Find the perfect Heads of Public Relations in Germany in minutes from 15,000 CVs with the power of AI
Bring in senior PR leadership for media relations, crisis communication, executive positioning, launch planning, and stakeholder messaging. Get fast, precise matching with vetted, available freelancers.
About the role
What they handle
A Head of Public Relations sets the communication agenda and protects the public image of a company, brand, or executive team. In freelance work, they step in for urgent launches, reputation issues, leadership changes, or periods when the in-house team needs senior support.
- Media relations and journalist outreach
- Messaging, press statements, and briefing notes
- Crisis communication and issue response
- Executive positioning and thought leadership
- Launch and announcement planning
Core skills
Strong Heads of Public Relations combine sharp writing with judgment, speed, and calm under pressure. They know how to shape a message for the right audience and keep it consistent across channels.
- Clear press writing and editing
- Media strategy and outreach
- Stakeholder communication
- Reputation and crisis handling
- Coordination with marketing, legal, and leadership
Tools and formats
They work with press lists, newsroom workflows, monitoring tools, and approval processes. Common deliverables include press releases, FAQs, Q&A documents, media briefs, crisis holding statements, and executive messaging frameworks.
A strong PR Director or Communications Director can also support speech notes, interview preparation, and message maps for complex topics such as restructuring, funding, policy shifts, or product scrutiny. In Germany, they often need to work comfortably with both English and German audiences, especially in regulated or international businesses.
When companies bring them in
Companies hire freelance PR leadership when timing is tight or the situation needs senior experience without a long hiring cycle. This is common for product launches, leadership transitions, sensitive incidents, or when internal communications and external communications must stay aligned.
They are a good fit for scale-ups, B2B firms, consumer brands, agencies, and international companies with teams in Germany. Remote collaboration works well for strategy and drafting, while on-site presence helps during media days, executive workshops, or live response moments.
What strong professionals do differently
Top heads of public relations do more than send press releases. They think ahead, spot risk early, and know how to turn business goals into messages that the media and the market can understand.
- They ask the right questions before writing
- They keep messages simple and consistent
- They know when to escalate and when to stay quiet
- They manage sensitive topics with discipline
- They can work with fast-moving leadership teams
Typical specialisms
Some freelance experts focus on corporate PR, others on consumer PR, internal communication, crisis PR, or executive communications. The right profile depends on whether the company needs a spokesperson, a strategist, or a hands-on writer who can take work across the full PR chain.
For searchers using adjacent titles, this role may also appear as Head of Communications or PR Director. The best fit depends on the scope, but the work usually centers on reputation, media handling, and clear public messaging.
Meet FRATCH Heads of Public Relations
Fabian Oechsner
Head of Product / Product Owner
Last position:
Head of Product / Product Owner at XXXLdigital (XXXLutz KG)
Developing a product vision and strategy
Creating a roadmap
Improving stakeholder communication
Introducing an outcome-oriented roadmap
Aligning with stakeholders and creating transparency
Defining relevant product metrics as a KPI tree
Initiating measures to improve product quality and measurability
Supporting the introduction and migration of the new Identity Provider (IDP)
Aleksej Rovenskij
Interim Head of Global P2P Procurement Restructuring Project / Interim Head of Procurement Department for 2 Plants
Last position:
Interim Head of Global P2P Procurement Restructuring Project / Interim Head of Procurement Department for 2 Plants at Confidential
- Led the global restructuring and efficiency improvements in operational and strategic procurement
- Restructured personnel (HR headcounts) in cooperation with works council, HR, and legal
- Outsourced partial activities (procurement and finance with invoice control) to shared service center
- Built a shared service organization
- Improved S&OP processes and digitized procurement workflows using SAP Ariba and SAP S/4HANA with e-catalogs
- Implemented SAP IBP
- Led negotiations for direct and indirect goods
- Managed 9 cross-functional workgroups
- Developed and implemented improvement proposals in coordination with corporate management
- Worked according to ISO 13485
- Achieved savings of over €7M
Clemens Eibofner
Industrial Transformation Executive
Last position:
Head of Projects at BORSIG ZM GmbH
- Designed and established the Project Management Office as the organization's central delivery function.
- Expanded Project Management organization from 3 to 10 Project Managers to support portfolio growth.
- Introduced Commercial Project Management and Project Controlling as dedicated governance functions.
- Implemented portfolio governance, executive reporting and standardized performance management.
- Led an international portfolio of more than 20 EPC projects through execution and contractual delivery.
Nikhil Kashid
Head of Product (Contract)
Last position:
Head of Product (Contract) at illuminem
- Leading product strategy and platform development for B2B sustainability solutions.
Jannis Wunderle
Interim Head of Product / Product Manager
Last position:
Product Management Consultant at reliance
- Translated the company’s ESG vision and strategy into a scalable product concept, defining user personas and end-to-end customer journeys.
- Designed a web application covering the full ESG transformation lifecycle.
- Built an interactive prototype (Base44) with user management and core features, enabling rapid stakeholder validation and alignment.
