Aira is a fast-growing performance marketing agency with a global footprint. Our head office is in Milton Keynes but the team is widely spread across the UK.

We are looking for a Head of Organic Search with demonstrable experience of growing the organic footprint of mid-market and enterprise level organisations through SEO and content marketing whilst leading a team of diverse and experienced specialists that include technical SEOs, copywriters, content marketers and outreach professionals.

You will be joining an organisation at an exciting stage of growth with ambitious plans for scaling the business and developing a stronger commercial led approach to the market. This role is pivotal to the realisation of our plans and represents a fantastic opportunity for the right candidate to develop themselves and mould the role and team. It is a role that has real progression opportunities for the right candidate who wants to make a real impact and move the needle at an established agency.

You will be accountable for ensuring we are putting forward the right strategy for clients within your team’s specialism and to understand how it fits in with other services that we may be offering. You will identify strategic gaps along with industry shifts and changes, and accommodate for team changes with the understanding that ‘what got us here won’t get us there’.

One of our goals is for Aira to be the best agency that you’ve ever worked for and we have created an environment where we do our best work for clients whilst supporting our staff to prosper from their efforts whilst ensuring a healthy work / life balance.

This role is open to remote applications though we would encourage you to visit the office on a monthly basis on our ‘remoter days’ to build relationships with the wider team and your direct reports - expenses will be covered for this.

About the role

As leader of the Organic Search team, you will oversee our SEO, copywriting and content marketing teams and broadly your responsibilities will cover the following pillars:

1. Organic strategy and client delivery

2. Service innovation

3. Team leadership (management and resourcing)

4. New logo sales and growth of existing clients

5. Commercial awareness

You will:

• Be accountable and responsible for the Organic Search team’s delivery of work across clients predominantly in the following niches:
  • Ecommerce
  • B2B professional services
  • Technology and SaaS
  • Finance

• Lead on the composition of organic search strategies for clients that are aligned with KPIs that drive real business growth
• Be comfortable with being both a strategic and delivery escalation point for clients as and when needed
• Lead succession planning, coaching, development and training for the Organic Search team actively looking for ways to develop individuals
• Be comfortable with commercials, budget management and team finances
• Actively work on client growth and retention strategies alongside other department heads and team leaders
• Report directly into the Client Services and Delivery Director with a ‘dotted line’ into the Growth and Strategy Director
• Play a leading role in both the internal and external marketing of the Organic Search team

About you

You’ll have at least 5+ successful years experience behind you in a role focused on improving an organisation(s) footprint in organic search results, and will have worked directly on a range of activities where you’ve demonstrably created business impact as a result of your, or your team’s recommendations and implementation. Speaking about, and building business cases to increase traffic, rankings and conversions with senior marketing leaders and the C-suite will be second nature to you.

We’re looking for someone with the following experience:

• Minimum of 5+ years experience in a search orientated role
• Demonstrable evidence of track record of running successful teams of a reasonable size including training, development and succession planning
• Be able to illustrate experience of driving customer acquisition for brands
• At least 2+ years of experience working at a digital or performance marketing agency with Ecommerce, professional services, tech/SaaS or financial services brands
• Strong strategic SEO knowledge - enough to direct (if not directly implement) user-focused content creation, technical SEO improvements, and off-site distribution plans
• Strong numerical skills - the ability to process data, draw conclusions, and present those conclusions to senior stakeholders in a clear and convincing way
• Comfortable with being set client retention goals and cross and upsell targets to propel the growth of the Organic Search team
• Excellent communication (written and verbal), interpersonal and presentation skills - especially with senior stakeholders
• Highly driven individual with an exemplary work ethic and behavioural standards knowing you’re always ‘on stage’ to the wider team
• Able to function independently, as well as collaboratively with wider team members
• Passionate about developing and delivering exceptional outcomes and results for clients that are underpinned by success metrics and KPIs
• Experience of using core organic search tools (e.g. Semrush, Ahrefs, Moz, Sitebulb, Screaming Frog, etc)
• Experience of analytics platforms (Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, Hotjar, etc)

It would be a bonus if:

• You are familiar with programming languages such as Python, SQL, etc
• You are proficient user of key office software solutions e.g. Excel or Google Sheets, PowerPoint or Google Slides

What you’ll get

We believe in creating a great place to work and reward our team for contributing towards the growth of the company. You can find out more about our working environment, benefits and perks in our culture code, but here are some highlights:

• Career development opportunities to allow you to progress in the business
• £800 annual training and technology budget you can spend how you please
• Opportunities to speak at industry events and our own MKGO event
• Mental health in the workplace support thanks to our partnership with Sanctus
• Generous maternity, paternity and adoption leave pay (full details here)
• MacBook Pro, second screen and additional tech equipment you may need
• The option to enrol in our Private Medical Insurance scheme
• Team lunch on your first day (and random days after that!)
• Unlimited paid annual leave once you pass probation, as well as your birthday off
• Free parking permit in central Milton Keynes if you need it
• Up to two days a year to work with charitable organisations during work hours
• Free on-site gym, showers and regular fitness classes
• Work anywhere in the world for up to 6 months a year
• Company-wide, extended Christmas break