Senior Account Manager – Public Relations

University of Fort Hare; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 335,000 - 379,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Fort Hare invites applications for a Senior Account Manager – Public Relations to lead sport, lifestyle, entertainment and cultural campaigns. The role requires senior, hands-on PR expertise, with established media relationships in South Africa and excellent writing.

You will manage client accounts, develop PR strategies, craft press releases, pitches, and briefing documents, and mentor junior team members.

Qualifications

• Minimum 4–7 years of PR experience.
• Sport and Lifestyle PR experience strongly preferred.
• Established South African media contacts in sport and lifestyle.
• Excellent writing and editing skills.
• Proven experience managing client accounts and PR campaigns.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute PR campaigns across sport, lifestyle, entertainment and culture.
• Stay connected to sporting calendars, events and trends.
• Identify opportunities for brands to participate in relevant conversations.
• Lead media relations, pitches and briefings.
• Produce press releases, statements and articles with minimal supervision.

Skills

Sport & Lifestyle PR experience

Excellent writing

Media relations

Client account management

Press releases

Education

Public Relations / Communications / Marketing degree

Job description

Senior Account Manager – Public Relations

2026-08-26 - 2026-09-25

Permanent

Pta000441

Marketing

Senior Account Manager – Public Relations

Sport & Lifestyle
Location: Rosebank, Johannesburg
Salary: R30 000 – R34 000 per month
Level: Senior / Experienced

An exciting opportunity is available for a highly experienced Senior Account Manager – Public Relations to join a dynamic agency working across the sport, lifestyle, entertainment and cultural sectors.
This is a senior, hands-on position for an experienced PR professional who can step into the role and add value from day one. We are specifically looking for someone who already understands the Sport and Lifestyle PR environment, has established relationships within the South African media landscape and is an exceptional writer.

Please note: This is not a junior or developmental PR position. The successful candidate must be confident working independently, managing clients and campaigns, dealing directly with the media and producing polished, publication-ready written content with minimal supervision.

Minimum Requirements

• Relevant tertiary qualification in Public Relations, Communications, Marketing, Journalism or a related field.
• Minimum 4–7 years’ relevant PR experience.
• Demonstrable Sport and Lifestyle PR experience is strongly preferred.
• Established South African media contacts, particularly within Sport and Lifestyle.
• Excellent professional writing and editing skills.
• Proven experience managing client accounts and PR campaigns.
• Strong understanding of traditional, online, broadcast, social and emerging media.
• Own reliable transport is advantageous.

What We Are Looking For

The ideal candidate will be a mature, experienced and highly capable PR professional who brings:

• 4–7+ years of solid Public Relations experience, preferably within an agency environment.
• Proven experience working specifically within Sport and Lifestyle PR.
• A strong understanding of the South African sporting, lifestyle, entertainment and cultural landscape.
• An established personal network of media contacts, particularly across sport and lifestyle media.
• Existing relationships with relevant journalists, editors, producers, presenters, content creators and influencers.
• Exceptional writing and editing ability.
• The ability to independently produce press releases, media pitches, statements, opinion pieces, executive profiles, speeches, Q&As and briefing documents.
• Strong editorial judgement with excellent grammar, accuracy and attention to detail.
• Experience developing and executing PR strategies and integrated campaigns.
• Experience managing multiple client accounts and competing deadlines.
• The confidence and experience to lead client meetings and provide strategic PR advice.
• The ability to identify strong media angles and proactively generate earned media opportunities.

Key Responsibilities

Sport & Lifestyle PR

• Develop and execute PR campaigns across sport, lifestyle, entertainment and culture.
• Stay closely connected to sporting calendars, major events, teams, leagues, athletes, personalities, sponsorships and relevant lifestyle trends.
• Identify opportunities for brands to participate credibly in sporting, lifestyle and cultural conversations.
• Develop creative and relevant media angles around sporting moments, sponsorships, entertainment properties and consumer trends.
• Understand how sport, lifestyle, entertainment, creators, media and communities intersect.

Media Relations

• Utilise and continuously grow your existing media network.
• Proactively pitch stories and secure quality editorial opportunities for clients.
• Maintain strong relationships with journalists, editors, producers, presenters, influencers and content creators.
• Coordinate interviews, media briefings, profiles, press conferences and other media engagements.
• Manage media relationships around events, launches, sponsorships and activations.

Writing & Content

Writing ability is a critical requirement for this position.

You will be expected to independently produce consistently high-quality written content, including:

• Press releases
• Media pitches
• Statements
• Opinion pieces
• Media alerts
• Executive profiles
• Speeches
• Q&As and talking points
• Briefing and interview preparation documents
• Campaign messaging and storylines

All written work must be accurate, engaging, original and appropriate for both the client and the intended media audience.

Client & Account Management

• Take ownership of allocated PR accounts and manage them confidently.
• Build trusted relationships with clients and key stakeholders.
• Lead client meetings, brainstorms and campaign planning sessions.
• Translate client objectives into effective PR strategies and deliverables.
• Manage deadlines, budgets, approvals and campaign requirements.
• Anticipate challenges and provide proactive solutions.
• Ensure work is delivered to a consistently high standard.

The Person We Want

We are looking for someone who is:

• Experienced and self-sufficient – you do not need to be taught the fundamentals of PR.
• A strong and confident writer with excellent editorial judgement.
• Well connected within the South African media industry.
• Genuinely knowledgeable and passionate about Sport and Lifestyle.
• Mature, professional and confident when dealing with clients and senior stakeholders.
• Proactive and able to identify opportunities without waiting for instruction.
• Highly organised and capable of managing several priorities simultaneously.
• Strategic and creative while still being able to execute.
• Calm and professional under pressure.
• Comfortable mentoring and guiding more junior team members.
• Commercially aware and focused on delivering measurable results for clients.