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Communications Manager
(Public Relations Manager, Head of Communications, Internal Communications Manager, Press Officer)
Sales & Marketing
Salary
€42,000 - €85,000/yr
Level
Professional
Outlook
Stable
Sector
Sales & Marketing
What does a Communications Manager do?
As a Communications Manager you are responsible for shaping and delivering the messages that an organisation sends to both its staff and the wider public. You develop and oversee communication strategies, manage press relations, draft statements and press releases, and ensure that all content — from social media posts to internal newsletters — reflects the organisation's values and goals. On a typical day you might brief senior leadership ahead of a media appearance, coordinate with marketing colleagues on a campaign, or respond to a journalist's query on deadline. You work closely with executives, HR teams, PR agencies, graphic designers, and external stakeholders such as journalists, government bodies, and community groups.
A Day in the Life
Listen: a day as a Communications Manager
You arrive at the office in Dublin city centre at 8:30 a.m. and spend the first twenty minutes scanning the morning news across RTE.ie, The Irish Times, and the Irish Independent. You are looking for any stories that mention your organisation or your sector, because you need to flag anything sensitive to your director before 9 a.m. One headline is borderline, so you send a quick brief to the CEO summarising the context and suggesting a holding line in case a journalist calls. By nine o'clock you are in a cross-functional catch-up with the marketing and HR teams on Teams. The agenda covers an internal all-staff newsletter due to go out on Friday, a LinkedIn campaign launching next week, and an upcoming visit from a government minister that requires a press advisory to be circulated to media. You take notes and assign tasks, then spend the next hour drafting a press release in plain, factual English, going back and forth with a colleague in legal to check that none of the wording creates a compliance issue.
Videos about Communications Manager
Career advice on becoming a digital communications manager
icould career stories
Some videos were filmed in the UK. The work itself is the same, but the exams, qualifications and pay they mention are British — we include them so you get a feel for the job.
Required Education
Most Communications Managers in Ireland hold an NFQ Level 8 Honours Bachelor degree, typically in Communications, Public Relations, Marketing, or Journalism — programmes offered at institutions such as DCU, UL, TU Dublin, and University of Galway. Leaving Certificate subjects such as English, Business, and a modern language are particularly helpful preparation. Some professionals enter through a Level 7 or Level 8 degree in a related discipline such as Business or Media Studies and build specialist experience on the job. A postgraduate qualification (NFQ Level 9) in Communications, PR, or Strategic Communications is increasingly common for those moving into senior roles, with programmes available at DCU and UCD. There is no statutory registration body for communications professionals in Ireland, though membership of the Public Relations Institute of Ireland (PRII) or the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) is valued by employers. A small number of professionals transition into this role from journalism or public affairs after building a strong portfolio of relevant experience.
Required Skills
Career Perspective
Many Communications Managers begin their careers in entry-level roles such as Communications Officer, PR Executive, or Junior Content Writer, often after completing a relevant degree or internship. With three to five years of experience managing campaigns and media relationships, progression to a Communications Manager title is typical, usually involving responsibility for a team and a defined communications budget. From there, ambitious professionals can advance to Head of Communications, Director of Public Affairs, or VP of Communications, particularly in larger Irish corporates, government departments, or multinational firms with Irish headquarters. Membership of the PRII or completion of a Level 9 postgraduate programme can accelerate advancement and open doors to senior public-sector or agency-side roles.
AI Impact on the job
AI tools are already being used to assist with drafting content, analysing media sentiment, and scheduling social media output, which means routine content production tasks are becoming more automated. However, the strategic, relational, and reputational dimensions of the role — such as managing a media crisis, advising a CEO, or navigating politically sensitive messaging — remain firmly human responsibilities. Communications Managers who embrace AI tools for research, content drafting, and analytics will work more efficiently and be better placed to focus on high-value judgement-based work. The ability to critically evaluate AI-generated content for tone, accuracy, and ethical appropriateness is rapidly becoming an essential professional skill in this field.
Career Ladder
→ Communications Manager (Current role)
Related Studies
Employers in Ireland
Organisations in Ireland that employ people in this occupation.
Dublin 2
Manages external and internal comms for EMEA headquarters operations.
Dublin 4, Nationwide
Oversees press relations, brand messaging and stakeholder communications nationally.
Dublin 8, Nationwide
Develops public health communications and manages national media relationships.
Dublin 2, Nationwide
Shapes corporate messaging and communications strategy for energy sector.
Dublin 2, St. James's Gate
Manages brand and corporate communications across Irish and global markets.
Dublin 4
Leads PR, internal communications and media strategy for Irish operations.
Dublin 1
Coordinates public-facing communications, press releases and civic campaigns.
Dublin 1, Nationwide
Develops tourism promotion messaging and manages national media relationships.
Dublin 4
Manages corporate reputation, PR and stakeholder communications globally.
Dublin 2
Delivers communications strategy and PR campaigns for diverse Irish clients.
Dublin 2
Specialist PR agency placing communications managers on client accounts.
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