Senior PR Manager, Press Office

Nazarbayev University Open · verified Sep 19, 2026

On-site Astana Full-time Senior Public Relations

Senior Public Relations role at Nazarbayev University. Astana · full-time.

Role brief

Growth Roles summary, based on the employer's posting.

What you'll do

You'll shape public messages and create content for social, print, video, podcasts, and newsletters
You'll edit and proofread communications so published work meets strong editorial standards
You'll coordinate with schools, units, academic teams, designers, and marketers on consistent communications
You'll manage crisis media issues, alert the Head of the Office, and recommend responses
You'll build content plans and media guidance that strengthen the University's positioning and values

What you bring

You'll communicate fluently in Kazakh, Russian, and English
You'll bring a strong work portfolio plus careful writing, editing, and proofreading skills
You'll work independently, meet tight deadlines, collaborate well, and build effective relationships
You'll hold higher professional education, preferably from an English-medium higher education institution
With a master's degree, you'll bring at least three years in PR, journalism, or a related role; other degree routes require the stated experience

Who this fits

This role suits a careful, self-directed communications professional who can think critically, work with varied teams, and respond under pressure. You must work onsite in Astana and meet the listed language and experience requirements. The selection process includes assessments and formal interviews, which are typically conducted in English.

From the employer

Key Functions:

- Create and convey public messages to different audiences about the University activities;

- Create clear, compelling materials for a variety of media including social media, print, video, podcasts, newsletters

- Edit and proofread materials to ensure high editorial standards met across all content outputs;

- Collaborate with different teams to assess project needs and help with putting together a professional messaging that is consistent with the main NU values and principles;

- Tackling crisis and emergency communications issues in the media and timely alert the Head of the Office with a list of recommendations and solutions.

- Develop and implement strategic media documents, such as crisis response strategy, digital media guidelines, and etc.

- Create a content plan with positive and brand oriented purposes covering strong positioning of NU brand, values, attributes;

- Build good communication exchange with academic and research community to prepare long reads and other materials;

- Work closely with NU schools and units to make sure the websites, collaterals, brochures, and other messages going public have clear and well-developed content;

- Stay updated on trends and competitors within the editorial sphere;

- Collaborate with designers, social media, marketing and other professionals on large- and small-scale communication projects (e.g. email campaigns, website content and landing pages);

− Strong proven portfolio of work;

− Ability to work in team;

− Comfortable with working autonomously with little direction and under tight deadlines;

- Fluency in Kazakh, Russian and English is a must;

− Excellent writing, editing, and proofreading skills with a diligent eye for details;

− Critical thinking;

− Building effective relations;

− Interpersonal skills;

− Responsibility;

Higher-professional, preferably from the higher education institutions with the English language of instruction

− Required work experience is defined in accordance with standard qualifications for administrative positions at the autonomous organization of education “Nazarbayev University”:

− for a Master's degree holder - at least 3 year of work experience on the PR manager, journalist or related position;

− for a Bachelor's or a Specialist's degree holder - at least 5 years of work experience directly related to the duties and responsibilities specified, accumulated in the context of national and/or international companies or at least 3 years of work experience at Nazarbayev University

Priority majors: journalism, PR, marketing, communications, philology and/or other related fields.

Recruitment and selection process
Recruitment and selection at Nazarbayev University include the following process: preliminary selection based on experience and qualifications, assessments (e.g. technical skills/capabilities, aptitude, personality, work samples, in-basket exercises, and informal interviews), and motivation.

Formal interviews form the final stage of the selection process.
They are typically based on organizational values and behaviors and conducted in English.
You are encouraged to share your views and values to identify how they fit into Nazarbayev University core values