Public Relations Manager

Company Overview

JalanBesar Town Council manages and maintains common property of public residential and commercial estates, ensuring smooth operations and community well-being in the town.

Job Summary
We are seeking a seasoned Public Relations Manager to direct our Town Council’s communications framework and resident engagement strategy. In this role, you will be responsible for safeguarding the Town Council’s public standing, strengthening ties with residents and local community partners, and leading a dedicated team in executing strategic outreach. You will oversee multi-channel public communications, manage municipal issue responses, and support council governance functions.

Key Responsibilities

1. Communications Strategy & Reputation Safeguarding

You will formulate and implement comprehensive communication strategies to build public trust, promote township initiatives, and enhance community relations. This involves providing clear communications advice to senior leadership on municipal matters, estate developments, and sensitive public feedback. Additionally, you will establish and execute crisis communications protocols to manage major estate incidents, lift disruptions, flash floods, or other urgent township matters swiftly and transparently.

2. Community Outreach & Stakeholder Engagement

You will plan and execute estate-level outreach initiatives, focus groups, and town hall sessions to encourage constructive dialogue with residents. This requires liaising closely with local Grassroots Organisations, Government Agencies, Resident Networks, and grassroots advisers to align community engagement efforts. You will also handle escalated public queries and media statements with diplomacy, nuance, and appropriate messaging.

3. Content Curation & Digital Channel Oversight

You will direct the editorial planning, copywriting, and production of key council collateral, including town newsletters, annual reports, noticeboard posters, banners, and circulars etc. You will oversee the Town Council’s digital footprint across social media channels and the corporate website to maintain brand consistency and active public engagement. In addition, you will monitor channel analytics, review community sentiment trends, and evaluate the performance of public relations activities to drive continuous improvement.

4. Media Relations & Issue Monitoring

You will act as the primary operational point of contact for media queries, draft official press statements, and prepare press releases. This role requires actively tracking news coverage and online forums for municipal topics to identify potential reputational issues early and manage public perception effectively.

5. Committee Support & Operational Governance

You will provide operational and administrative secretariat support to the Town Council’s Communications Committee, including drafting working papers, scheduling meetings, and logging minutes. You will plan and manage the annual Public Relations department budget to ensure prudent resource allocation, while supervising, mentoring, and building the capabilities of junior communications officers. Furthermore, you will oversee external vendors, design agencies, and printers to ensure projects meet quality standards, budget limits, and deadlines.

Requirements

• Degree or Diploma in Mass Communication, Public Relations, Corporate Communications, or equivalent.

• Minimum 3 years of experience in PR or corporate communications, preferably within the public sector or township management.

• Strong track record in crisis management, media relations, and issue mitigation.

• Excellent command of written and spoken English with strong local sensitivity; fluency in a second language is a plus.

• Proven leadership capabilities in guiding teams and managing departmental budgets.

• Proficient with digital media channels, CMS platforms, and basic design software (e.g. Canva, Adobe Creative Suite).

• Resilient, adaptable, and comfortable with direct resident engagement on the ground.