SEO & AI Strategy Manager

Role Overview

We are looking for an experienced, strategic and forward-thinking SEO & AI Strategy Manager to own multi-client search strategies across traditional organic search and emerging AI discovery. The role combines commercial thinking, strong SEO fundamentals and a genuine passion for high-quality content.

You will translate business objectives and audience needs into clear, measurable strategies, working closely with SEO, Content, Digital PR, PPC and Client Services. You will also help shape The Media People’s evolving AI Search and Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) offering through research, experimentation and practical innovation.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

SEO Strategy & Organic Growth

• Own the planning and delivery of SEO strategies and roadmaps across multiple client accounts, aligned with commercial priorities and the full customer journey.
• Use keyword, search-intent, competitor, content-gap, audience and performance research to identify opportunities for growth.
• Prioritise opportunities across technical SEO, content, authority building, internal linking, website architecture and user experience.
• Develop strategies that improve organic visibility, engagement, conversions and commercial performance.
• Work with Technical SEO specialists on areas including migrations, structured data, site architecture and other technical opportunities.

Content Strategy, Quality & Authority

• Develop user-first content strategies, topic clusters and briefs based on audience needs, search behaviour and commercial objectives.
• Champion genuinely useful, original and authoritative content rather than content created simply to target keywords.
• Audit existing content for quality, relevance, accuracy, depth and usefulness, identifying where to improve, consolidate, refresh or remove.
• Identify opportunities for expert insight, original research and data-led content that strengthen brand authority, trust and differentiation.
• Ensure content structure, hierarchy and internal linking make information easy to understand across both traditional and AI-powered search.

AI Search, GEO & Innovation

• Develop strategies to improve client visibility within AI-generated answers, conversational search and other emerging discovery experiences.
• Assess websites and content for AI-search readiness, including brand authority, entity understanding, topical relevance and citation potential.
• Monitor developments across Google AI experiences, ChatGPT, Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, Perplexity and other emerging platforms.
• Analyse audience prompts and evolving search behaviour, and develop frameworks for monitoring AI visibility, brand mentions, citations, sources and competitors.
• Test emerging GEO approaches, semantic and machine-readable content opportunities, and AI-assisted workflows that improve efficiency without compromising quality.
• Turn successful experiments into repeatable processes, frameworks and services for clients and the wider agency.

Clients, Measurement & Team Development

• Define and monitor relevant SEO and AI Search KPIs, turning performance data and trends into clear strategic recommendations.
• Act as a trusted strategic advisor in client meetings, presentations and workshops, translating complex search topics into accessible commercial recommendations.
• Contribute to pitches and new business opportunities where SEO, content and AI Search expertise is required.
• Mentor junior team members, share knowledge and deliver internal training on SEO, content and AI Search.
• Help improve departmental processes, planning methodologies, best-practice guidance and new SEO/GEO products and services.

SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

What We’re Looking For

• At least three years’ SEO experience, agency-side or client-side, with a proven track record of developing and delivering strategies across multiple projects or accounts.
• Strong SEO fundamentals across technical SEO, content, authority building, search intent, on-page optimisation, internal linking and website architecture
• Excellent editorial judgement and a genuine interest in high-quality digital content, audience needs, topical authority and strong brand communication.
• A growing understanding of AI Search, large language models and Generative Engine Optimisation, with curiosity about how AI systems discover, retrieve, interpret, cite and recommend information.
• Strong analytical and commercial thinking, with the ability to turn data into prioritised, practical recommendations.
• Confident client communication and presentation skills, with the ability to explain complex concepts to non-specialist stakeholders.
• A proactive, collaborative and self-learning mindset, with strong organisation, ownership and the ability to manage competing priorities.

Tools & Knowledge

Experience with Google Analytics 4, Google Search Console, SEMrush and/or Ahrefs, Screaming Frog and other SEO research technologies. A working understanding of structured data and Schema.org principles, alongside emerging AI Search visibility and citation analysis.

What Success Looks Like

Success in this role means clients have clear, commercially focused strategies supported by genuinely useful, authoritative content; strong performance across traditional organic search; and a growing readiness for AI-powered discovery.

The SEO & AI Strategy Manager will help The Media People stay proactive as search evolves by identifying opportunities, raising strategic and content standards, testing emerging approaches and turning innovation into measurable improvements for clients and the agency

Pay: £40,000.00-£45,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Company events
• Company pension
• Cycle to work scheme
• Profit sharing
• Sick pay

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Leeds (West Yorkshire, Yorkshire and Humber Region)