Senior SEO Manager

Envisionit, an award-winning integrated marketing agency based in Chicago, is seeking a Senior SEO Manager to join our growing team. Our clients span a number of industries including Consumer brands, Technology and Tourism. Come work alongside a tight-knit bunch of seriously skilled people who genuinely like each other, have fun and work hard for collective success! We are headquartered in Chicago and have a beautiful office overlooking Millennium Park and Lake Michigan in a hybrid work environment model (2-3 days in office/week).

Our Ideal Candidate:

• 5+ years of hands-on SEO experience with a history of driving significant organic growth and ROI. You are passionate about the SEO industry and constantly look for ways to innovate and improve your client’s SEO performance based on the evolving SEO landscape.

• Strong SEO executional abilities with a meticulous attention to detail. Confident in implementing optimizations directly in CMS platforms, conducting thorough QA of SEO work (yours and others), and ensuring deliverables meet both strategic intent and technical accuracy.

• Advanced technical SEO skills, with proficiency in website audits, uncovering errors, prioritizing technical site enhancements based on impact and executing CMS updates.

• Expertise in developing and executing comprehensive SEO strategies that align with client business goals. You stay attuned to shifts in the SEO landscape—including algorithm updates, AI-driven search changes, and evolving user behavior—and proactively adapt strategies to ensure continued performance and relevance.

• Committed to upholding a high standard of quality and precision in every aspect of your work.

• Skilled at explaining complex SEO concepts in a clear, client-friendly manner. You enjoy presenting SEO reports and strategies to clients while answering questions and providing proactive recommendations.

• Data-Driven, able to use data, analytics, competitive assessments and SEO performance audits to inform strategic SEO roadmaps, site optimizations and decision-making, identifying both short-term and long-term growth opportunities.

• Capable of providing leadership and support to more junior team members while facilitating collaboration across departments.

• Focused on achieving measurable outcomes and driving continuous improvements to SEO growth metrics over time.

• Knowledgeable about the intersection of SEO with PPC, content marketing, and UX. You know how to leverage PPC data for organic search strategies, and how to educate PPC counterparts on organic data to inform overall marketing performance.

Job responsibilities:

• SEO Strategy Development

• Develop, implement, and manage comprehensive SEO strategies that align with business goals.

• Identify opportunities for organic growth, including on-page and off-page optimization, content strategies, and technical SEO improvements.

• Technical SEO Management

• Conduct comprehensive technical audits to uncover and resolve issues related to crawling, indexing, site speed, mobile usability, and overall site health.

• Lead the implementation of technical SEO best practices—such as metadata optimization, structured data markup, and site architecture improvements—directly within CMS platforms, with executional support from an SEO Coordinator.

• Collaborate with development teams when needed to address more complex technical issues, ensuring all technical SEO updates are accurately implemented and aligned with strategic goals.

• Website Migrations and Redesigns

• Lead SEO efforts during website migrations, redesigns, or launches, ensuring that organic performance is maintained or improved.

• Work closely with developers and designers to ensure SEO considerations are integrated into site architecture and design.

• Content Optimization

• Optimize existing content and develop strategies for new content that aligns with SEO goals and fills existing competitive and keywords gaps.

• Ensure content is keyword-targeted, user-friendly, aligned with search intent and meets the needs of Google’s algorithm.

• Leverage AI content optimization best practices to enhance visibility in AI-generated search results and answer engines, ensuring content is structured, relevant, and aligned with evolving AI-driven discovery trends.

• Data Analysis and Reporting

• Monitor, analyze, and report on SEO performance using tools like Google Analytics, Search Console, Looker Studio and third-party platforms including Ahrefs and SEMrush.

• Track and evaluate content and brand visibility and performance within AI-driven platforms and search features (e.g., Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity), identifying opportunities to improve prominence in AI-generated results.

• Develop and present monthly performance reports to client stakeholders, highlighting key metrics, AI visibility insights, and actionable recommendations to guide strategy and demonstrate impact.

• User Experience Optimization:

• Analyze and improve website user experience by implementing SEO best practices that enhance site usability, navigation, and accessibility.

• Lead UX-related activities during new website builds, including sitemap development, page hierarchy planning, and user flow strategy to ensure strong SEO foundations from the start.

