SENIOR Search Engine Optimization Specialist

The Role

We're hiring a Senior SEO Specialist to own the technical, on-page, and AEO/GEO execution layer across our client portfolio, and to operate as a second strategic voice alongside our Lead SEO Strategist, not just an execution hand. You'll report to the SEO Lead, but on your accounts, you carry the same weight day to day: you set the technical and on-page game plan, you're the one clients trust on the call, and you make the judgment calls yourself, as a matter of course, not as an exception.

This is a senior, AI-native execution role for someone who has already done the mid-level version of this job and is ready to own outcomes, not just tasks. You'll work alongside an SEO Content Specialist who owns keyword research and content production, and on larger accounts, you may be the one directing their priorities. We use Claude Code, ChatGPT, and Gemini daily. You're expected to move faster than a traditional senior SEO by using AI well, while catching what it gets wrong before it ever reaches a client.

Beyond the technical bar, we need someone who is a genuinely excellent communicator in English (confident, clear, and persuasive on live client calls, not just in written reports), and who is proactive by default: someone who surfaces problems, ideas, and opportunities before being asked, and who doesn't wait for direction to act on something they know needs doing.

Strategic Account Ownership

• Act as a second lead on your portfolio of client accounts: set the technical/on-page/AEO roadmap and prioritization at the same standard as the SEO Lead, as your everyday way of working, not an occasional stretch assignment
• Own strategy conversations, client escalations, and account-level decisions on your accounts directly and confidently
• Review and QA work from other SEO team members before it ships; give direct, specific feedback that raises the bar
• Push back, internally or with a client, when a proposed approach won't work, and make the case for a better one

Technical SEO

• Run and oversee comprehensive technical audits across client sites: crawlability, indexation, site architecture, Core Web Vitals, mobile usability, page speed, and rendering
• Implement fixes directly in WordPress and Shopify; write precise developer briefs when issues require engineering support
• Manage canonical tags, redirect chains, robots.txt, XML sitemaps, and crawl budget
• Implement structured data (Organization, LocalBusiness, FAQ, HowTo, and others) per the account schema strategy
• Monitor site health continuously via Google Search Console, Ahrefs, and Screaming Frog
• Track algorithm updates (Google, Bing, OpenAI, Anthropic, and Perplexity) and assess impact on client sites; flag anomalies proactively, before the client notices, not after

On-Page Optimization

• Optimize title tags, meta descriptions, header structure, and internal linking across accounts
• Audit existing pages for search intent alignment; direct the SEO Content Specialist on content gaps and priorities
• Ensure on-page signals support the content architecture and E-E-A-T strategy for each account

AI Optimization (AEO / GEO)

• Own the AEO execution layer: structured data, entity markup, FAQ/HowTo schema, and content formatting that drives citations in ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, Gemini, and Claude
• Implement and maintain structured data (Organization, LocalBusiness, FAQ, HowTo, Product, Article, and others) per the account schema strategy
• Track client brand mention and citation rates across the top 5 AI engines for target query sets; report MoM trends and translate them into a strategic narrative for clients
• Identify and execute on-page changes that improve AI quotability: clear definitions, scannable answers, sourced claims, semantic structure

Local SEO

• Manage Google Business Profile optimization and posting for local and multi-location clients
• Audit citation consistency, correct NAP issues, and maintain directory listings
• Support location page optimization and local schema implementation
• Monitor local AI search results (e.g., "best [service] in [city]" queries across AI engines) and tune accordingly

AI-Powered Workflow & Productivity

• Use Claude Code, ChatGPT, and team-built custom skills daily for audit synthesis, schema generation, internal link mapping, redirect planning, and report drafting
• Build and improve the team's skill library and Agents, not just use them. When you find a workflow that saves time, formalize it so the rest of the team benefits
• Maintain healthy skepticism: every AI output gets verified before it ships to a client site or report. AI plus your judgment should produce far better work than either alone

Client Communication & Reporting

• Build and maintain monthly performance reports: rankings, organic traffic, CTR, conversions, and site health
• Write and speak about the data in a way that tells clients what it means, not just what it says
• Surface trends, wins, and risks before clients ask about them
• Lead client-facing calls (reporting, strategy, and escalations) as the primary voice clients trust on SEO. Confidently defend a recommendation under pushback, and deliver bad news clearly and calmly when needed

Required

• 5-7+ years of SEO experience, with meaningful agency experience managing client relationships directly
• Exceptional spoken and written English: you can explain a technical concept to a non-technical client executive clearly, confidently, and persuasively on a live call, not just in a written report
• Proven track record of proactive ownership: examples of surfacing issues, ideas, or fixes before being asked, not just executing a checklist
• Strong technical SEO foundation: you can run an audit start to finish, identify the root cause, and prioritize the fix, and you can teach someone else to do the same
• Proficiency with Google Search Console, GA4, Ahrefs, and Screaming Frog
• HTML/CSS working knowledge sufficient to implement on-page changes and accurately brief developers
• Experience with local SEO: GBP optimization, citation management, local on-page signals
• Hands-on experience with structured data implementation
• Daily AI usage in your current workflows, with the judgment to know when to override it
• Comfortable operating with a high degree of autonomy: making and owning strategic calls on an account without waiting for sign-off on every decision
• Experience mentoring, reviewing, or directing the work of another SEO or content teammate

Nice to Have

• Experience with JavaScript SEO and rendering considerations
• GitHub, and/or some exposure to working with developers
• Familiarity with accessibility compliance as a ranking and trust signal
• Experience operating as a strategic peer to another lead, not just in support of one

You'll have real ownership of your accounts, a strategy lead who treats you as a peer on execution and trusts you to run point without micromanaging, and a content counterpart you'll work closely with, and on some accounts, direct. The team is lean, which means your work is visible and your judgment matters as much as your output.

We work fully remote across multiple time zones. We move quickly, expect clear and confident communication, and measure success by client outcomes, not activity.

If you're a senior SEO professional who takes the AI era seriously, wants real ownership instead of a ticket queue, and can be trusted to represent the team on a client call as well as the Lead can, this is a strong fit.