Associate SEO Director

hybrid
Toronto, Ontario, Canada .
full-time . June 2, 2025

Description

Associate SEO Director

The Influence Agency is a growing marketing agency that specializes in Influencer Marketing, Social Media Management, Content Strategy & Development, SEO, Paid Media, Web Design & Development, and much more!

We're looking for a strategic, analytical, and results-driven Associate SEO Director to lead our Search Engine Optimization department at TIA. The Associate SEO Director will be responsible for overseeing the development and execution of high-impact SEO campaigns across a diverse portfolio of clients. This team member will drive organic growth, guide and mentor a talented team, and deliver measurable results through technical optimization, organic strategy, and performance analysis. You'll play a key role in shaping the future of our SEO offering and making a lasting impact for some of the most recognizable brands in the market.

This is an exciting position at a fast-moving agency that is focused on challenging industry norms and developing programs that are best in class.

We’re working in a hybrid model! We’re looking for someone who is located in or around the GTA with the ability to travel to our West End location at least two days per week.

Team Member Traits

Personal Characteristics

Cares greatly about their clients, coworkers, and self
Highly empathetic, positive, respectful and competitive
Open-minded, curious, inclusive and trustworthy
Hard-working, prompt, organized, effective, detailed, and has meticulous follow-up
A passion for learning and improving
A natural problem solver that identifies solutions
Sense of humour
Ability to think quickly and learn fast
Is a team player but also knows how to work independently

Abilities & Skills

Expertise in technical SEO, including site architecture, crawling, indexing, schema markup, and page speed optimization.
Advanced knowledge of keyword research, competitor analysis, and creating effective content strategies at scale utilizing AI tools like Jasper and ChatGPT.
Excellent analytical skills to interpret data from tools like Google Analytics, Search Console, Ahrefs, and Surfer SEO, to make data-driven decisions.
Strategic thinking and the ability to develop long-term SEO roadmaps aligned with client business goals and defined KPIs.
Exceptional communication skills to present findings, strategies, and performance reports to clients or stakeholders clearly and effectively.
Strong project management skills to oversee multiple campaigns and ensure timely delivery of results from internal teams and external vendors.
A results-oriented mindset with experience in driving measurable organic traffic, rankings, and ROI for clients.
Client and vendor relationship management expertise, ensuring high satisfaction levels and retention through trust, transparency, and consistent performance.
Proven ability to stay updated with algorithm changes and industry trends to ensure best practices are implemented.
Deep curiosity for emerging AI technologies with a practical understanding of and experience in leveraging AI tools for SEO execution, optimization, and process enhancement.
Thorough understanding of answer engine optimization (AEO), with the ability to adapt SEO strategies to ensure brand visibility across various AI-driven search experiences.
Strong leadership skills to manage and inspire SEO teams, driving productivity and performance.

Experience

5+ years of experience in Search Engine Optimization, with a well-rounded skillset across technical, on-page, off-page, and local SEO.
1+ years in a leadership position, managing the growth and development of direct reports both in-house and remote.
Agency experience is required

Key Responsibilities

The ebbs and flows of work at an agency may require you to pitch in on a variety of projects in different ways. The right candidate will embrace the diversity of this environment, and view it as an opportunity to learn and try new things.

Direct client SEO strategy

Own quarterly planning and client resource allocation as it pertains to client business goals, retainer, and vendor costs.
Validate strategy provided by SEO and CSM teams.
Be the bridge between SEO, content, and web dev operations across the entire client lifecycle, from sales to onboarding to recurring.
Stay current on trends in Social SEO and emerging search behaviours on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube; share insights with internal teams and contribute to evolving SEO best practices across departments
Lead the development and execution of AEO strategies to improve clients’ presence in AI-generated search results, including optimizing structured data, content formats, and conversational search relevance.

Manage the execution of SEO programs

Own the quality and consistency of SEO deliverables for active client programs.
Execute and oversee in-depth SEO audits, technical reviews, and content analyses to support strategy development and ongoing optimizations.
Communicate with clients as needed to present findings, discuss performance, and align on next steps.
Coordinate closely with cross-functional teams to QA and deploy SEO recommendations, ensuring clean handoffs and alignment across departments within the agency.
Jump in where needed to fill gaps in execution, troubleshoot issues, or accelerate timelines, keeping client satisfaction and performance top of mind.

Oversee profitability, retention, and operations

Monthly department revenue reports, including the maintenance of SEO software stack, subscriptions, renewals, and negotiations.
Daily QA and approvals, supporting SEO, Client Success, Project Management, Development, and Sales. Steering the ship when it comes to improving efficiencies in process, communication, and output.
Represent SEO operations at quarterly leadership meetings, and be accountable to every facet of department performance and goals.
Evaluate and integrate AI tools and capabilities into SEO and content workflows, driving efficiency and innovation in client deliverables and internal processes.

Lead, mentor, and grow SEO team

Support a SEO Manager, Sr. SEO Specialist, and seasonal SEO Interns in their day-to-day work in Search.
Own and create individual OKRs and performance reviews for each member of the SEO team.
Lead weekly team scrums and monthly department meetings.
Ensure process adherence and upskilling are always on, keeping certifications and knowledge sharing a high priority.

About The Influence Agency

The Influence Agency is a team of digital marketing professionals that specialize in custom digital marketing campaigns. Our team is comprised of passionate, talented, creative and hard-working people that put our clients first. We know our work matters and go to work every day with a sense of purpose.

Culture

Our office culture is one of challenging work and fun. The office features an arcade machine with over 30,000 games, a beer tap, and a vibrant staff that enjoys positive energy and laughter. Everyone is encouraged, enabled and recognized for implementing their own innovative ideas.

We hold office events, quarterly socials and go to different industry-related events. We are looking for new teammates that add to our existing culture and can maintain a positive attitude and sense of humour while managing the pressures of client work.

We continue to strive to have a workforce that is representative of the diverse population in the GTA. Respecting all cultures and backgrounds is at our core and we encourage people from all walks of life to apply.

If you enjoy a corporate environment with tight oversight and hovering management, this is not the right role for you. We are looking for individuals that appreciate mentorship and support, but also have the attitude of a self-starter.

Team Member Benefits

A thriving team member has the opportunity to see growth in their personal development and career
An additional $1,000 / year can be put towards industry/work-related education.
Free parking at the office
Lunches delivered to the office three days a week
Full health benefits after the probationary period
4 weeks vacation + extended break over holiday season + extended long weekends + Summer Fridays
A Work From Anywhere program that can be used for up to 2 weeks a year
All the equipment you need to be able to work at home comfortably

Know someone who would be a perfect fit? Let them know!