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Workforce Recruitment Services seeks to recruit a highly strategic and experienced PR Strategist on behalf of a client in the communications industry. The successful candidate will be responsible for developing PR and reputation strategies, managing media and stakeholder engagement, and building strong brand narratives that enhance credibility and trust.

Role purpose

The PR Strategist will lead the development of public relations and reputation strategies for the agency and its clients. This is not simply a media-relations or press-release role. The successful candidate must understand the client’s business, brand, audience and operating environment, then determine the right narrative, channels, stakeholders and moments to build relevance, credibility and trust.

Key responsibilities

PR and reputation strategy

• Interpret client briefs, business priorities, and brand strategy and market context to identify the real communications challenge.
• Develop integrated PR, corporate communications, reputation and thought-leadership strategies with clear objectives, audiences, messages, channels and measures of success.
• Build strong campaign narratives and communications platforms that are relevant to the brand and credible within the Malawian context.
• Identify reputational opportunities and risks, and advise clients on how to respond appropriately.
• Translate business, marketing and social-impact initiatives into stories that matter to media, stakeholders and the public.

Planning and campaign development

• Prepare PR plans, launch strategies, media engagement plans, stakeholder maps, messaging frameworks and crisis-response approaches.
• Recommend the right mix of earned media, owned channels, partnerships, events, influencers, executive profiling and stakeholder engagement.
• Ensure PR activity connects with the wider brand, creative, social media, activation and business strategy rather than operating in isolation.
• Develop proactive story calendars and identify timely cultural, industry and national conversations that clients can credibly participate in.

Content and media counsel

• Guide the development of press releases, opinion pieces, speeches, talking points, media briefs, Q&As, holding statements and executive profiles.
• Review communications materials for strategic clarity, factual accuracy, brand alignment and reputational risk.
• Build and maintain relevant media and stakeholder relationships, while ensuring every media approach has a clear strategic purpose.
• Prepare spokespeople for interviews and high-visibility engagements through briefing and message coaching.

Measurement and client leadership

• Set meaningful PR measures covering message delivery, quality of coverage, share of voice, sentiment, reputation, and stakeholder response and business impact.
• Analyse results and translate them into insights and recommendations—not just coverage reports.
• Present strategic recommendations confidently and provide sound counsel to senior clients.
• Work closely with client service, strategy, creative, digital, and production and activation teams to deliver integrated work.

Required experience and capabilities

• At least 2-3 years’ relevant experience in PR strategy, corporate communications, reputation management, brand communications or an equivalent role.
• Demonstrated ability to develop PR strategy from a business or brand challenge not only execute tactics.
• Strong understanding of brands, audiences, media channels, stakeholder dynamics and the Malawian communications landscape.
• Excellent strategic writing, storytelling, presentation and verbal communication skills.
• Sound judgement, curiosity, cultural awareness and the ability to handle sensitive information professionally.
• Experience in agency or multi-client environments is an advantage.
• A degree in Public Relations, Communications, Journalism, Marketing or a related field is preferred; strong relevant experience will also be considered.

What success looks like

• PR recommendations are rooted in the client’s brand, business and context.
• Clients receive proactive strategic counsel rather than only tactical execution.
• Campaigns generate relevant attention, credible conversations and measurable reputational value.
• Messaging remains clear and consistent across media, executives, stakeholders and digital channels.

• Interpret client briefs, business priorities, and brand strategy and market context to identify the real communications challenge.
• Develop integrated PR, corporate communications, reputation and thought-leadership strategies with clear objectives, audiences, messages, channels and measures of success.
• Build strong campaign narratives and communications platforms that are relevant to the brand and credible within the Malawian context.
• Identify reputational opportunities and risks, and advise clients on how to respond appropriately.
• Translate business, marketing and social-impact initiatives into stories that matter to media, stakeholders and the public.
• Prepare PR plans, launch strategies, media engagement plans, stakeholder maps, messaging frameworks and crisis-response approaches.
• Recommend the right mix of earned media, owned channels, partnerships, events, influencers, executive profiling and stakeholder engagement.
• Ensure PR activity connects with the wider brand, creative, social media, activation and business strategy rather than operating in isolation.
• Develop proactive story calendars and identify timely cultural, industry and national conversations that clients can credibly participate in.
• Guide the development of press releases, opinion pieces, speeches, talking points, media briefs, Q&As, holding statements and executive profiles.
• Review communications materials for strategic clarity, factual accuracy, brand alignment and reputational risk.
• Build and maintain relevant media and stakeholder relationships, while ensuring every media approach has a clear strategic purpose.
• Prepare spokespeople for interviews and high-visibility engagements through briefing and message coaching.
• Set meaningful PR measures covering message delivery, quality of coverage, share of voice, sentiment, reputation, and stakeholder response and business impact.
• Analyse results and translate them into insights and recommendations—not just coverage reports.
• Present strategic recommendations confidently and provide sound counsel to senior clients.
• Work closely with client service, strategy, creative, digital, and production and activation teams to deliver integrated work.

• Excellent strategic writing, storytelling, presentation and verbal communication skills.
• Sound judgement, curiosity, cultural awareness and the ability to handle sensitive information professionally.

• At least 2-3 years’ relevant experience in PR strategy, corporate communications, reputation management, brand communications or an equivalent role.
• Demonstrated ability to develop PR strategy from a business or brand challenge not only execute tactics.
• Strong understanding of brands, audiences, media channels, stakeholder dynamics and the Malawian communications landscape.
• Experience in agency or multi-client environments is an advantage.
• A degree in Public Relations, Communications, Journalism, Marketing or a related field is preferred; strong relevant experience will also be considered.