Senior SEO Strategist (SEO & AI Discovery)

About the role

Merkle is hiring a Senior Strategist, SEO & AI Discovery in Chicago. You will lead SEO strategy across a portfolio of client accounts, set program direction, own complex audits and recommendations, and translate search performance into business outcomes. The role suits a senior individual contributor who moves between technical SEO, content and on-page strategy, AI-driven discovery, performance measurement and client advisory.

Key responsibilities

• Lead SEO strategy across assigned accounts, prioritizing workstreams so recommendations connect to client business goals and measurable outcomes.
• Serve as the day-to-day search lead, building trusted relationships with client stakeholders and turning search priorities into clear actions.
• Own complex SEO and AI audits covering technical SEO, content, on-page optimization, AI Search visibility, competitive landscape and site architecture.
• Define SEO reporting structures that link organic visibility, technical health, content performance, SERP visibility, AI Overview and LLM visibility to business outcomes.
• Analyze data from GSC, GA4, crawl tools, rank tracking, log files and AI visibility platforms to explain performance shifts and prioritize action.
• Create prioritized recommendations with impact, effort, dependencies, confidence level and implementation guidance for client, content and engineering teams.
• Guide technical SEO workstreams (crawl, indexation, rendering, JavaScript SEO, Core Web Vitals, schema, migrations, re-platforming).
• Lead search intent mapping, topical authority planning, SERP feature analysis, AI Overview evaluation and entity and brand authority recommendations.
• Manage workstreams end-to-end, including scoping, QA, stakeholder updates and timelines, and mentor consultants and staff consultants.
• Contribute to pitches, RFPs, renewals and SOW scoping, and improve internal templates, playbooks, QA standards and training materials.

Required profile

• 3+ years of progressive SEO experience, preferably in an agency, consultancy or complex multi-stakeholder environment.
• Ability to build clear, persuasive client deliverables such as audits, executive summaries, dashboards, roadmaps and recommendation decks.
• Strong written, verbal and presentation skills, able to communicate with executives, marketers, engineers and content teams.
• Experience leading client conversations and explaining recommendations with evidence and judgment.
• Project ownership, risk management and comfort mentoring consultants.

Required skills

• Technical SEO: crawl, indexation, rendering, site architecture, internal linking, Core Web Vitals, structured data, migrations, JavaScript SEO.
• Tools: Google Search Console, GA4, Screaming Frog, Sitebulb, Ahrefs, SEMRush, enterprise crawlers, rank tracking, Data Studio and AI visibility platforms.
• Working knowledge of AI Search, including AI Overviews, LLM-powered discovery, citation visibility and entity authority.
• Bonus: BigQuery, SQL, Python, server log analysis, API-based reporting, international/e-commerce/local SEO, link building, digital PR, SEO testing, and reusable templates or playbooks.

What we offer

• Annual salary range of $65K-$75K, depending on experience and skills.
• Medical, vision and dental insurance, life insurance, short- and long-term disability insurance.
• 401k, flexible paid time off, at least 15 paid holidays per year, paid sick and safe leave and paid parental leave.
• Hybrid work: employees living near the Chicago hub must work from the office three days per week; those outside commuting range may be designated remote.