diff --git a/scripts/RELEASE_PR_TEMPLATE.md.mjs b/scripts/RELEASE_PR_TEMPLATE.md.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b37db1723
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/RELEASE_PR_TEMPLATE.md.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+export default ( { changelog, version }) => `
+
+> [!IMPORTANT]
+> Merging this PR will build and publish the new version automatically as a GitHub release, then deploy the new version on the WordPress.org plugin repository.
+>
+
+## WP Job Manager ${version}
+
+> [!NOTE]
+> These release notes between the two \`---\` lines will be the final changelog entry for the release. Edit them freely here before merging.
+>
+
+### Release Notes
+
+---
+${ changelog }
+---
+
+### Release
+
+> [!NOTE]
+> Click 'Ready for Review', ping the team, review the PR and merge. Upon merging, automation will:
+> - Write the release notes above to the changelog
+> - Create and tag a new GitHub release
+> - Deploy the release to WordPress.org
+`;
diff --git a/scripts/release-create.mjs b/scripts/release-create.mjs
index 22addb028..e84920c01 100644
--- a/scripts/release-create.mjs
+++ b/scripts/release-create.mjs
@@ -32,29 +32,23 @@ const pluginName         = pluginFileContents.match( /Plugin Name: (.*)/ )[ 1 ];
 
 const prNumber = process.argv[ 3 ];
 
-const releaseNotes = getReleaseChangelog();
-
+const releaseNotes = getReleaseNotes();
 updateChangelog();
 commitChangelog();
 tagRelease();
 buildPluginZip();
 createGithubRelease();
+success();
+
+function getReleaseNotes() {
 
-console.log( chalk.bold.green( `✓ ${ pluginName } ${ pluginVersion } released!` ) );
-console.log( `The GitHub release entry will trigger a deploy to WordPress.org. \nTrack here: https://github.com/${ plugin.repo }/actions/workflows/deploy-wporg-release.yml` );
-execSync( ` open https://github.com/${ plugin.repo }/actions/workflows/deploy-wporg-release.yml` );
-
-function getReleaseChangelog() {
-	// Get PR description
-	const prDescription    = execSync( `gh pr view ${ prNumber } -R ${ plugin.repo } --json body` ).toString();
-	// Get changelog section
-	const changelogSection = prDescription.match( /### (?:Changelog|Release Notes)([\S\s]*?)(?:###|<!--)/ )[ 1 ]
-		.replace( /\\n/g, '\n' )
-		.replace( /\\r/g, '\r' )
+	const prDescription = JSON.parse( execSync( `gh pr view ${ prNumber } -R ${ plugin.repo } --json body` ).toString() ).body;
+	const releaseNotes  = prDescription
+		.match( /### Release Notes\s*\n---([\S\s]*?)---/ )[ 1 ]
 		.replace( /^- /gm, '* ' )
 		.trim();
 
-	return changelogSection;
+	return releaseNotes;
 }
 
 function updateChangelog() {
@@ -101,3 +95,11 @@ function createGithubRelease() {
 	const notes = releaseNotes.replace( '"', '\\"' );
 	execSync( `gh release create ${ pluginVersion } -R ${ plugin.repo } --draft --title "Version ${ pluginVersion }" --notes "${ notes }" "${ pluginSlug }.zip"` );
 }
+
+function success() {
+	const deployWorkflow = `https://github.com/${ plugin.repo }/actions/workflows/deploy-wporg-release.yml`;
+	console.log( chalk.bold.green( `✓ ${ pluginName } ${ pluginVersion } released!` ) );
+	console.log( `The GitHub release entry will trigger a deploy to WordPress.org. \nTrack here: ${ deployWorkflow } ` );
+	execSync( `open ${ deployWorkflow }` );
+
+}
diff --git a/scripts/release-pr.mjs b/scripts/release-pr.mjs
index abd5f52dc..9297609f5 100644
--- a/scripts/release-pr.mjs
+++ b/scripts/release-pr.mjs
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import process from 'process';
 import inquirer from 'inquirer';
 import chalk from 'chalk';
 import { execSync } from 'child_process';
+import prTemplate from './RELEASE_PR_TEMPLATE.md.mjs';
 
 const PLUGINS = {
 	'wp-job-manager': {
@@ -136,13 +137,6 @@ async function askForConfirmation(
 	const currentWPTestedUpTo      = fileContents.match( /Tested up to: (.*)/ )[ 1 ];
 	// PHP
 	const currentRequiresPhp       = fileContents.match( /Requires PHP: (.*)/ )[ 1 ];
-	// WC
-	// const currentWCRequiresAtLeast = fileContents.match(
-	// 	/WC requires at least: (.*)/,
-	// )[ 1 ] ?? ' - ';
-	// const currentWCTestedUpTo      = fileContents.match(
-	// 	/WC tested up to: (.*)/,
-	// )[ 1 ] ?? ' - ';
 
 	// Display all versioning information and ask for confirmation.
 	console.log( `🚀 Preparing new release:`, chalk.bold( `${ pluginSlug } ${ newVersion }` ) );
@@ -155,9 +149,10 @@ async function askForConfirmation(
 	console.log( `-----------------------------` );
 	console.log( `ℹ️️  Make sure a ` + chalk.bold( `milestone ${ newVersion }` ) + ` exists GitHub, and all PRs are assigned to the milestone.` );
 	console.log( `-----------------------------` );
+	console.log( `ℹ️️  Make sure you are logged in to GH CLI with \`gh auth login\`.` );
 	execSync( 'gh auth status' );
 	console.log( `-----------------------------` );
-	console.log( `Pull requests to include:` );
+	console.log( `Pull requests to include (milestone ${ newVersion }):` );
 
 	execSync( ghPrs, { stdio: 'inherit' } );
 
@@ -166,6 +161,8 @@ async function askForConfirmation(
 	const defaultBranch = 'trunk';
 	const warning       = ( branch !== defaultBranch ) ? chalk.bgRed( ` ‼️  Not ${ defaultBranch }! ‼️ ` ) : '';
 
+	console.log( `-----------------------------` );
+
 	console.log( 'Branch:', chalk.bold[ branch !== defaultBranch ? 'red' : 'green' ]( branch ), warning );
 
 	console.log( `-----------------------------` );
@@ -317,29 +314,7 @@ function createPR( changelog ) {
 
 	const title = `Release ${ pluginName } ${ version }`;
 
-	let body = `
-
-### Release Notes
-
-${ changelog }
-
-### Hooks, templates
-
-...
-
-### Release Automation
-
-- [ ] 🤖 Plugin zip built.
-- [ ] 🤖 New version deployed at test site.
-- [ ] 🤠 Merge PR.
-- [ ] 🤖 GH release tag created.
-- [ ] 🤖 Plugin pushed to WordPress.org
-- [ ] 🤖 WPJobManager.com release created.
-- [ ] 🤖 P2 release post created.
-
-⚠️ Merging this PR will publish the new release automatically.
-
-`;
+	let body = prTemplate( { changelog, version } );
 	body     = body.replace( '"', '\"' );
 
 	const prLink = execSync( `gh pr create -R ${ plugin.repo } -B trunk -H ${ releaseBranch } --assignee @me --base trunk --draft --title "${ title }" --body "${ body }"` );