SEO Engagement Director Job at Hearst Communications, Inc. in New York

We’re a professional services company at the intersection of marketing and technology — partnering with ambitious brands to solve complex challenges, accelerate growth, and drive performance. Our integrated teams combine strategic insight, creative execution, data fluency, and technical expertise.

We believe our biggest asset is our combination of different backgrounds, cultures, and disciplines that come together to form the iCrossing community. What we do starts with our people.

We are part of the Hearst Corporation, the world’s leading media, entertainment, and content company, which gives us access to the most valuable data and insights, talent and audiences.

Your Impact

As the SEO Engagement Director, you will lead and evolve our SEO strategy to drive organic growth and ensure the success of our clients’ digital marketing campaigns. This role requires deep SEO expertise, strong leadership, and a forward-thinking mindset that embraces emerging search paradigms such as generative AI, zero-click search, and multi-modal discovery. You will position SEO as a driver of broader business outcomes and help shape integrated solutions across client engagements. The ideal candidate has a proven track record of successful SEO initiatives, excellent leadership skills, and the ability to work collaboratively across cross-functional teams to deliver client impact.

Key Responsibilities

Client management and leadership

Lead end-to-end the direction and day-to-day execution of client engagements, including direct management of the engagement team members on the account.

Ensure resources are allocated and staffed to facilitate delivery, including collaboration with Discipline Leads to ensure alignment to delivery plans and commercial targets

Build an operational model that drives business outcomes and improve engagement leadership practices across the team through methodology and clear, repeatable processes. Monitor, enhance and evolve operational model over time to meet and exceed client expectations in the context of business goals / outcomes, client org structure, business transformation trajectory.

Provide client solutions to develop custom approaches and solutions to client’s business challenges. Drive development of appropriate staffing plans to deliver against new initiatives and client annual renewals.

Build strong and lasting relationships with multiple client contacts. Develop relationships with key client partners to help evangelize iCrossing's expertise as a strategic and pragmatic delivery partner, with guidance and partnership from executive sponsors.

Develop a detailed knowledge of iX’s services, capabilities, and differentiators

Cultivate client relationships through content, communication, reliability and relatability

Mentor and nurture talent on the team

Collaborate, develop and strategize account plans with executive sponsors and other team members.

Strategically guide the client partnership, including greater incorporation of insights into plans and vision for the client, and targeting broader business goals

Track progress toward goals and commitments at an executive level, and reporting on them to decision-makers both purely to inform them and to drive progress toward greater advancement

Partner with competency leaders on problem mitigation and risk management communications

Strategic Search Optimization

Develop and implement comprehensive SEO focused strategies that align with clients' business goals.

Conduct in-depth findability research, competitive analysis, and market trends to inform strategy.

Serve as the primary point of contact for key client accounts, ensuring satisfaction and success of engagements focused on SEO.

Present SEO strategies, reports, and results that connect with broader business objectives in a clear and compelling manner.

Operational Excellence for Search Optimization

Own the execution of comprehensive SEO programs, including AI search strategy, technical SEO, content optimization, off-site popularity, and adjacent services (ie. Content Creation, CMS enhancements, landing pages, and digital analytics).

Champion advanced SEO tools and analytics platforms including iCrossing proprietary toolset to monitor, analyze, and report on campaign performance.

Lead opportunities for optimization and growth, and implement changes to

improve and expand SEO focused engagements.

Deliver Optimization results as demonstrated through comprehensive reporting including performance metrics, insights, and actionable recommendations.

Use data-driven analysis to measure the success of SEO focused initiatives and inform future strategies.

Thought Leadership and Growth

Create demand for iCrossing services through developing industry POVs and thought leadership papers

Create compelling case studies that demonstrate success and innovation across SEO and connected services

Lead new business efforts by shaping proposals, participating in pitch meetings, and representing SEO capabilities in integrated solutions

Develop new integrated go-to-market sales plays that incorporate SEO and other iCrossing offerings into broader business strategies for clients.

Who You Are

8+ years of SEO experience in a digital agency, consultancy, or enterprise environment, with a proven track record of driving measurable business outcomes

3+ years of experience managing SEO teams or direct reports, with a demonstrated ability to grow and mentor talent

Deep expertise across technical SEO, on-page and off-page optimization, AI-driven search, and cross-channel integration

Proven success leading complex, enterprise-scale SEO programs with defined ROI

Strong familiarity with tools and platforms including GA4, Adobe Analytics, Google Search Console, Semrush, Screaming Frog, Looker Studio, and emerging AI-powered SEO technologies

Skilled in developing and delivering data-informed strategies, performance reports, and consultative recommendations to senior and C-level stakeholders

Experienced in new business development, including opportunity scoping, proposal writing, and client presentations

Highly organized, with exceptional project management skills and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, matrixed environment

Clear, confident communicator and storyteller, capable of translating complexity into clear action and business impact

Bachelor's degree in marketing, business, computer science, or a related field preferred

Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and PowerPoint

Job Info Job Identification 2024266

Job Category Marketing and Creative Services

Posting Date 04 / 30 / 2025, 04 : 53 PM

Job Schedule Full time

Locations 312 North Carpenter Street, Chicago, IL, 60607, US 320 West 57th Street, New York, NY, 10019, US

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