Strategy.

Search Lead

in Chicago.

As Search Lead, you understand that today’s user experience begins at the search results, and that search marketing is at the core of a customer-centric digital strategy. You know how to unlock the stories found in data and translate those stories into performance-driving opportunities to meet customers wherever they’re searching across the evolving digital landscape.

In this role, you’ll manage and grow an expert team of holistic search marketers. You’ll use search insights to craft data-driven digital strategies that demonstrate a deep understanding of our clients’ overall businesses. You’ll also identify and spearhead initiatives to drive search performance through content strategy, user experience, and a strong technical foundation. You will own the pitching, definition, and execution of holistic search strategies, including tactical planning, performance reporting, and continuous testing and optimization.

This is a contract role until March 30, 2026. 

Apply.


You Will

  • Own the definition, execution, and optimization of holistic search marketing strategies for national brands
  • Use search data (in conjunction with other research sources) to understand user intent, drive content strategies, and identify business opportunities for clients
  • Manage and develop a high-performing team of SEO specialists
  • Define success metrics and translate SEO results to business objectives
  • Pitch and implement new search projects and service offerings
  • Represent the Search practice within the agency, serving as a strategic thought leader, entrepreneur, advocate, and educator
  • Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to incorporate SEO strategies and best practices
  • Deliver actionable insights to clients through insightful, visually compelling reports (including implications and strategic recommendations)
  • Optimize across multiple social and search channels (e.g. YouTube) to maximize brand and content visibility
  • Align paid and organic search strategies to reduce costs while maximizing key business activities
  • Conduct regular SEO audits and competitive analyses
  • Effectively convey SEO concepts, strategies, and success stories to both clients and colleagues in a concise and easy-to-understand manner
  • Develop frameworks and processes to systematically track and improve search performance
  • Advise on technical website development to maximize search indexability and visibility, including JavaScript SEO and accessibility considerations
  • Define search-driven guidelines and requirements for page content, copy, page speed, accessibility, indexability, structured markup, site architecture, URL structure, page titles, meta descriptions, headings, anchor text, internal linking, site maps, etc.
  • Monitor, analyze, and report on search results and performance to both internal and external stakeholders
  • Keep current with the latest digital trends to identify potential applications for clients like speed, voice search, AI, machine learning automation, omnichannel search optimization, and more
  • Keep current with the latest digital trends and changes in the search marketing landscape, identifying new opportunities for clients (e.g. AI and conversational search, ML-driven automation, visual search, voice search, social search, etc.)

You Have

  • 6+ years of search experience, ideally with large brands 
  • Experience managing and growing a team of SEO specialists
  • Strong presentation and data storytelling skills, with an emphasis on crafting compelling visual stories in slide format
  • Demonstrated achievements in systematically improving search performance that translated into traffic and conversion growth
  • Strong analytics skills, and experience with analytics and data visualization tools like Google Analytics, Google Data Studio, Adobe Analytics, Google Search Console, etc.
  • Experience with third-party SEO/SEM technologies and tools, like SEMrush, Ahrefs, ScreamingFrog, etc.
  • Strong content strategy skills, ideally with experience in data-driven content creation
  • Excellent business acumen, results-orientation and written communication skills
  • Experience defining and documenting cross-disciplinary internal processes to streamline SEO implementation and best practices
  • Strong Excel skills, including pivot tables, vlook-ups, and comfort working with large data sets.
  • Strong understanding of technical SEO and the web development process, including a working knowledge of JavaScript and relevant frameworks
  • Passion for staying current in a rapidly evolving digital environment, leveraging new tools and digital marketing channels to gain a competitive edge

You May Have (ideal but not required):

  • Experience managing paid search, PPC, or SEM campaigns – or experience integrating SEO/SEM strategies
  • Local SEO/Google Business Profile experience 

 

We continually review ranges to address skills, experience and markets. Base salaries are determined during our interview process, by assessing a number of factors that include, but aren’t limited to, a candidate’s experience and skills relative to the scope and responsibilities of the position. For current CM employees, tenure will also be a consideration.
Salary Range
$73—$78 USD

Critical Mass is an equal opportunity employer. 

The Critical Mass Talent Acquisition team will only communicate from email addresses that use the URLs criticalmass.com, omc.com and us.greenhouse-mail.io. We will not use apps such as Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, or Google Hangouts for communicating with you. We will never ask you to send us money, technology, or anything else to work for our company. If you believe you are the victim of a scam, please review your local government consumer protections guidance and reach out to them directly.

If U.S. based: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/job-scams#avoid
If Canada based: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/finance/consumer-affairs.html
If U.K. based: https://www.gov.uk/consumer-protection-rights
If Costa Rica based: https://www.consumo.go.cr/educacion_consumidor/consejos_practicos.aspx 

Apply.