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Director, SEO Strategy

United States

WHY DEPT®?

We are a Growth Invention company built to help the world’s most ambitious brands grow faster. Operating at the intersection of technology and marketing, we create what is next by pioneering ideas, acting fast, and moving further because standing still just is not in our DNA.

We are drawn to people who stay curious, move with intent, and never stop inventing. Our culture runs on three values: better together, relentlessly curious, and get sh*t done. It is how we work, how we grow, and how we make things that matter.

At DEPT®, you will find the freedom to explore, the space to collaborate, and the trust to make a real impact for our clients, for each other, and for the world we are helping to build.

Overview

The Director, SEO Strategy serves as a senior leader within the department, responsible for shaping the vision, growth, and operational excellence of DEPT’s SEO practice. With 10+ years of experience leading enterprise-level organic programs, this role combines deep technical mastery, strategic leadership, scalable process building, and cross-channel integration.

The Director oversees a portfolio of large, high-impact clients and manages a team of Managers and Associate Directors, ensuring every engagement reflects DEPT’s commitment to excellence. This leader is fluent in both foundational SEO and the rapidly expanding domain of AI-driven discovery, guiding teams and clients through the evolution of Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) / Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and broader reputation-influenced search dynamics.

This role calls for a visionary who can balance strategic thinking with operational precision - someone passionate about redefining the boundaries of discoverability while fostering the next generation of SEO talent.

 

Core Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

  • Define and drive the SEO vision for the agency, aligning practice growth with evolving market trends in AEO / GEO and technical innovation.
  • Oversee the strategic direction and performance of enterprise-level clients, ensuring initiatives align with broader business and marketing objectives.
  • Lead full-funnel, full-spectrum SEO frameworks across technical, content, and AI ecosystems, ensuring data-driven alignment with integrated marketing strategies.
  • Develop and refine DEPT’s proprietary methodologies for AI Search (AEO / GEO), including frameworks for visibility analysis, prompt tracking, and generative SERP optimization.
  • Build and guide strategies that account for community-driven signals (Reddit, Quora, etc.), user-generated content environments, and online reputation factors that influence modern SERPs and AI-generated responses.
  • Guide technical innovation through advanced initiatives such as structured data automation, personalization, entity optimization, site architecture evolution, and indexability engineering (particularly rendering on Javascript frameworks).
  • Collaborate with department leadership to define long-term goals, forecast staffing needs, and shape cross-channel service integration across Paid, CRO, Social, and Analytics.
  • Represent DEPT externally as an industry leader on AI Search, technical SEO, and the future of organic strategy through thought leadership, webinars, and client advisory sessions.

Client Management & Growth

  • Serve as the senior-most strategic partner for key enterprise clients, maintaining trusted advisor relationships at the executive level.
  • Lead strategic storytelling and performance communication through executive presentations, QBRs, and roadmap sessions.
  • Oversee client health and growth, ensuring consistent delivery excellence and long-term retention.
  • Identify and pursue cross-channel expansion opportunities, partnering with Sales and other channel directors to align proposals, pitches, and new business opportunities.
  • Evaluate and optimize account performance through regular audits of deliverables, process, and pacing to ensure profitability, quality, and innovation.
  • Act as the final escalation point for client challenges, ensuring resolution with clarity, accountability, and strategic insight.

Team Leadership & Mentorship

  • Lead, manage, and develop a team of Managers and Associate Directors, fostering continuous growth, accountability, and skill depth across all levels.
  • Conduct ongoing mentorship, 1:1s, performance reviews, and capability assessments to support strong career progression.
  • Drive excellence in technical acumen across crawling, indexing, rendering, Core Web Vitals, site architecture, and structured data.
  • Ensure account teams are empowered, prepared, and supported on complex enterprise engagements.
  • QA major strategic plans, audits, and deliverables to ensure technical accuracy, strategic rigor, and presentation quality.
  • Champion a learning culture centered on AEO / GEO, technical innovation, and new optimization models.
  • Mentor Managers and Associate Directors in recognizing reputation-based signals and integrating forum insights into research, strategy, and reporting workflows.

Execution & Operational Excellence

  • Ensure consistent delivery quality across all client engagements, maintaining high standards in technical, content, authority, and AI-driven deliverables.
  • Oversee the creation and refinement of scalable frameworks, dashboards, and auditing methodologies for use across clients and specializations.
  • Audit and optimize account structures and staffing plans, aligning resource allocation to performance goals and profitability.
  • Maintain visibility into key project milestones, timelines, and KPIs, proactively identifying risks or delivery bottlenecks.
  • Partner with Operations and Channel Leadership to manage utilization, forecast resourcing needs, and define best practices for cross-channel efficiency.
  • Leverage experience across ASO, CRO, eCommerce, and Local SEO to guide multi-surface visibility strategies for clients operating in complex ecosystems.
  • Oversee processes for monitoring and reporting on reputation-driven search surfaces (forums, review sites, community platforms) to ensure strategies account for external sentiment and UGC influence.

