Head Of SEO

First, the post specifies more than 30 hours per week. That is not accurate, at least not yet. If you are not an A-player and cannot meet the requirements specified below, don't even bother submitting because it will quickly not work out even if you interview well. About Us: We're a growth-focused, full service digital marketing agency managing SEO and AI Engine Optimization (AEO) programs for a portfolio of B2B and local service clients across multiple verticals: Home services / roofing (local SEO, NJ-based) Enterprise energy procurement (B2B/SaaS) Telecommunications (B2B services) Wealth management (financial services) We have in-house content development capabilities and established client workbooks, content plans, KPI frameworks, and reporting infrastructure already in place. What we need is a strategic SEO leader to direct the program — not another executor. The Role: This is a Director-level SEO position - part-time/fractional - responsible for strategy, quality control, vendor management, and performance reporting across a growing number of client accounts. You will NOT be writing blog posts or building links yourself. You will be directing what gets written, who builds the links, and whether the work meets our quality standards. Core Responsibilities: Strategy & Planning: Own the SEO and AEO strategy across all client accounts Conduct keyword research, competitive analysis, and content planning Develop and maintain content briefs for our in-house content team Identify ranking opportunities across traditional search and AI platforms (ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Perplexity, Copilot) Advise on technical SEO priorities per client Quality Control: Review all deliverables before they go live - blog content, guest posts, citations, on-page optimizations, technical fixes Set and enforce quality standards for guest post placements (DA thresholds, topical relevance, contextual link placement) Ensure citation quality meets manual verification standards Review and optimize content briefs and published content for SEO and AEO effectiveness Vendor Management: Source, vet, and manage specialized service providers for: Guest post outreach and placement Citation building Technical SEO audits and implementation Hold vendors accountable to deliverable timelines, quality standards, and reporting Recommend vendor changes when performance doesn't meet standards KPI Ownership & Reporting: Own the reporting stack: Rank Tracker (keyword rankings), Scrunch AI (AEO monitoring across 8 AI platforms), Google Analytics 4 (traffic/engagement), WhatConverts (conversions/lead quality) Build and maintain Looker Studio dashboards per client Deliver monthly performance reports with insights and recommendations Track deliverable completion against agreed timelines Client Communication: Attend client calls (cadence varies: weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly depending on account) Present SEO/AEO performance updates with data-driven insights Make strategic recommendations - not just status reports Contribute to client retention and expansion conversations Team Coordination: Brief and direct our in-house content developer on all SEO content Coordinate with account managers/project managers on deliverable flow Ensure all workbooks and project trackers stay current What We Already Have in Place: You're not starting from scratch. We provide: Established client relationships and direct communication channels Client structure with project management tracking, deliverable timelines, keyword research, content strategies, and on-page optimization reports (see scope example below) In-house content development - you brief, they write, you review KPI tracking infrastructure: Rank Tracker, Scrunch AI, GA4, WhatConverts Looker Studio reporting templates Content plans already built per client Existing vendor relationships to evaluate and potentially retain Example client deliverable scope (monthly per client): 2 blog posts (content developed in-house, SEO-directed by you) 2 guest post backlinks (placed by vendor, managed by you) 10-20 quality citations (built by vendor, quality-controlled by you) On-page optimizations Technical SEO monitoring Monthly analytics and performance report Client call participation The Ideal Candidate: 5+ years of SEO experience with at least 2 years in a strategic/leadership role (not just execution) Proven experience managing SEO vendors - link builders, guest post providers, technical SEO specialists Strong understanding of AEO - how content, citations, and authority signals feed AI platforms and how to optimize for AI-driven discovery Data-driven - comfortable with GA4, Rank Tracker, Google Search Console, and building Looker Studio dashboards Familiar with or willing to learn Scrunch AI for AEO monitoring across ChatGPT, AI Overviews, Perplexity, Copilot, etc. Familiar with WhatConverts or similar conversion tracking and lead quality tools Experience across both local SEO and B2B/enterprise SEO - our portfolio requires both Excellent communication - comfortable on client calls presenting strategy, not just data Quality-first mindset - you know the difference between a CCR-Mag editorial placement and a Megri.com content farm, and you'd never let the latter through Strategic thinker who can also get tactical - you set the direction AND review the details Experience working within structured systems - -trackers, content calendars, approval workflows This Is NOT the Right Fit If: You're primarily an executor looking for someone to tell you what to do Your experience is only in one vertical (local OR B2B, not both) You've never managed external vendors or contractors You can't explain the difference between a quality guest post and a paid placement on a content farm You're not comfortable with client-facing communication You view AEO as "not my job" - it's central to everything we do Screening Questions (Please Answer in Your Proposal): Describe your experience managing SEO vendors or contractors. How did you vet them, set quality standards, and hold them accountable? What is your approach to quality-controlling guest post placements? What would you look for, and what would you reject? How do you approach AEO (AI Engine Optimization)? What specific tactics do you use to improve a client's visibility across AI platforms? Describe a time you managed SEO across multiple clients in different verticals simultaneously. How did you handle the different strategies? What reporting tools do you use, and how do you structure a monthly client report? Walk me through what you'd present on a client call. Are you comfortable attending weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly client calls across multiple accounts? Describe your communication style on these calls. What's the biggest SEO quality failure you've caught before it went live? What was the issue and how did you handle it? To Apply: Please include: Answers to all 7 screening questions A brief overview of your current/recent role and how it relates to this position Examples of reporting dashboards or client deliverables you've created (scrubbed for confidentiality is fine) Your hourly rate and estimated weekly availability Any experience with the tools in our stack: Rank Tracker, Scrunch AI, GA4, WhatConverts, Looker Studio This is a long-term strategic partnership. If you're the right fit, this grows as our client portfolio grows. Out last Director of SEO was with us for 13 years.