PR & Media Relations Specialist
Location: Hybrid – 2+ days/week at Handforth Support Office (Tuesdays & Wednesdays)
Contract: Full-time | Permanent
Reports to: Consumer PR & Media Manager
Grade: E
At Pets at Home, we’re dedicated to making life better for pets and the people who love them.
We’re the UK’s leading petcare brand, bringing together more than 450 petcare centres, over 350 grooming salons, and almost 500 veterinary practices across the UK. As our new PR & Media Relations Specialist, you’ll be at the heart of telling our story to the media.
You’ll shape how we show up in the media, lead some exciting campaigns, amplifying the incredible work happening across our business, and ensuring we land our key messages. From seasonal campaigns and product innovations to data-driven insights from our 8.2 million Pets Club members and the heartwarming stories from Pets Foundation, you’ll help us shout about it all — with creativity, clarity and purpose.
What you’ll be doing
1. Lead the narrative: Design and deliver end-to-end PR campaigns that align with our brand, values, and business goals.
2. Be our media voice: Manage our press office, respond to journalist enquiries, and build strong relationships with key media contacts.
3. Spot the story: Collaborate across teams to uncover newsworthy moments and bring them to life in the right channels.
4. Guide and support: Prepare colleagues for media engagement with clear, concise briefings and expert advice.
5. Measure impact: Track coverage, evaluate success, and report on performance to senior stakeholders.
What we’re looking for:
6. 3–5 years’ experience in PR (consumer and/or corporate), either in-house or agency-side.
7. A natural storyteller with excellent written and verbal communication skills.
8. Strong understanding of the UK media landscape and audience trends.
9. Proven ability to manage campaigns from concept to coverage.
10. A proactive, collaborative and positive mindset with a can-do attitude and a genuine passion for pets.
Desirable:
11. Experience in retail or animal welfare sectors.
12. PRCA qualification or similar accreditation.
13. Familiarity with social listening tools and insights.
14. Experience of line management and team development.
Why join us?
15. Be part of a purpose-led business that puts pets and people first.
16. Work in a fast-paced, supportive environment where your ideas matter.
17. Enjoy hybrid working with regular collaboration days at our Handforth Support Office.
18. Make a real impact — and have fun doing it.
We take our inspiration from pets in embracing people from all walks of life, and we value, respect and celebrate difference. We encourage our people to be their best selves so that we can create a better world for Pets, our Planet, and People. Our ambition is to reflect the diversity of the communities we operate in, and we are intentional in addressing and removing barriers to create opportunities for the exceptional talent and potential in our communities. Even if your skills and experience don’t perfectly align, if you think you can make a unique contribution through your values and behaviours, we want to hear from you!