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How to Become a Communications Consultant: Australian Careers in Public Relations

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What is a Communications Consultant?

What will I do?

What skills do I need?

Resources

What is a Communications Consultant?

A Communications Consultant helps organisations craft and send clear messages to their audiences. They work with businesses, charities, and government agencies to build plans that protect and grow reputations. Their work covers media relations, stakeholder outreach, and digital content.

Day to day, they run audits, write press releases, and manage media contacts. They create messaging that fits a client’s brand and goals. They also train spokespeople and manage content across many platforms.

Communications Consultants track the impact of their work. They check engagement data, analyse media coverage, and use results to refine plans. This loop helps clients stay on point as audiences and channels shift.

The role suits strong writers, quick thinkers, and confident communicators. Work spans many industries, making it one of the more varied careers in Australia. Explore communication courses to get started on this path.

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Career snapshots For Communications Consultants

Communications consulting sits within the Public Relations Professionals occupation group (ANZSCO 2253). Around 32,300 people work in this group across Australia, with annual employment growth of approximately 1,300 roles (Jobs and Skills Australia, 2025). The median age is 39, and 70% of practitioners are women.

Most roles are full-time, with an average of 42 hours per week. Median full-time weekly earnings are $2,046 before tax, equating to roughly $106,000 per year (ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025). Part-time and independent consulting arrangements are also common. Key employing sectors are public administration, professional services, and health care.

What will I do?

A Communications Consultant shapes how organisations talk to the world. They build and run strategies that grow trust, manage reputation, and reach audiences. No two client briefs are the same.

  • Client consultation: meeting clients to understand communication goals and challenges.
  • Strategy development: building communication plans that align with business objectives.
  • Content creation: writing press releases, speeches, articles, and digital content.
  • Media relations: building and keeping relationships with journalists and outlets.
  • Social media management: developing strategies to grow and engage online audiences.
  • Event coordination: planning launches, press conferences, and stakeholder events.
  • Audience research: gathering and analysing data on audience perceptions and trends.
  • Spokesperson training: coaching clients on media interviews and public presentations.
  • Campaign evaluation: tracking performance metrics and reporting on outcomes.
  • Crisis communication: advising clients during sensitive or high-risk situations.

Browse short communications courses to develop these skills.

What skills do I need?

Strong writing sits at the heart of this role. Communications Consultants produce clear, persuasive content for press releases, reports, speeches, and social media. They tailor each piece to the right audience and platform.

Critical thinking and research skills are just as important. Consultants analyse communication challenges, interpret data, and turn insights into strategy. Project management keeps everything on track when multiple clients and deadlines run at once.

Interpersonal skills matter too. Building trusted relationships with clients, journalists, and senior leaders is central to the role. Consultants who can work across teams and industries tend to grow their practices faster. Find public relations courses that build these skills.

Skills/attributes

  • Strong written and verbal communication
  • Communication strategy development
  • Media relations and press release writing
  • Digital communication and social media management
  • Stakeholder engagement and relationship building
  • Research and audience analysis
  • Content creation across multiple formats
  • Project and deadline management
  • Brand and reputation management
  • Crisis communication planning
  • Public relations principles and practice
  • Editorial accuracy and attention to detail
  • Adaptability to new communication trends
  • Discretion with sensitive information
  • Presentation and media training skills

CourseFinder makes every effort to ensure the information we provide is correct at the time of publication. We welcome your input to help keep our career profiles as accurate and up to date as possible. All queries and feedback will be taken into consideration as we conduct periodic reviews of our content. Add your voice to the conversation!

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About the author

Laura Atkinson

Laura Atkinson

Laura Atkinson is an Account Management and SEM specialist at Course Finder Group with six years' experience in the Australian education sector. She works day to day with universities, TAFEs and independent training providers, which gives her a close view of how courses map to real career outcomes. She writes practical guidance on career pathways, choosing the right qualification and what to expect when moving into a new field.