• Conduct ongoing UX audits using user behavior data, heatmapping, and session recording tools (e.g., Microsoft Clarity, VWO, HotJar) to identify friction points and recommend data-informed enhancements that improve engagement and conversion.

• Collaborate with design and development teams to ensure UX recommendations are strategically prioritized, implemented, and continuously refined based on performance insights.

• Client and Stakeholder Communication

• Serve as the primary point of contact for clients or internal stakeholders on all SEO-related matters.

• Clearly explain SEO concepts, strategies, and performance metrics, ensuring transparency and alignment with client expectations.

• SEO Program Management

• Lead and execute SEO strategies across multiple client accounts, taking ownership of deliverables while overseeing the executional support provided by an SEO Coordinator.

• Ensure SEO initiatives are implemented effectively, on time, and within budget, maintaining a high standard of quality and strategic alignment.

• Manage multiple SEO programs simultaneously, balancing hands-on execution with delegation, and prioritizing tasks and resources to meet client goals and performance targets.

• Industry Trends and Innovation

• Stay current on the latest SEO trends, algorithm updates, and evolving best practices—especially within the rapidly changing, AI-first search landscape.

• Proactively identify and test emerging strategies and technologies to keep clients and the agency ahead of competitors and search innovation.

• Bring forward new ideas, insights, and opportunities to improve performance and visibility across traditional and AI-powered search experiences.

• Contribute to the agency’s thought leadership through internal knowledge sharing, case studies, and blog content that showcase forward-thinking SEO strategies.

• Competitive Analysis

• Conduct in-depth competitive analysis to understand market trends and identify opportunities or threats.

• Use insights from competitive assessments to refine and enhance SEO strategies.

• Team Leadership and Collaboration

• Provide guidance, feedback, and support to the SEO coordinator.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including content, design, development, and paid media, to align SEO strategies with overall marketing goals.

Qualifications:

• Proven ability to independently execute SEO initiatives—including technical updates such as redirects, on-page optimizations, linking and content publishing—within client CMS platforms, while maintaining a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.

• Strong technical SEO expertise, including site architecture, crawlability, indexability, Core Web Vitals, and page speed optimization; working knowledge of HTML/CSS preferred.

• Direct experience using key technical SEO tools such as Sitebulb, Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Google Search Console.

• Demonstrated success managing SEO strategy and execution for website migrations and full redesigns, including pre-launch planning and post-launch QA.

• Ability to adapt SEO strategies in response to search algorithm updates and AI-driven changes (e.g., SGE, AI Overviews), with a proactive, forward-thinking mindset.

• Skilled in data analysis and performance reporting using tools like Google Analytics (GA4), Looker Studio, and other relevant platforms.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present SEO strategies, insights, and recommendations clearly to both internal teams and client stakeholders.

Perks, Salary & Benefits

The salary range for this position is $90,000 - 95,000 USD. This is a good-faith estimate of the base pay scale for this position and any potential offers will ultimately be determined based on experience, education, skill set, and performance in the interview process.

Our benefits include:

• A hybrid office model, with the option to WFH 2+ days/week
• A minimum of 20 days off yearly + 12 company holidays + summer hours
• Medical, Dental, Vision, Life & Disability Insurance 
• Employer-matched 401k
• Transit benefits, corporate discount programs, free fitness center membership
• Career pathing, dedicated budget towards opportunities for professional growth
• A culture focused on collaboration, curiosity & support, with regular events, volunteerism, and an employee-led recognition program

Due to the high volume of applicants, we are not currently accepting phone calls about employment opportunities or application status. In addition, we cannot pay for relocation expenses or act as an immigration sponsor at this time. Please peruse our website and socials to learn more about us: http://www.envisionitagency.com

Envisionit is an Equal Opportunity Employer and our employees are people with diverse strengths, experiences and backgrounds, who share a passion for the work we do. Diversity not only includes race and gender identity, but also age, disability status, veteran status, sexual orientation, religion and many other parts of one’s identity. All of our employee’s points of view are key to our success, and inclusion is everyone's responsibility. Envisionit is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, contact HR Manager, Ali Aguilar at ali.aguilar@envisionitagency.com or 312-262-6602.

Envisionit. Enjoy your agency™