Alberto Fernandez
Product and Transformation expert
Last position:
Head of Product & Services at Bosch Connected Industry
- Responsible for the BCI product portfolio, application services, operations and customer support
- Developed a new strategy that utilizes Agentic AI to transform manufacturing shopfloors
- Led the GenAI integration for product documentation and customer training targeting a >20% cost reduction by reducing the size of the external team
- Restored trust with Bosch as internal customer and VW and secured new contracts by strategically positioning high-potential individuals in key roles, ensuring on-time delivery and increasing transparency
- Implemented a restructuring plan for a product area in a volatile market, targeting a 15% reduction in fixed costs to minimize EBIT impact during challenging years
- Launched a customer satisfaction improvement initiative by refocusing KPIs on customer impact. Established a clear support responsibility in product teams improving response time by 4% and resolution time by 3%
Thomas Martin
Interim - Head of Product
Last position:
Interim - Head of Product at THE MARCOM ENGINE
- Leading 8 content teams and coordinating the tech teams
- Ensuring quality requirements of the apps for BMW & MINI worldwide (customer rating 4.5/5)
- 25% more effective content delivery
- Improved internal workflows
- UX product improvements for 10% more reach and 5% more app users in 3 months
Thomas Töpsch
Head of Product & Software
Last position:
Head of Product & Software at UZE ADS Europe GmbH
- Further development of a roof-mounted advertising unit for mobile digital advertising, including sensors such as GPS, light sensors, and 2D cameras
- Development of a service tool for commissioning and remote service control
- Development of a marketplace to manage devices, partners, and advertising campaigns
- Communication with the regulatory authority (KBA) as key account manager
- Business model development in data-driven business
- Development and coordination of service processes and workflows
- Building a network of service partners in Germany
- Strategy development, restructuring, and M&A processes
Alexander Döring
Interim Manager Procurement | Head of Procurement & Strategic Sourcing
Last position:
Interim Manager Procurement | Head of Procurement & Strategic Sourcing at Löwenstein Medical Technology GmbH & Co. KG
- Full responsibility for strategic and operational procurement, procurement management (11 FTE).
- Further development of the procurement organization, including task and role models.
- Steering of cross-functional special projects (e.g. value engineering, design-to-cost).
- Development and implementation of a holistic procurement and sourcing strategy focused on resilience, ESG, de-risking, decoupling and cost performance.
- Execution of a comprehensive procurement transformation with a realignment of the supply chain strategy.
- Reorganization of the procurement team to improve efficiency through clear role distribution and elimination of non-core tasks.
- Professionalization of contract management processes and supplier development programs.
- Process optimization along the S2C and P2P chain including standardization and automation in line with MDR (EU Regulation 2017/745), GxP compliance and quality management systems ISO 9001 and ISO 13485.
- KPI development and optimization of the performance measurement system for critical paths and shortage issues.
- Coaching the team on strategic purchasing and procurement, project management and due diligence in procurement.
- Implementation of AI-driven tools for sourcing, spend analysis and inventory management to optimize stock levels.
- Achieved approximately 31% inventory reduction through professional inventory management.
- Managed two cost-reduction (cost avoidance) programs with quantifiable results: ~50% reduction in manufacturing costs for a core component and ~64% reduction in material costs for the successor platform via redesign and category sourcing.
- Savings in the low double-digit million range compared to the baseline.
- Material categories: contract manufacturing, PCBA, EMS, blowers, silicone injection molding, power supplies, batteries, displays, hoses, masks, valves, foams, wiring, sensors, wireless modules (2G–5G), telemedicine components, laboratory services.
Stefan Schüßler
Interims Head of Product Owner and Release Manager
Last position:
Interims Head of Product Owner and Release Manager at Star Finanz
Led a team of over 20 product owners, designers, and release managers in the App Factory during a key organizational transformation.
Drove project delivery under tight timelines and supported the team through change by preparing them for new responsibilities.
Fostered personal growth, built team resilience, and helped shape a culture ready for the company’s next chapter.
Vibhuti Ranjan Singh
Global Head of Product | Business Leader
Last position:
Global Head of Product | Business Leader at NavVis
Established strategic business units, implemented Objectives and Key Results (ORKs), metrics and management systems, and defined career hierarchies. Led teams across product, program, design, and research domains to optimise organisational efficiency and innovation.
Drove successful market entry for sophisticated digital twin solutions, overseeing a portfolio of DeepTech and SaaS products while seamlessly transitioning to a SaaS business model. Spearheaded competitive market positioning, sales, and distribution strategy within a complex landscape. Held the company’s core business leadership, catalysing a comprehensive organisation-wide restructure to fortify growth.
Miroslav Nedinic
Head of Procurement
Last position:
Head of Procurement at Scheu-Holding GmbH
- Challenge: No procurement structure in place. Lack of transparency on costs and suppliers.
- Approach: Set up a 5-member team, introduced purchasing policies, category strategy and supplier development.
- Results: Over €1 million in savings through contract negotiations and supplier management. Established new KPI systems.
