Associate 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.

Horizon Media is seeking an experienced SEO Associate Director to join our growing digital team in NYC. The ideal candidate should be passionate about SEO and marketing technology, have an in-depth understanding of ever-evolving SEO best practices and technical considerations, and a proficient knowledge of how research and strategy informs content creation & optimization. The role will report to the VP of Performance Media, and will support our expanding team through daily management of SEO strategy and communication with existing and new clients.

What You'll Do

• Strategy development: 30%

• Client Management: 30%

• Technical Consultation/Implementation Support: 15%

• Reporting: 10%

• Evangelism/Education: 10%

• New Business: 5%

The SEO Associate Director is central to the SEO team, and is responsible for the overall management and success of our clients’ organic search programs. Specific duties will include (but are not limited to):

• Strategy generation & execution across multiple clients

• Project manage and work with multiple teams, including technical teams, to determine & build strategies for technical SEO implementation

• Work in conjunction with predefined SEO campaign objectives

• Perform client work outlined in coordination with other media teams

• Work with multiple levels of agency teams to provide the best organic search experience possible

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

Preferred Skills & Experience

• 6+ years’ work experience in SEO, part of which was in supporting enterprise clients

• Expert knowledge of all aspects of SEO, as well as solid understanding of all digital media disciplines

• Expert knowledge of site-side analytics packages and Microsoft Office applications

• Expert knowledge of social media as an extension of SEO

• Familiarity and experience with SEOmoz, Advanced Web Ranking, SEMRush, Brightedge, Conductor, Screaming Frog, Key Lime Toolbox and other industry tools

• Strong project management and delegation skills, ensuring deliverables are being collaboratively developed with the appropriate level of guidance, meeting client deadlines and quality standards

• 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)

• 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 skil