Public Relations Account Executive
This page gives you the real story about what it's like to be a Public Relations Account Executive (with insights from someone who’s actually doing the job).
Your goal: Decide if this sounds interesting enough to explore further, or if it's clearly not for you. Both answers are useful!
If it sounds like something you'd like to know more about, you'll be able to:
📞 Join a call - Ask your own questions and hear more about what the job's really like
🎯 Attend a careers event - Meet employers and find out exactly how to get roles like this
It will take about 5 minutes to read through - by the end, you'll know if this is worth exploring or if you should look at something else.
What do they do?
A public relations assistant manages how organisations communicate with the public and media.
This means writing press releases, managing social media, handling media enquiries, and making sure the right message gets to the right people at the right time.
They also engage directly with the public - running events, speaking to communities, and gathering feedback about what people think.
How much do they earn?
Salaries vary depending on company size, location, and experience. Here’s a guide for PR and communications roles in Scotland:
Apprentice (Modern/Graduate Apprenticeship) – £18,000–£22,000 per year
Learn the ropes while earning.
Uni Graduate / Account Executive – £23,000–£30,000 per year
With Experience (Account Manager / Senior Exec) – £32,000–£45,000 per year
Senior / Account Director – £50,000–£70,000+ per year
What affects your salary
The size of your agency or organisation
Whether you’re based in a city or smaller town
The industries or clients you work with
Extra skills like digital marketing or event management
Figures are approximate for Scotland, but PR offers clear career progression and varied opportunities.
You'll Be Successful In This Career If...
The Bottom Line
Successful PR professionals have a good mix of communicating, connecting with people and paying attention to the details. If you’ve got these traits then you’re valuable to almost every company in every sector
You enjoy writing and communicating
You enjoy putting together written content - whether that's reports, social media posts, press releases, or emails. You like creating messages that get the point across.
You’re tuned in to how people feel
You pick up on reactions quickly. You can tell when something’s landed well or when it needs to be said a different way. You’ve got a good instinct for tone and how to communicate in a way that feels right.
You’re organised with an eye for details
You spot the small things that make a big difference - a missing name, a date that doesn’t match, a post that needs tweaking. You appreciate the importance of the details and doing accurate work.
You enjoy talking to people
You’re comfortable chatting with others, asking questions, and listening carefully to what they say. Whether it’s a quick call or at an event, you like connecting with people.
You like changes of pace and variety
Some weeks are calm, others are full-on with deadlines, client work, and events all at once. You enjoy that mix, switching between tasks and keeping lots of moving parts under control.
Meet Cara – Public Relations Account Executive at Copper Consultancy
Cara works in environmental public relations for Copper Consultancy, helping renewable energy companies consult with local communities about proposed developments.
What the job actually involves
“We do report writing and stakeholder mapping… digging into communities to see who the local councillors are, what community groups exist in an area, and what they care about.”
“We help clients get coverage in newspapers, put out ads if they’re consulting, and liaise with printers and venues.”
“We host consultation events… that’s when you actually get to speak to communities, hear what they think, and take all that feedback back to write reports.”
Why she likes it
“The chance to actually speak to communities, which I quite like.”
“It’s quite broad — I’ve done things like speaking at Scotland’s Climate Week and chairing events, as well as the marketing and digital support side.”
Why she chose this path
“I studied politics, so I’m a bit of a geek — I always liked writing essays and doing research, but I also like chatting to people…. you get to do a bit of both in a job like this.”
Her best advice
“If you like writing and talking to people, it’s a really good mix.”
“What Does A Typical Day Look Like?”
Where she works:
Mostly desk-based during research and reporting, with occasional events involving project teams and the public.
What she does:
“Report writing, stakeholder mapping, speaking to newspapers and venues, then consultation events with communities.”
“It changes every day because we manage different clients… sometimes it’s quiet, then everything happens at once.”
Breaking that down more specifically:
Research and identify local groups, councillors, and residents connected to a project
Write reports summarising what communities think or care about
Liaise with clients, media, and event venues
Help design public events so local people can give feedback
Collect feedback data
Write final reports for clients
Create digital content (email campaigns, LinkedIn posts) to support events or campaigns
The Summary
Every sector needs PR professionals to manage their reputation and communicate effectively with the public.
So if you enjoy writing and talking to people, care about how messages land with different audiences, and want to help shape how organisations are seen by the world, then public relations gives you the chance to turn your abilities into a well-paid and satisfying career.
Want to find out more?
Join the webinar where you can hear more from Cara and ask questions to find out if this is a good career option for you
Attend the event in Aberdeen in January to meet employers who will tell you the routes you can take to get this role, and what they’re looking for