Director of SEO

Job description

ION is looking for a Director of SEO to own SEO strategy and performance end-to-end across HIP and Neon Canvas: technical, on-page and content, off-page and links, and local/GBP, plus emerging GEO/AEO (AI search), for a portfolio of orthodontic and dental partners. If you've led SEO at scale, unified two brands under one operating model, and want a seat where you set the standard instead of following one, we want to talk to you. This is not a hands-on-keyboard SEO execution role. The best fit has already run an SEO function at a similarly sized agency, managed multi-client SEO across 500+ accounts, and personally unified two brands or logos under one umbrella into a single operating model. You won't run audits, write content, or field every inbound SEO request; your Team Leads and their specialists own that. Your job is to lead the leaders, set the strategy, own the numbers, and keep HIP and Neon Canvas ahead of every competing agency. As Director of SEO, you'll lead the SEO Team Leads across both brands, merge HIP and Neon Canvas SEO and content ways of working into one operating model, and own organic outcomes, client retention, delivery margin, and growth. You'll also own innovation for the seat: scouting emerging strategies like AI-search visibility and LLM-citation tactics, and driving AI enablement across the SEO teams, in step with the Sr. Director of Operations on company-wide AI direction. If you're a leader of leaders who thinks in playbooks, margin, and what's next, this role was built for you. WHAT YOU'LL DO Own the topical/authority roadmap, technical standard, off-page allocation, and GEO/AEO direction for HIP and Neon. Own rankings, traffic, and organic-lead outcomes by vertical, and partner retention across both brands. Merge HIP and Neon Canvas SEO ways of working, tooling, and QA into one operating model. Own escalations, QBRs, and the function's voice to leadership. Own the service line's P&L (revenue and margin), pricing and packaging, utilization and capacity, and growth and expansion. Run pre-sales scoping and support sales as the function's expert on SEO pitches and proposals. Own org design, leveling and career paths, comp-band input, succession and bench planning, and the function's onboarding and L&D. Manage the function's vendors, contracts, and SLAs (including SEO tooling and plugin work); own its budget; own risk, compliance, and brand safety at scale. Push emerging strategy (Reddit/community plays, AI-search visibility through GEO/AEO, LLM-citation tactics, new content automation) and operationalize what works across both brands. Lead AI enablement across the SEO teams, tools, workflows, and training, leaning on the Sr. Director of Operations for company-wide direction. Run 1:1s with each Team Lead for coaching, scorecard review, and unblocking; personally work the handful of at-risk or sliding partners while the leads own the rest. WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR You've run an SEO function at a similar-size agency, managing multi-client SEO across 500-plus accounts, and can hit the ground running from day one. You've personally led SEO across two brands or logos operating under one umbrella, and can speak to how you merged standards, tooling, and reporting into a single operating model. You're a leader of leaders, not just a leader of specialists; you know how to hire, level, coach, and hold other managers accountable. You think in scorecards, margin, and roadmaps, and you can spot where a portfolio is at risk before it shows up as churn. You're commercially literate; P&L, utilization, and growth aren't foreign concepts; they're how you already think about the function. You're comfortable in the room with leadership, sales, and big partners, and you can deliver a QBR or handle an escalation with confidence. You're genuinely energized by what's next; AI search, LLM citations, and new content strategy excite you, not overwhelm you. You hold your Team Leads to a high bar because you hold yourself to one. WHAT YOU NEED TO HAVE 2+ years as a Director of SEO or equivalent at an agency of similar size and scope, managing multi-client SEO across 500+ accounts. Direct experience unifying SEO across two brands or logos under one umbrella into a single operating model. 6+ years in SEO spanning technical, content/on-page, off-page/links, and local/GBP; agency or multi-client experience strongly preferred; orthodontic or dental experience is a plus. 2+ years leading other managers, not only individual specialists. Strong command of measurement (GSC/GA), modern SEO tooling, and emerging GEO/AEO. Proven change-management ability and experience merging or standardizing teams. Commercial literacy, including delivery margin, utilization, and growth, and experience partnering with sales. Excellent executive communication and stakeholder management skills. COMPENSATION This role includes base pay plus variable compensation. BENEFITS 401(k) matching Dental Insurance Health Insurance Vision Insurance Life Insurance PTO eligibility after 90 days of hire (10 vacation days the first year of service, unlimited PTO starting year two, flexible partial days, and sick/ personal days) Remote position (You MUST be located in the US.) SCHEDULE 8 am- 5 pm CST Monday to Friday