Jan Gleske
Interim Senior Application Owner for Pricing, Forecasting and Prognosis Domain
Last position:
Interim Senior Application Owner for Pricing, Forecasting and Prognosis Solutions at International energy trading company
- Collaborated closely with key users, business analysts and product owners to understand requirements, define priorities and derive solutions
- Managed external service providers
- Oversaw and executed updates, patches and release management
- Handled incident, problem and change management according to ITIL
- Analyzed and evaluated incidents and changes for operational impact and business processes
- Monitored systems and interfaces, ensuring IT security and compliance requirements
- Supported IT planning, cost monitoring and contract management
- Created and executed tests for maintenance and projects
- Assisted in designing technical solutions and contributed to projects such as IT landscape harmonization and modernization
- Independently led operations-related projects and continuously optimized processes
- Achieved significant cost savings through supplier negotiations, rightsizing and decommissioning of legacy systems
- Technologies: Azure DevOps, ServiceNow, icinga, metalogic mPE/mPX, FIS, inubit, Oracle, LeanIX, One Identity, Confluence, Copilot, XML, JSON, SQL, RabbitMQ, Python, BPMN, OKR, ITIL, Kanban
Michael Gericke
Interim Manager, Project Management Lead
Last position:
Interim Manager, Head of Project Management at Hubert Schlieckmann GmbH
Optimizing and monitoring project management
Internal/external stakeholder management
Conflict and escalation management
Point of contact for customers
Leading team meetings
Planning, coordinating, and controlling projects with consideration of client and project milestones
Developing, monitoring, and ensuring adherence to financial and personnel planning
Tracking deadlines and ensuring project and product quality
Welded assemblies from 7xxx series aluminum extrusion profiles
Complex chassis assemblies made from stamped, forged, and cast parts
Module carriers, structural elements, door components
Progressive and transfer presses, robotic welding, automated assembly, mechanical aluminum profile machining
6 team members
Lana Khimka
Product-Led Transformation Consultant
Last position:
Product-Led Transformation Consultant at Morressier
- Morressier is an AI-powered research publishing platform focused on data integrity
- Rebuilt team structure, processes, and decision cadence to improve product velocity and operational focus
- Introduced OKRs and goal-driven execution, strengthening alignment and accountability across product, engineering, and leadership
- Strengthened product performance and contributed to Morressier’s successful acquisition by Molecular Connections
Discover over 15,000 top freelancers
Heads of Public Relations statistics
Typical experience
22 years
Average project duration
2.9 years
Certifications per freelancer
2
Top business areas
Project Management, Product Development, Operations
Top industries
Manufacturing, Automotive, Professional Services
Most common languages
German, English, French
Bachelor's degree or higher
87%
Master's degree or higher
39%
Doctorate
9%
Salary / Daily Rate Distribution
The chart shows how the daily rates of freelancers in this role are distributed, based on recent contracts on our platform. Each bar covers a rate range — its height shows how many freelancers charge within that range. Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.
Average rates for Heads of Public Relations & Seniority distribution
Rates are based on recent contracts and do not include FRATCH margin.
The average daily rate is the mean of all daily rates from recent contracts of comparable freelancers on our platform.
The median daily rate is the middle value of all daily rates — half of comparable freelancers charge less, half charge more. Unlike the average, it is barely affected by outliers.
Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.
Frequently Asked Questions
Got questions? Learn key details about FRATCH right now
A Head of Public Relations leads the public-facing message for a company or brand. In freelance work, that can mean media outreach, press materials, crisis response, and executive messaging. They often join when a company needs senior PR support without adding a permanent manager.
A freelance PR lead makes sense when the need is urgent, temporary, or highly specific. That includes launches, reputation issues, leadership changes, and workload spikes. It also works well when you need an experienced pair of hands before deciding on a long-term hire.
The best Head of Public Relations combines writing, judgment, and stakeholder management. They should handle media relations, message development, and crisis communication with confidence. Strong coordination with leadership, legal, and marketing is just as important as the writing itself.
These titles often overlap, but the scope can differ by company. A PR Director usually focuses on public reputation and media relations, while a Head of Communications may cover a broader mix that includes internal communication and employer branding. Always check the actual scope, not only the title.
A strong Head of Public Relations usually starts with a message review, stakeholder scan, and priority plan. After that, they may create press statements, Q&A documents, talking points, media lists, and an outreach plan. If there is a crisis or sensitive topic, they will often build the response structure first.
Look for clear thinking, clean writing, and proof that they can manage sensitive situations. A good candidate explains how they shaped past messaging, handled media pressure, and worked with decision-makers. Ask for examples of press materials, crisis documents, or executive messaging they created.
Both are possible, depending on the project. Strategy, drafting, and media planning can usually be handled remotely, while workshops, interviews, and crisis response may benefit from on-site work in Germany. For international teams, language fluency and fast coordination matter more than location alone.
Companies with a public profile, complex messaging, or active media interest often need a Head of Public Relations. That includes consumer brands, B2B companies, scale-ups, agencies, and international firms with teams in Germany. They are especially useful when the company needs consistent external messaging across several audiences.
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Philipp Thomaschewski
FRATCH CEO
