Director, SEO Strategist

Job Title: Director, SEO Strategist

Department: Marketing Communications

Location: remote/virtual office within the Continental US

Reports to: Executive Editor

Direct Reports: Yes

Classification: Exempt

Position type: Full-Time Employee

Anticipated Pay Range at Commencement of Employment: $87,000 - $120,000 per year

 

Blue Star Families

Blue Star Families is a growing non-profit (Military Service Organization (MSO)) with a history of delivering innovative solutions. We're the team that senior DoD leaders seek out when they want ground truth on issues facing our military families. Our team members are motivated individuals that help each other do remarkable things for military families to bridge the civilian-military divide every day.   We deliver first-class solutions that transform the military experience for military family members.  We operate in an agile arena where great minds come together to make life better for military members and their families.  We focus on data-driven insights while understanding the value of spirited storytelling.   And we do all this in a highly flexible, virtual environment with great benefits!

Are you ready to make a difference for the families of those who serve our great nation?  We are the ideal match for the innovator, the out-of-the-box, strategic thinker who understands the value of social impact.

 

General Description

The Director of SEO Strategy will lead the evolution of Blue Star Families’ (BSF) digital presence, driving visibility, discoverability, and long-term organic growth across search ecosystems. This role is central to transforming BSF’s website from a traditional organizational platform into a dynamic, lifestyle-driven destination serving the military community and engaging a broader national audience.

Reporting to the Executive Editor, the Director will serve as the strategic authority on search, partnering closely to shape and execute the long-term vision for BSF’s forward-facing digital experience. This leader will architect scalable SEO frameworks, integrate search intelligence into content and product development, and ensure the organization remains competitive in an evolving landscape shaped by AI-driven search, generative results, and emerging discovery platforms.

As a fully remote organization, we rely on regular in-person gatherings to fulfill core business functions, including strategic planning, cross-functional collaboration, and culture-building. This role requires the ability to travel overnight several times per year to attend team offsites, leadership sessions, and company-wide events.

 

These events are critical to performing the essential functions of the role, enabling team alignment, effective decision-making, and strong interpersonal connection. Attendance and participation in these gatherings is a non-negotiable component of the position.

 

Key Job Functions

Enterprise SEO Strategy & Site Architecture

• Lead the SEO strategy for BSF’s expanded digital ecosystem, ensuring scalability, usability, and long-term growth.
• Architect search-optimized site structures, URL frameworks, and content hierarchies across new sections, initiatives, and chapter pages.
• Design internal linking and navigation systems that maximize discoverability and authority flow.

Content Strategy & Search Integration

• Develop comprehensive search-informed content roadmaps spanning benefits, PCS resources, chapters, donors, lifestyle topics, and emerging audience needs.
• Produce high-impact content briefs that align editorial vision with keyword strategy, search intent, and semantic depth.
• Implement advanced semantic SEO strategies to strengthen relevance in Google Search, AI Overviews, generative search experiences, and emerging AI platforms.

On-Page Optimization & Structured Data Leadership

• Oversee optimization of titles, metadata, headers, and on-page elements to enhance performance and click-through rates.
• Direct implementation of structured data (FAQ, How-To, Event, Article, Organization, and other schema types) to expand SERP visibility and unlock rich results.

Technical SEO & Performance Governance

• Establish proactive monitoring systems to identify and resolve crawl issues, indexing challenges, broken links, and site performance barriers.
• Partner with the development team to embed SEO best practices into platform enhancements, tools, and feature rollouts from inception.
• Lead organizational readiness for algorithm updates and major shifts in the search landscape, ensuring adaptive and resilient strategy execution.

Analytics, Insights & Growth Optimization

• Define KPIs and reporting frameworks to measure organic performance, rankings, AI-driven SERP features, and audience engagement.
• Translate data, trend analysis, and competitive insights into actionable recommendations for sustained growth.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Collaborate across editorial, marketing, development, membership, and advancement teams to embed SEO best practices throughout all digital initiatives.
• Align organic search strategy with BSF’s mission, audience needs, and long-term organizational goals.
• Contribute strategic input to digital innovation, audience development, and platform expansion initiatives.
• Perform other duties as assigned

 

Required Experience, Skills & Background

• 7+ years of progressive experience in SEO strategy, including enterprise-level or high-growth environments.
• Demonstrated success developing and executing comprehensive SEO strategies that drive significant traffic growth, engagement, and measurable impact.
• Deep expertise in content strategy, semantic SEO, structured data implementation, and technical optimization.
• Proven ability to adapt strategy in response to algorithm updates and shifts in search behavior.
• Strong cross-functional leadership experience, with the ability to influence stakeholders across teams.
• Data-driven decision maker with experience leveraging analytics to inform strategic growth initiatives.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills; highly self-directed and proactive.
• Project management experience with the ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously.
• Technologically proficient and comfortable working across CMS platforms and digital tools.
• Ability to travel out of town overnight several times per year for staff offsites, planning retreats, and company-wide events. These gatherings are essential for connection, brainstorming, and staying strategically aligned across teams. Participation is required as a core part of the role.
• Ability to lift and carry supplies and equipment up to 30 lbs.
• Willingness to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as necessary to support key organizational initiatives.

 

Desired Experience, Skills & Background

• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• Experience with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems; and familiarity with Salesforce a plus
• Familiarity with membership-driven organizations

 

More About Blue Star Families

Blue Star Families empowers military and Veteran families to thrive by connecting them with their civilian neighbors — both people and organizations — to create strong communities of mutual support. We believe we're all stronger when we take care of one another.

Our groundbreaking research is raising the nation's awareness of the unique challenges of military family life. With the help of neighbors across the country, Blue Star Families is overcoming the isolation and alienation of frequent moves, deployments, and reduced support from the government. Our innovative programs are solving specific challenges for military families, including fighting economic insecurity with resources that foster spouse career development, creating family strength with rich family programming, and providing critical peer support for caregivers, whose numbers are only increasing.

Blue Star Families is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. 

 

EEO Policy

Blue Star Families is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

 

Why Blue Star Families?

• Virtual/remote nonprofit organization that moves with you (position specific)
• Career growth opportunities
• Excellent benefits (403(b) with matching, Flexible Spending, Life Insurance, Short-Term Disability, Communications Allowance, and more)
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS) Leave for Active Duty Military Spouses
• On-the-job professional development training
• Front-line opportunity to positively impact the military experience
• Competitive salaries
• Workplace flexibility