SEO Associate Director (Hiring Immediately) in Trafford

About WPP Media

WPP is the creative transformation company. We use the power of creativity to build better futures for our people, planet, clients and communities. For more information, visit wpp.com.

WPP Media is WPP’s global media collective. In a world where media is everywhere and in everything, we bring the best platform, people, and partners together to create limitless opportunities for growth. For more information, visit wppmedia.com.

About EssenceMediacom

EssenceMediacom is a new breed of media agency. Grounded in analytics & insights and powered by data & technology, we believe in the power of media and creative to drive breakthroughs for the world’s best brands. We help clients understand the modern marketing paradox and discover the breakthroughs brands need to win with their consumers. We are designed for the new communications economy — built on data & technology, built for people & algorithms, built around diverse schools of thought, built to test & learn at scale, and, crucially, built to evolve.

Role Summary and Impact

• Lead end-to-end SEO strategy across complex, enterprise-level accounts, ensuring delivery is best-in-class and commercially aligned.
• Take full ownership of SEO performance, measurement frameworks and reporting narratives, turning insights into action for both clients and internal stakeholders.
• Provide senior leadership in client meetings, quarterly business reviews, and cross-channel planning sessions, acting as the focal point for all organic search expertise.
• Oversee the delivery of SEO audits, keyword frameworks, and competitor analyses, ensuring accuracy and strategic relevance.
• Partner closely with Content, Digital PR, Editorial, PPC, Media and Analytics teams to ensure integrated campaign delivery and clear, actionable briefs.
• Identify growth opportunities, proactively recommend new workstreams, and support commercial conversations including scopes, forecasting, and brief responses.
• Mentor, develop, and line-manage junior and mid-level team members, providing clear guidance, career development support, and quality assurance across their work.
• Stay ahead of industry developments - AI search, SERP evolution, algorithm changes, and technical innovations - translating trends into meaningful recommendations for clients and the team.

Skills and Experience

• 4+ years’ experience in specialist SEO roles, ideally agency-side with exposure to enterprise-level clients.
• Deep, hands-on knowledge of all SEO disciplines: technical SEO, content optimisation, internal linking, authority-building, and advanced analytics.
• Strong client-facing experience with the ability to communicate complex concepts clearly to senior stakeholders.
• Demonstrable experience leading SEO strategy, forecasting performance, and influencing broader marketing activity.
• Proven experience line-managing and developing talent, with the ability to coach, delegate and quality-assure effectively.
• Ability to brief and collaborate with cross-channel teams including Digital PR, content, CRO, paid media and UX.
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple workstreams, timelines and resources.
• A proactive, solutions-focused mindset with the ability to anticipate challenges and mitigate risks early.
• Strong commercial and operational understanding including scope creation, pricing, and responding to client briefs.
• A drive for excellence, continual learning, and staying ahead of the evolving SEO and AI-search landscape.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and mentor a team.

Life at WPP Media & Benefits

Our passion for shaping the next era of media includes investing in our employees to help them do their best work, and we’re just as committed to employee growth as we are to responsible media investment. WPP Media employees can tap into the global WPP Media & WPP networks to pursue their passions, grow their networks, and learn at the cutting edge of marketing and advertising. We have a variety of employee resource groups and host frequent in-office events showcasing team wins, sharing thought leadership, and celebrating holidays and milestone events. Our benefits include competitive medical, group retirement plans, vision, and dental insurance, significant paid time off, preferential partner discounts, and employee mental health awareness days.

WPP Media is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to particular characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers. We believe the best work happens when we’re together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That’s why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office around four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.

Please note this is a UK based role and requires individuals to have the right to work in this location.