Director, Search Engine Optimization

Job Description

Horizon Media, founded in 1989 by Bill Koenigsberg, is recognized as one of the most innovative marketing and advertising firms. We are headquartered in New York City, with offices in Los Angeles and Toronto. A leader in driving business solutions for marketers, Horizon is known for its highly personal approach to client service.  Renowned for its incredible culture, Horizon is consistently named to all the prestigious annual Best Places to Work lists published by Fortune, AdAge, Crain’s New York Business and Los Angeles Business Journal. Together we are building a place of belonging.

At Horizon, we understand the value that different perspectives can bring to our clients and culture, so we strive for an environment where our employees feel welcomed, safe and empowered. We value YOU and believe that your authentic voice and unique perspective allows us to create a more rewarding culture, and experience, together.

Our simple recipe for success? We hire talented people (thinkers, doers, dreamers, makers), challenge them and give them every opportunity to grow.

Job Summary

We are currently seeking highly motivated Director to manage multiple teams and client portfolios across our rapidly growing Search Optimization practice. Key tasks will include team leadership, establishing and maintaining relationships with internal and external clients, developing and administering Search and Digital account strategy, development of POVs for internal/external partners, mentoring of junior staff and championing a test/learn innovation culture.  

What You'll Do

• 30% - Lead applicable Client relationship(s) on behalf of Search team.

• 30% - Manage subset of Search team across multiple clients, establishing/refining processes for creating, implementing, tracking, analyzing and optimizing Search campaigns in Google AdWords, Yahoo! Search Marketing, Bing, and other search engines.

• 25% - Motivate and inspire cross-section of team members from junior analysts through associate directors to drive continual performance improvements in client business.

• 15% - Drive new business engagements from RFP completion, strategy development, and prospective client pitch through transition to Horizon management. 

• 5% - Evaluate new technologies / strategies / techniques across the search landscape and gauge potential for experimentation within existing / new client engagements.

Who You Are

• Enthusiastic, detail-oriented, hardworking

• A strong writer and presenter; able to articulate clearly and effectively

• A team player, willing to roll up your sleeves

• An independent worker with strong time management and organization skills

• Able to conduct relevant keyword research and make recommendations

• Experienced in interpreting analytical data and identifying actionable opportunities

• A supporter of and advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion

Knowledge and Skills Required

• 8+ years’ experience directly related to a SEO-heavy environment and/or specifically with SEO

• Bachelor’s degree.

• Expert knowledge of all aspects of SEO

• Expert knowledge of Google Analytics and Microsoft Office Applications

• Familiarity and experience with Screaming Frog, MOZ, SEMRush, Brightedge, Conductor, and/or other industry tools

• Ability to manage processes & projects across several clients at a time

• A thorough understanding of key search engine ranking factors

• Ability to conduct relevant keyword research and make recommendations

• A thorough understanding of and the ability to conduct detailed on-site optimization

• Ability to interpret analytics data and identify actionable opportunities

• Proven ability to autonomously manage an ongoing SEO campaign

• A solid understanding of CRO (Conversion Rate Optimization / A/B Testing) a plus

• Working knowledge of HTML, PHP, Javascript, and/or CSS a huge plus

• Knowledge of the inner workings of local search & local rankings

• Experience with local listings management (LLM) and local SEO

• Excellent communication skills, written and verbal; ability to communicate effectively with developers & technical team as well as clients & account team

• Strong organizational skills with attention to detail

Certificates, Licenses and Registrations
No requirements for certificates, licenses or registrations.

Physical Activity and Work Environment