Director Search Engine Optimization

Shaw Search Partners is proud to lead the retained search for a high growth global tech leader to identify a Director, SEO AIO to play a key role in growing organic traffic and conversions, focused on AI search and AI/social engines, building a best-in-class organic program and solidifying company as a top organic result the US and Global markets.

This role will be responsible for proactively researching, understanding and communicating emerging trends in new AI channels, driving the strategy and aggressive testing plans, executing, measuring and optimizing SEO/organic initiatives to ensure we are on the leading edge, in partnership with a team of SEO specialists, engineers, Editorial, Product, Marketing & Analytics teams.

Responsibilities

• Strategy Development: Define and size opportunities, strategic priorities, and roadmap to drive organic AI/social growth based on emerging trends, current performance and data insights; includes informing the Editorial Content team’s roadmap and prioritization.
• Execution: Oversee execution and optimization of performance-oriented campaigns & initiatives across search AI (e.g. Google AI overviews), emerging AI engines (e.g. Chat-GPT) and social platforms (e.g. Reddit, X, Meta, YouTube) to drive organic visits and conversions.
• Conversion Optimization: Continuously optimize landing page conversion rates at various stages of the customer journey, from content/research to conversion-oriented pages.
• Testing and Measurement: Analyze marketing data and metrics to measure the effectiveness of SEO efforts, including A/B testing, report building and analysis, and communicate the results and data-driven decisions to key stakeholders.
• Reporting & Forecasting: Monitor SEO/AI organic performance across all CarGurus markets, reporting regularly to the Executive Team on synthesized trends, work and impact.
• Lead organic traffic forecasting efforts across markets, in conjunction with Performance Marketing and Marketing Analytics
• Resource Management: Define and manage budget needs and engineering resource allocation.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Lead internal communications and collaborate with other departments, such as Engineering, Product, Editorial Content, Analytics and Other Marketing teams to align efforts with overall business goals and ensure adequate prioritization.

Qualifications

• SEO/AI Knowledge: 12 years of professional experience in SEO, preferably in-house and enterprise-level, with a strong understanding of SEO principles, strategies, and recent AI trends.
• Strategic Thinking: Strong critical thinking and problem solving skills to identify opportunities and priorities with strategic context and understanding.
• Communication Skills: Strong ability to concisely synthesize and communicate key insights, results and recommendations to key partners and senior leadership, in verbal presentations and written communications.
• Data Analytics: Passion for data, and testing new features or improvements. Proficiency in using data analytics tools (Looker, Google Analytics) and SEO tracking platforms to analyze performance and make data-driven decisions.
• Adaptability: Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, learn and adapt to changing marketing trends and technologies, and adapting priorities to critical business needs.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Ability to effectively liaison with internal teams, subsidiary partners, and executive team regarding SEO initiatives and progress.
• Team Management: Experience leading teams, particularly content and/or engineering teams
• Attention to Detail: Precision in tracking data and ensuring roadmap elements are executed correctly.

*This is a hybrid role and requires 3 days/week onsite in Boston office.

*Relocation support may be offered