SEO Manager

Ovative Group•Minneapolis, MN

7h•$90,000 - $132,000

About The Position

About Ovative Group: Ovative Group is an independent, full-funnel media, measurement, and creative firm. Leveraging our deep industry expertise, we help brands like Best Buy, Domino's, American Eagle, The Home Depot, Post, Disney, Tumi, Michael Kors, Boost Mobile, and UnitedHealth Group transform their media and measurement programs. The result? Profitable growth that speaks for itself. About the Role: Digital Marketing is a critical part of every consumer journey, but many companies only measure its impact on their digital outcomes. Our approach to optimization of search at Ovative Group can’t be found anywhere else. We measure and optimize search at the enterprise level to a KPI we call enterprise marketing return (EMR), an ROI-focused approach that measures the holistic impact of our channels. EMR includes revenue from ecommerce/in-store channels, value of new customer acquisition, incrementality, and margins. Our clients are household names that span multiple industries, including retail, social networking platforms, healthcare, education, CPG, and hospitality. The Ovative Group Manager, SEO position is an opportunity for a passionate, experienced candidate to take the next step in a leadership role at a fast-growing company that has the highest standards for talent, fun, and client success. The ideal candidate demonstrates great critical thinking and prioritization, phenomenal client management, inspiring team leadership, and a high degree of passion and subject matter expertise in SEO . Their role will be pivotal in helping Ovative continue our journey toward measuring and optimizing search to the its enterprise impact and redefine the measure of marketing success .

Requirements

5+ years of experience directly responsible for enterprise-level SEO programs
Proven track record of success driving strong positive results through SEO programs
Proven excellence in the following:
Performance-based, direct-response SEO strategies
All analytics tools (Adobe analytics, Google Analytics 4 / Google Search Console, server log analysis, etc )
Visibility monitoring tools (STAT, Conductor/ Brightedge , etc ), Auditing tools ( DeepCrawl , Screaming Frog, Botify , etc ), Keyword research tools ( Adwords , Ahrefs , SEMRush , etc , and other analysis tools
Deep understanding of critical crawling/indexing/rendering factors
Understanding of schema.org structured markup, page speed optimizations, and other scalable technical tactics
Local search optimization platforms ( Yext , Rio, etc )
Experience optimizing websites to be eligible, accessible, and trusted sources for AI-generated answers, summaries, and recommendations.
Writing/reading code (HTML, JS, etc ) a strong plus
Minimum 1 year of e xperience managing direct reports

Nice To Haves

Previous experience in enterprise SEO programs, performance marketing, retail, eCommerce, etc. preferred
Understanding of paid search platforms, strategies, and tactics a plus

Responsibilities

Performance-driven SEO program management & execution: Possess deep, results-oriented SEO and AI subject matter expertise with a proven track record of driving organic performance in enterprise settings
Demonstrated understanding of how large language models (e.g., AI assistants and conversational search tools) discover, evaluate, and extract information from w ebsites. Be familiar with technical and content-related factors that influence visibility in large language models, including crawl access, site architecture, structured data, content clarity, and authority signals.
Consistently develop high-impact SEO strategies to grow our client’s organic search performance
Lead day-to-day management of client SEO programs across an enterprise client portfolio including:
Client program strategy development and roadmap management
Technical auditing and optimizations on large sites (>100k pages)
On-page optimization activities, such as keyword research, metadata development, internal linking, and more
Content s trategy development and execution , such as content auditing, gap analysis, strategy execution, and more
Local program optimization of site, partners, and tools such as Yext and Google Business Profile
Automating reporting views within analytics platforms to scalably identify key drivers of performance through impactful weekly & monthly insights
Off-page optimization activities, such as link building, link reclamation, and outreach
Ability to work closely with client-side implementation teams (development, product/UX, content, etc ) to define requirements and brainstorm solutions to a variety of SEO recommendations
Be effective in driving change – navigate ambiguity and large organizations with ease to maximize the impact of our work
Regular analysis and effective communication of program performance at granular levels to audiences ranging from day-to-day stakeholders up to C-suite
Client relationship management: Own, manage, and grow the overall relationship of some of Ovative Group’s largest clients
Lead day-to-day management of client organic search programs including:
Clearly defining program objectives , tactics, and KPIs
Developing and delivering client communication
Owning project management , communicating status / progress against open initiatives
Translate evolving AI search behaviors into actionable guid ance, roadmaps, and measurable outcomes for stakeholders
Effectively manage client relationship and establish trust and credibility
Effectively influence client stakeholders to evolve strategies and measurement approach to drive enterprise impact
Deliver Ovative’s unique client experience by making their Ovative interactions the best part of their day
Team leadership and employee development: Lead, manage, and grow an exceptional team of high-performing direct reports
Provide meaningful, impactful feedback proactively to direct and indirect reports
Review deliverables, align on strategies, be a thought partner, and remove roadblocks
Conduct regular development check-ins to ensure goals are on-track, including quarterly 360-degree feedback sessions
Manage, train, and support recruitment efforts of new Ovative team members
Foster a culture of open communication and 360-degree feedback
Inspire your team and direct reports to reach their quarterly, annual, and long-term goals

Benefits

We provide strong, competitive, holistic benefits that understand the importance of your life inside and out of work.
Culture matters and we’ve been recognized as a Top Workplace for ten years running because of it. We demand trust and transparency from each other. We believe in doing the hard and complicated work others put off. We’re open in communication and floor plan. We’re flat – our interns sit next to VPs, our analysts work closely with senior leaders, and our CEO interacts with every single person daily. Put together, these elements help foster an environment where smart people can support each other in performing to their highest potential.
Ovative is committed to fostering an inclusive environment where everyone can participate and thrive. We do not tolerate discrimination of any kind, including on the basis of race, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. Our policies reflect this commitment—for example, our medical leave benefits are inclusive of same-sex partners, ensuring equitable care and support for all families.
Compensation and Insurance: We strive to hire and retain the best talent. Paying fair, competitive compensation, with a large bonus incentive, and phenomenal health insurance is an important part of this mix. We’re rewarded fairly and when the company performs well, we all benefit.
Tangible amenities we enjoy:
Access to all office spaces in MSP, NYC, and CHI
Frequent, paid travel to our Minneapolis headquarters for company events, team events, and in-person collaboration with teams
Generous paid vacation policy
401k match program
Top-notch health insurance options, inclusive of same sex partners
Family formation benefits including reimbursement options for fertility, pregnancy, and parenting needs
Monthly stipend for your mobile phone and data plan
Sabbatical program
Charitable giving via our time and a financial match program
Shenanigan’s Day