Thought Leadership & Innovation

  • Lead the agency’s thought leadership in AI Search and advanced SEO, defining DEPT’s point of view across AEO / GEO and emerging generative SERP dynamics.
  • Partner with Specialization Captains to pilot new methodologies and automation workflows across the various specializations, such as Technical SEO, LLM Prompt Tracking, AI Innovation + Deliverable Development, Reputation Management, and Holistic Search.
  • Lead the development of POVs on how reputation, community discourse, and UGC ecosystems shape AI-generated results, entity interpretation, and brand visibility.
    Contribute to DEPT’s reputation through public-facing initiatives including articles, events, and case studies highlighting client success and innovation.
  • Define and evolve the SEO practice roadmap, ensuring processes, deliverables, and tools stay ahead of industry shifts.
  • Mentor cross-functional leaders in applying SEO insights to brand strategy, performance marketing, and AI-based discoverability.

Required Skills & Experience

  • 10+ years of professional SEO experience (agency experience required).
  • Proven success managing enterprise-scale SEO programs and teams.
  • Mastery of technical SEO including crawling, indexing, rendering, structured data, site speed optimization, Core Web Vitals, and JavaScript frameworks.
  • Strong understanding of AI Search and next-generation optimization models ( GEO / AEO).
  • Experience leading teams of SEO managers, associate directors, and cross-functional partners.
  • Advanced proficiency with CMS platforms, analytics, and SEO tools (GSC, GA4, Adobe, Looker Studio, Screaming Frog, DeepCrawl, SEMrush, Ahrefs, BigQuery, Profound, Scrunch, Otterly, AirOps).
  • Strong operational management experience, including forecasting, staffing, and resource planning.
  • Excellent executive communication, presentation, and negotiation skills.
  • Ability to influence at the leadership level and represent SEO within broader organizational strategy.

WHAT DO WE OFFER?

We are a collaborative, open-door, best-idea-wins environment that fosters personal and company growth and has fun doing it. Here is a snapshot of our  benefits package:

  • Healthcare, Dental, and Vision coverage
  • 401k plan, plus matching
  • PTO
  • Paid Company Holidays
  • Parental Leave

The anticipated salary range for this position is listed below. Salary is based on a range of factors that include relevant experience, expertise, physical location, and organizational impact. This is based on a 40-hour workweek and leveling. Keep in mind, we're flexible. 

WE SUPPORT YOU BEING YOU: 

DEPT® is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). We believe our work is its best when our people feel safe and free to be themselves. We’re committed to an inclusive and barrier-free recruitment and selection process and workplace, regardless of anyone’s lived experience, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, and genetic information. So tell us about any accommodations you need. It’s totally confidential and only used to make sure you feel fully supported at every step.

DEPT® participates in E-Verify, meaning your Form I-9 information will be sent to the federal government to confirm you are authorized to work in the U.S. 

We are a B Corp-certified company passionate about purpose-driven work.  Our hope is that you can feel good about the contributions DEPT® is making to the world and we always have an open door for your ideas in making the world a better place. 

DEPT® is a pioneering technology and marketing services company that creates integrated end-to-end digital experiences for brands such as Google, KFC, Philips, Audi, Twitch, Patagonia, eBay and more. Its team of 2,500+ digital specialists across 30+ locations on 5 continents delivers pioneering work on a global scale with a boutique culture. 

Learn more about DEPT®

 

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, & INCLUSION

At DEPT®, we take pride in creating an inclusive workplace where everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive. We actively seek to recruit, develop, nurture, and retain talented individuals from diverse backgrounds, with varying skills and perspectives.

Not sure you meet all qualifications? Apply, and let us decide! Research shows that women and members of underrepresented groups tend not to apply for jobs when they think they may not meet every requirement, when in fact they do. We believe in giving everyone a fair chance to shine. 

We also encourage you  to reach out to us and discuss any reasonable adjustments we can make to support you throughout the recruitment process and your time with us.

Want to know more about our dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion? Check out our efforts here.

#LI-Hybrid #LI-Remote

The anticipated salary range for this position is listed below. Salary is based on a range of factors that include relevant experience, expertise, physical location, and organizational impact. This is based on a 40-hour workweek and leveling. Keep in mind, we’re flexible.

US Remote Range

$130,000 - $150,000 USD

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