Senior SEO Specialist

Everspring is a leading provider of AI-enabled education solutions. Our advanced technology, proven marketing approach, research-based instructional design services, and advanced AI-enabled services deliver outstanding outcomes for our university partners, powering success across higher education in the United States. We are seeking a Senior SEO Specialist to own organic search strategy and client delivery across Everspring-managed microsites and partner-owned institutional websites. This role leads technical SEO, content optimization, site architecture, authority-building, and AI search visibility initiatives that improve discovery, citation, traffic, conversion, and enrollment outcomes. As an experienced individual contributor, this person serves as the primary day-to-day SEO and AI search contact for assigned clients. The role develops account roadmaps, translates research into actionable recommendations, manages deliverables from planning through implementation, and communicates performance and priorities clearly to both client and internal stakeholders. This role reports to the Director, Media Management and is located in Chicago, offering a hybrid work environment with a minimum of 3 days required in the office every week and additional days as business needs arise. Responsibilities · SEO & AI Search Strategy: Develop and own integrated SEO and AI search strategies for assigned clients, aligning technical, content, authority, and measurement priorities with enrollment and business goals. · Client Delivery & Communication: Serve as the primary day-to-day SEO and AI search contact for assigned accounts, leading client meetings, presenting recommendations and performance, and managing expectations, timelines, and follow-through. · Technical SEO & Site Changes: Lead technical SEO audits, site migrations, redesigns, and launches, including prioritization and QA across crawlability, indexation, rendering, structured data, site architecture, Core Web Vitals and page speed · Search Research & Opportunity Identification: Lead research that includes keyword, audience, competitive, and search-intent, content gap, behavioral, and emerging trend analyses. Identify and prioritize opportunities across traditional search, AI-generated answers, and emerging discovery experiences. · AI Search Visibility & Optimization: Assess brand visibility, citations, mentions, and competitive presence across AI search platforms; translate findings into strategies that make institutional and program information easier to retrieve, understand, and cite. · Content Strategy & Page Optimization: Create and review page-level recommendations, content plans, and briefs that improve relevance, information gain, internal linking, conversion pathways, and alignment with user intent. · Cross-Functional Implementation: Partner with web, CMS, Creative, Analytics, MarTech, Partner Marketing, and Client Engagement teams to translate recommendations into clear requirements, resolve blockers, and verify implementation. · Measurement & Performance Insights: Analyze organic and AI search performance using analytics, search, crawling, and visibility tools; connect leading indicators to traffic, lead quality, conversion, and enrollment outcomes. · Conversion & Search Visibility Support: Support conversion optimization, crosslinking, digital PR, backlink development, and local search initiatives where they are relevant to client goals and program strategy. · Business Development Support: Support new-business efforts through audits, opportunity assessments, scopes, pitch materials, and participation in prospect conversations. Requirements · Education: Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Business, Information Science, or a related field. · Experience: At least three years of hands-on SEO experience, including ownership of technical, on-page, content, and measurement initiatives. · AI Search Experience: Demonstrated experience evaluating or improving brand visibility in AI search, including understanding how AI platforms retrieve, synthesize, and cite web content. · SEO Expertise: Strong technical and content SEO foundation, including crawl and indexation management, structured data, site architecture, migrations, keyword and intent research, and actionable briefs. · Client Delivery: Proven ability to manage client relationships and delivery, lead meetings, present complex findings clearly, and turn recommendations into coordinated action. · Tools & Measurement: Experience with Google Analytics 4, Google Search Console, Ahrefs or Semrush, crawling tools, and AI search visibility or citation-tracking platforms. · Analytics & Project Management: Strong analytical and project-management skills, including the ability to connect search performance to meaningful business outcomes while managing multiple clients and deadlines. · CMS & Cross-Functional Collaboration: Experience working with content management systems and collaborating with developers, designers, content teams, and other implementation partners. · Preferred Experience: Experience in higher education, lead generation, an agency or consulting environment, or with platforms such as Siteimprove is preferred but not required. About Everspring Everspring is a leading provider of education technology and service solutions. Our advanced technology, proven marketing approach, research-based instructional design services, and robust faculty support deliver outstanding outcomes for our university partners, powering their success online. Everspring offers a range of full-service turnkey solutions, as well as standalone single service offerings, and innovative self-service products that enable universities to establish and maintain themselves as leaders in the digital delivery of education. Based in Chicago, Everspring serves a growing number of colleges and universities. Built In Chicago has named us one of the "Best Places to Work" in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2025. We were also certified as a Great Place To Work® in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025. Compensation offered at Everspring will be determined by factors such as location, level, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Position Location: Illinois The base salary hiring range for this position is: $72,000 -$82,000. We offer benefits that include hybrid work arrangement, paid parental leave, medical, dental and vision insurance, FSA, HSA, employer-paid short-term and optional long-term disability, 401k with an employer match vested immediately, a generous PTO plan that accrues with tenure, professional development, tuition reimbursement program, discounted onsite gym, optional pet insurance and more! EEO Note: Everspring is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and apprenticeship. Everspring makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.