Hiring a Public Affairs Manager or Director (2026): a practical guide
Public Affairs hiring is rarely straightforward.
The best candidates are often not applying to adverts, the role can mean very different things from one organisation to the next, and hiring managers are usually under pressure (a live issue, a policy change, a reputation risk, or a stakeholder situation that needs calm handling).
If you’re hiring a Public Affairs Manager or Director in the UK, this guide will help you get clear on:
what “good” looks like
what to test for in interview
how to reduce risk (and time wasted) in the hiring process
It’s written for UK hiring managers in comms, corporate affairs, marketing, HR and leadership teams.
First: define the role properly (Public Affairs is not one-size-fits-all)
Before you brief a recruiter or post an advert, get alignment internally on the type of Public Affairs hire you actually need.
A simple way to frame it is to choose where the role sits on these three spectrums:
1) Strategy vs delivery
Strategy-heavy: stakeholder mapping, narrative, long-term influence plans, advising leadership
Delivery-heavy: monitoring, briefings, submissions, event support, coalition work, day-to-day engagement
2) External focus vs internal navigation
External focus: MPs, SpAds, civil servants, regulators, trade bodies, local government
Internal navigation: aligning policy positions across legal, product, commercial, comms, leadership
3) Specialist vs generalist
Specialist: deep expertise in a specific policy area (e.g., tech regulation, financial services, health, energy)
Generalist: broad stakeholder experience, strong comms judgement, can learn the detail quickly
If you can define those three, you’ll instantly reduce irrelevant CVs and improve interview quality.
What a strong Public Affairs hire actually does
A good Public Affairs Manager/Director will typically:
build and maintain credible stakeholder relationships
understand the policy landscape and what’s coming next
create clear briefings that leadership can act on
advise on risk (and how to respond calmly)
align internal teams so the organisation speaks with one voice
support campaigns, consultations, events and coalition activity
work closely with PR/comms to keep messaging consistent
At senior level, you’re also hiring for judgement:
when to engage, when to hold back
what to say, and what not to say
how to protect reputation while still moving the agenda forward
Skills to look for (and how to spot them)
1) Credibility and judgement
You’re looking for someone who can be trusted in sensitive situations.
Signals in interview:
they speak clearly and calmly about complex issues
they can explain trade-offs without being defensive
they’ve handled pressure without escalating it
2) Stakeholder mapping and influence planning
This is more than “I know people”.
Look for:
a structured approach to mapping stakeholders
clarity on objectives, messages, and sequencing
evidence they can move something forward over time
3) Writing that’s genuinely useful
Public Affairs lives and dies by briefings.
Test for:
concise writing
clear recommendations (not just summaries)
ability to tailor to different audiences (CEO vs legal vs comms)
4) Internal alignment
The strongest candidates can navigate internal politics without creating friction.
Look for:
examples of bringing multiple teams together
how they handle disagreement
how they get decisions made
5) Policy knowledge (right level for your role)
You don’t always need the deepest specialist. But you do need someone who can:
learn quickly
ask the right questions
spot what’s relevant and what’s noise
UK salary benchmarks (Public Affairs, 2026)
Public Affairs pay varies a lot by sector, seniority, and whether the role is in-house, consultancy, trade body, or agency.
As a practical guide (UK-wide, with London often at the top end):
Public Affairs Manager: £45k–£65k
Senior Public Affairs Manager / Associate Director: £60k–£85k
Public Affairs Director / Head of Public Affairs: £85k–£120k
What moves the number:
regulated sectors (often higher)
depth of policy specialism
leadership scope (team size, budget, responsibility)
stakeholder exposure and risk profile
hybrid flexibility and benefits
If you want a quick sense-check for your exact brief, it’s worth benchmarking against current market data and live candidate expectations.
Interview questions that reveal the right things
Here are questions that work well for Public Affairs roles because they test judgement, structure and influence.
Policy and landscape understanding
What are the key policy trends affecting our sector over the next 12 months?
How do you stay on top of what matters without getting lost in noise?
Influence and stakeholder strategy
Talk me through a stakeholder plan you built. What was the goal and what happened?
How do you decide who to engage first, and why?
Briefings and decision support
Tell me about a briefing you wrote that changed a decision.
How do you write for a CEO who has 90 seconds to read it?
Handling risk and pressure
Describe a time an issue escalated quickly. What did you do in the first 24 hours?
When would you advise leadership not to engage publicly?
Internal alignment
Give an example of where internal teams disagreed on policy position. How did you handle it?
How do you get sign-off when stakeholders have competing priorities?
Tip: ask for specifics. Strong candidates can explain what they did, what they learned, and what they would do differently next time.
Hiring process: a simple framework that saves time
A clean Public Affairs hiring process doesn’t need to be long. It needs to be clear.
Here’s a structure that works:
Step 1: 30-minute scoping call (internal)
Agree:
what the role owns (and doesn’t)
what success looks like in 3–6 months
must-haves vs nice-to-haves
salary range and working pattern
Step 2: shortlist stage (quality over quantity)
Aim for a small shortlist where every CV is credible.
If you’re seeing 20+ CVs, you’re usually wasting time.
Step 3: structured interview + written task
A short written task is often the best predictor of performance.
Example task (30–45 mins max):
“Write a one-page briefing for the CEO on X policy change: what it means, risks, recommended actions.”
Step 4: final interview focused on judgement and fit
This is where you test:
calmness
leadership style
how they work with comms, legal, and senior stakeholders
Common hiring mistakes (and how to avoid them)
Mistake 1: hiring a “network” instead of a person
Relationships matter, but they’re not transferable in a simple way.
Hire for:
approach and judgement
ability to build credibility quickly
structured influence planning
Mistake 2: unclear remit
If internal stakeholders aren’t aligned, the candidate will feel it and the hire will wobble.
Fix it before you go to market.
Mistake 3: skipping the writing test
Public Affairs is briefing-heavy. A short task saves months of pain.
How PR CROWD can help
PR CROWD supports UK organisations hiring across PR, communications and public affairs.
If you want a quick, honest sense-check on:
what the market looks like right now
realistic salary expectations
how to structure the role to attract the right people
Email us at hello@prcrowd.co.uk and we’ll come back with a clear plan.
FAQ
What should I look for when hiring a Public Affairs Manager in the UK?
Look for judgement, stakeholder planning, strong briefing writing, and the ability to align internal teams. Sector knowledge helps, but clarity and structure matter most.
How long does it take to hire a Public Affairs Director?
Typically 4–8 weeks to hire, plus notice period. Senior candidates often have 3 months’ notice, sometimes longer.
Do I need a Public Affairs specialist or a generalist?
If your policy area is highly technical or regulated, a specialist can be worth it. If the role is broader and stakeholder-led, a strong generalist with great judgement can be a better fit.
If you’re hiring Public Affairs talent in the UK and want a quick market sense-check, email hello@prcrowd.co.uk