What does a Community Relations Manager do?
Community relations managers sustain positive relationships with community members, nonprofit organizations, and fellow employees to cultivate favorable operating climates at a business or organization. They develop strategies designed to make positive contributions to a local area while simultaneously raising awareness for the services offered by their company. They operate in many industries, including nonprofits, healthcare, and government, and serve as a critical point of contact for individual residents, business leaders, or customers in a local area.
Community relations managers brainstorm, plan, and manage activities to help the organization achieve its public relations goals and execute events or programs closely aligned with corporate strategy. They support business goals by raising community awareness of available products or services and how to access them. They develop strong relationships with industries, communities, and media to ensure the organization produces significant results and maintains a positive image or increases outreach of initiatives and programs. Community relations managers need a minimum bachelor's degree in public relations, community organization, or related fields and one-to-five years of relevant experience.
- Oversee, develop, and implement community-based programs.
- Handle sensitive data and ensure confidentiality of material, correspondence and data.
- Utilize data-driven approaches to apply and create best practice solutions.
- Manage external partners and vendors to augment internal resources.
- Maintain compliance with all local employment laws and regulations.
- Develop and manage event budgets, online and in person registration, and promotion plans.
- Maintain the constituent database: create reports, maintain accuracy, enter/download/analyze data.
- Build and maintain effective relationships with federal and state policymakers.
- Bachelor's Degree in business or human resources.
- Strong command of English language and good communication skills.
- Requires careful attention to detail.
- Strong time management, problem solving, and critical thinking skills.
Community Relations Manager Salaries
Average Base Pay
Community Relations Manager Career Path
Learn how to become a Community Relations Manager, what skills and education you need to succeed, and what level of pay to expect at each step on your career path.
Years of Experience Distribution
Community Relations Manager Insights
Baker Tilly US“I am genuinely surprised by how much everyone in our People Solutions group truly like and respect one another.”
Wells Fargo“I really enjoyed the team I worked with and my manager was understanding and would not micromanaged.”
National Inventors Hall of Fame“I love the mission of the company and you get to hear great reviews from customers.”
Belmont Village“Wonderful culture and I can't think of working at another AL its so nice.”
State of Wisconsin Investment Board (SWIB)“funded Wisconsin Retirement System is one of the country's best state pensions and SWIB helps keep it strong.”
Los Angeles Metro“LA Metro has many current Capital projects that allows the opportunity for career growth and work experiences.”
Steve Brown Apartments“But I would not recommend banking on much of an increase in pay or bonuses.”
MorningStar Senior Living“It was amazing to shake the CEO's and Presidents hands and have them know your name and what you do for MorningStar.”
Frequently asked questions about the role and responsibilities of community relations managers
A typical day of a community relations manager involves overseeing the marketing and fundraising efforts of hospitals and medical clinics. A career as a community relations manager involves networking with community leaders to identify programs that may be beneficial to the community and create a funding and development plan.
Yes, community relations management is a good career. These professionals are in demand as hospitals and other healthcare facilities seek coordinators with planning and budgeting experience to meet the local community's needs. Community relations managers typically have a traditional work schedule, with evenings and weekends off.
The average salary for a community relations manager is $56,775 per year in the United States. A community relations manager with more developed planning and financial skills may earn even more, with a range of up to $105,477 per year.
Working as a community relations manager offers the opportunity to provide communities with access to important resources; however, coordinating new programs can also be stressful at times. Becoming a community relations manager requires good communication and project management skills to facilitate different community programs from initial idea to implementation.