Executive Director of SEO/AEO

About the Role

Reporting to the Performance Marketing Lead, the Executive Director of SEO/AEO will oversee TrendyMinds' SEO/AEO service line with support from the previous director, who is transitioning to a new role within the agency. This is a leadership position for a seasoned SEO professional who is ready to take ownership of the service line and drive it forward, managing business development, service delivery, reporting, and team operations with a high degree of independence.

The search landscape is changing rapidly, and we need someone who isn't just keeping up but thinking ahead. The right candidate will bring a sophisticated understanding of how AI is reshaping search behavior and visibility, a clear perspective on strategies for influencing AI-driven discovery, and the vision to guide the team through what comes next.

What You'll Do

Service Line Leadership. Own and grow TrendyMinds' SEO/AEO practice. Drive business development, shape service offerings, and ensure the team is delivering high-quality work across the full spectrum of SEO/AEO disciplines, including website migrations, site auditing and strategy development, content strategy and planning, technical SEO, off-site strategy, reputation management, conversion rate optimization, and reporting.

Client Partnership. Serve as a trusted advisor to clients in a highly client-facing role. Present strategies with clarity and confidence, convey the business value of search performance, lead reporting conversations that build trust, and cultivate lasting, positive client relationships.

Team Management. Manage at least one direct report, with responsibility for allocating assignments, facilitating team communications, providing training and mentorship, supporting professional development, and maintaining overall service delivery quality.

AI-Forward Thinking. Champion the use of AI across the team's workflows to improve output quality, efficiency, and scale. Bring a forward-looking mindset to how AI tools and platforms can enhance both internal processes and client-facing strategies.

What We're Looking For

Experience. 10+ years of professional SEO experience, ideally in an agency environment. Deep, hands-on expertise across all core SEO/AEO disciplines, including technical SEO, content strategy, off-site strategy, website migrations, auditing, reputation management, conversion rate optimization, and reporting.

Search & AI Expertise. A sophisticated understanding of the impact AI is having on search, not just awareness, but a clear, actionable perspective on strategies for influencing AI visibility and navigating the evolving search landscape.

Tools Proficiency. Advanced working knowledge of the following platforms and tools:

• Google Search Console
• Google Analytics
• Semrush
• Ahrefs
• Screaming Frog
• Peec AI (or a comparable AI visibility platform)
• Looker Studio
• Microsoft Clarity

Client-Facing Skills. Excellent presentation and communication skills with a proven ability to build strong client relationships, pitch strategies persuasively, and deliver reporting that demonstrates value.

Leadership. Experience managing and developing team members, with the ability to balance hands-on delivery with the responsibilities of growing and guiding a team.

AI Fluency. A demonstrated comfort and capability with AI tools as part of day-to-day work, using them to improve quality, move faster, and scale output effectively.

What makes TrendyMinds a great place to work 

We believe a happy team is a solid team; it’s as simple as that.

• Fully remote: We believe the best team is one that isn’t limited by proximity to a physical location. Whether it’s the West Coast or the East Coast, we work with team members across all of the U.S. time zones.
• Collaborative team environment: Your voice is important, and we believe the best projects include contributions from everyone.
• Great benefits: 30 paid days off and 401(k) matching. What more could you ask? Oh yeah, we cover 100% of health insurance premiums for all team members and 50% for their spouses and dependents.
• Flexible schedule: Some people are early birds who love collaborating in-person at our offices. Others are night owls who enjoy working from home. We are flexible to accommodate different work styles, times, and locations- within reason and the needs of our clients - of course! 
• New equipment: In order to produce incredible work, we have to have incredible equipment. Sorry if you were hoping for a 7-year-old PC. That’s just not our style.
• Philanthropy: We like to do our part to help our community. With our philanthropy committee and donation matching system, we offer you the resources you need to make a difference.

Our Values

At TrendyMinds, we aim to hire people who share our values. They are at the center of how we treat each other and our clients, and they act as our guideposts for every decision.

Know the Why behind the What.

We aim to be as honest and transparent as possible with our team and clients. The idea of Why lives at the heart of our LOGIQ process and grounds us with clear reasons for the decisions we make. (You will learn more about our LOGIQ process if you join our team.)

Put relationships first.

We not me. For more than 25 years, we've grown a business built on strong relationships with clients. But we also know that developing trust and a collaborative spirit is equally important to cultivate a healthy team that loves having fun.

Think Ahead and push boundaries.

Our tagline isn’t Think Ahead for nothing. We bring a contagious passion to our craft, always searching for creative ways to challenge ourselves and deliver results, even though things don’t always go according to plan. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, improve, and try again.

Bring your full self.

Show up. Each of us has something unique to contribute. In all that we do, we celebrate diversity and strive to create an equitable, inclusive environment so that everyone feels a sense of belonging.