do, against the measures this job is judged on.

  • Tier-1 Media PlacementsThe number of significant stories you secure in our target top-tier publications (e.g., Financial Times, BBC News, The Times, key industry journals).Securing an exclusive feature in The Guardian on our new product launch, or a spokesperson interview on Sky News.5-10 quality placements per quarter
  • Key Message Pull-Through RateHow often our agreed-upon core messages appear accurately in the published coverage.If we have three core messages for a campaign, and a journalist includes at least two of them in their article, that's good pull-through.75%+ in top-tier coverage
  • Media Sentiment ImprovementThe shift towards more positive or neutral sentiment in media mentions related to our brand or specific campaigns.Moving from 60% neutral/positive sentiment to 70% for coverage related to our latest financial results.10% year-over-year improvement in positive/neutral sentiment for your assigned areas
  • Inbound Media Inquiry Response TimeHow quickly you acknowledge and respond to direct media inquiries, especially during critical periods.Receiving an urgent email from a journalist at 10 AM, acknowledging by 10:20 AM, and providing a holding statement by 11:30 AM.Acknowledge within 30 minutes, provide substantive response or holding statement within 2 hours (during working hours)
These are this job's own measures, with its own targets. Nothing is marked evidenced, because nobody has started this yet. Yours would fill in from the work you bring.

Your passport

This isn't a certificate you file away. It's a passport to the life you're designing.

Every credit you earn and every fluency you build adds up: evidence where it counts, carried with you. Zavmo keeps the map: where you are, where you're heading, and the next step, at your pace, around your life. From Senior Press Officer to Lead Press Officer / Media Relations Manager (L4), and whatever you decide comes after.

Level 4 · in progressAI Fluency→ Lead Press Officer / Media Relations Manager (L4)→ your design
Where this takes you

Your journey starts here, but where it goes is really up to you. We're committed to giving you the tools and opportunities to build a truly impactful and rewarding career in communications.

See Your Progress GrowIllustration
Senior Press Officer
  • Media Relations & Pitch Crafting
  • Crisis Communications & Management
  • Narrative Development & Message Mapping
  • Spokesperson Training & Media Coaching
  • Measurement & Reporting (AMEC Framework)
  • Digital PR & SEO Integration
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.

14The 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

Senior Press Officer is a start, not a ceiling. Each step below asks for new skills and hands back more autonomy.

  1. Lead Press Officer / Media Relations Manager (L4)

    3-5 years in this Senior Press Officer role

    You'll move from leading campaigns to managing a small team or a critical PR function, and developing the media strategy for a whole business unit.

    • Overall media strategy development for a business unit.
    • Managing external PR agency relationships and contracts.
    • Leading crisis communications for significant incidents.
    • Developing and implementing spokesperson training programmes.
Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

Let's be real, a big chunk of your day as a Senior Press Officer is spent on tasks that, while important, can be pretty repetitive. Imagine getting back a significant chunk of that time every week. That's where AI comes in.

We're not talking about replacing your creativity or relationships, but about giving you superpowers. Think of AI as your personal assistant for the grunt work, freeing you up to focus on the strategic thinking, the deep journalist relationships, and the nuanced messaging that only a human can do. It's about working smarter, not just harder, and making your impact even bigger.

Pitch & Press Release Drafting

Use generative AI to churn out multiple first drafts of a press release or pitch based on your key facts and messages. You then pick the best one, refine it, and add your unique human touch and personalisation. It's like having a dozen junior writers on tap.

AI-Powered Media Analysis

Stop sifting through hundreds of articles manually. AI can instantly analyse thousands of pieces of coverage to identify journalist sentiment, how well your key messages landed, and spot emerging narrative trends far faster than any human could. This means quicker, smarter reporting.

Hyper-Personalised Pitch Research

Imagine an AI tool that scans a target journalist's last 50 articles and social media posts, then summarises their key themes, tone, and recent interests in minutes. This lets you craft a highly customised, super-relevant pitch that actually stands out in their inbox.

Multi-Angle Story Generation

Got a big announcement? Feed the core information into an AI model and ask it to generate ten different story angles, each tailored for different media verticals – think business, tech, consumer, or trade. This sparks creativity and helps you broaden your reach significantly.

Common questions

Common questions

How do you become a Senior Press Officer?

Common routes in include From Mid-Level Press Officer (In-house) (3-5 years as a Press Officer), From PR Agency Account Manager/Senior Account Executive (4-6 years in agency roles) and From Journalism (with PR experience) (5-7 years as a journalist, plus 1-2 years in PR). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a Senior Press Officer progress to?

This role can lead on to Lead Press Officer / Media Relations Manager (L4) (3-5 years in this Senior Press Officer role), depending on the skills you build.

What level is a Senior Press Officer in the UK?

This role aligns to RQF Level 4 on the UK framework, a guide to the depth of qualification it maps to, not a hard entry bar.

What new skills matter most for a Senior Press Officer?

Increasingly, AI-Powered Content Generation & Optimisation. These are the areas where the higher-paid, future-proof work is heading.

The honest bit

You’ve started things before

Most of them were built for a room full of people who aren’t you. A cohort moves on whether or not your week allowed it, and by the third week the thing you’re behind on becomes the reason you stop opening it.

There’s no cohort here, and no timetable to fall behind. Before anything starts, Zavmo asks when you’re sharpest and how long you can realistically sit down for, then builds the sessions around those answers. A bad fortnight changes your pace. It doesn’t put you behind.

And you only pay once you start learning. Searching and planning are free, and you can cancel any time — so the cost of finding out is an afternoon, not a year.

What it costs

Less than one coaching session. Every month.

A single career-coaching hour costs more than a month of this, and it ends when the hour does. Zavmo doesn't. It's £70 a month, about £2.30 a day, for a companion that knows a Senior Press Officer, works on the job you actually do, and keeps going at your pace rather than a timetable's.

  • Searching and planning stay free. You only pay when you start learning.
  • Your credits are yours. Regulated, and they don't vanish when a subscription ends.
  • Cancel any time and billing stops. No notice period, no minimum term.

Your path, personalised

You have the map. Walking it is the part we do together.

This route runs to 3 national skill standards. That is a real journey.

Zavmo shapes a learning experience as unique as you are. It fits how you learn, your pace and the work you already do. Every step stays benchmarked to recognised national standards. That’s the plan for becoming a Senior Press Officer: personal to you, and it still counts. The first steps are free.

Independent research finds well-designed intelligent tutoring performs nearly as well as one-to-one human tutoring: VanLehn (2011), Educational Psychologist.

A private tutor in the UK averages £35–40 an hour . Zavmo is £70/month.

A real plan on learn.zavmo.ai: Ofqual-regulated units, credits, and a three-month run at your own pace.
Start free No commitment. See your first steps free.

15Where to go from here

Other roles at Level 4

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

Other roles in Public Relations Communications

Stay in the field you know and move sideways rather than up.

If you leave this industry

The skills you'll gain as a Senior Press Officer are highly transferable. You could move into corporate communications, investor relations, public affairs, or even specialise in a niche area like crisis management or executive profiling. Your network of media contacts and ability to craft compelling narratives are valuable across many sectors.

Not sure this is the right direction?

Work out what you actually want from work first, then come back and see which roles fit it. Takes about ten minutes.

This role profile is © 2026Growth 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. Build my plan, free Here's the first ten minutes: a 2-minute confidence check → your personalised roadmap → meet the tutors matched to you. No card, cancel any time. 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.