Merkle is a leading data-driven, technology-enabled, global performance marketing agency that specialises in the delivery of unique, personalised customer experiences across platforms and devices. We call it ‘people-based’ marketing, and with over 25 years’ experience, we are proud to be recognised as a global leader.

Merkle’s heritage in data, technology and analytics is the foundation for our understanding of consumer insights that drives our people-based marketing strategies. Combined with our expertise in performance creative and media, we can then offer our clients content-driven, contextual and compelling customer experiences that drive business growth.

In 2016, the agency joined dentsu, one of the world’s biggest media companies to form the Customer Experience Management (CXM) Line of Business.

The Role

Due to incredible growth, we are looking for an SEO Manager to join our talented & passionate SEO team. In this role you will be pivotal to the continued growth of the department by playing a leading role on one or more of our key accounts.

Reporting to one of our fantastic Directors, we’ll help you continue to develop your digital marketing career with the opportunity to grow a global client account, develop as a thought leader, and collaborate with other Merkle best-in-class departments to create and execute holistic campaigns.

Life as a SEO Manager at Merkle

Unlike some SEO roles, you won’t find yourself managing teams of outreachers chasing unrealistic link building targets. Instead, we focus on helping clients deliver incredible search experiences for audiences, meaning your day to day will see you:

• Work closely with a large UK-based account team on a variety of international SEO accounts. The successful candidate will have a fantastic opportunity to grow a small team of Associates in Bulgaria as an extension of our UK offices.
• Manage, coach, and train up a small team of SEO Associates.
• Develop and implement search SEO strategies with the support of a UK Director and local SEO Associates.
• Motivating and supporting a team to deliver against SEO campaigns.
• Providing regular updates on timeline, deliverables, performance reporting, competitive intelligence analysis and other follow-up items.
• Extracting insight from campaign data, to identify relevant trends and provide well-developed proactive recommendations to enhance and exceed overall client search marketing goals and objectives.
• Exhibiting clear understanding of overall client brand messaging and goals, and managing the development of content.
• Ability to communicate complicated SEO concepts to key stakeholders who may not have a background in search engine optimization or technical SEO knowledge.
• Review and QA content, technical, local, outreach deliverables to ensure they are of the highest standard before going to the client.
• Overseeing the solving of complex technical & content SEO problems and support in building roadmaps and strategies.
• Working closely with key team members from the SEO team and across Merkle to ensure client success, and the continued development of our propositions.
•  Adhere to SEO best practices, and keep up to date on the changes to search engine algorithms, making sure that changes are incorporated into existing workload, where relevant.
•  Anticipate and mitigate challenges with delivery timelines, and oversee prioritisation of tasks.
• Support the wider team to prepare client presentations – excels, power points, quarterly business reviews.

What we are looking for in you

 Our identical candidate will have:

• Fluent level in verbal and written English.
• Previous SEO experience - 5+ years (ideally within an Agency environment) and a proven record of managing people and growing a junior team.
• Passion about the world of SEO with a keen interest in becoming an industry leading expert.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision while maintaining focus and productivity.
• Excellent knowledge of MS Excel, Word & PowerPoint.
• Previous experience working with Screaming Frog, Google Analytics, Google Search Console and Data Studio.
• Experience working with one of the following tools is a bonus -  Ahrefs, SEMRush, OnCrawl, Conductor, DeepCrawl.
• Ambitious and driven with passion for SEO and a keen eye for detail.
• Ability to multi-task and work under pressure.
• Good interpersonal skills capable of maintaining strong client relationships.
• Ability to work in a team environment that promotes collaboration. 

 Nice to haves:

• Additional language.
• Previous experience working for enterprise clients is a bonus.
• Experience working in collaboration with other digital marketing teams is a bonus (e.g. Paid Search, CRO, Digital Experience).

A few of the benefits

Whether it’s the joy of working with people at the top of their game or the Merkle social calendar, people love working here – and we hope you will too

• Attractive and competitive salary
• Spanish/English lessons
• Free life and health insurance
• Career development through Dentsu University and LinkedIn Learning
• Day off on your birthday
• Annual wellness days
• Merkle Care Employee Assistance Program
• Merkle Benefits Club
• Reduced fee in Andjoy
• 2 volunteering days per annum
• Flexible salary remuneration scheme

Merkle does not discriminate against job applicants on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. Experience stipulated in this job description serves as a guide only and all applications will be considered on their merits, irrespective of experience. At the point of application, the candidate must have the legal right to work in Spain as we are unable to sponsor visas at this time.

As part of our Diversity and Inclusion agenda, and as an Equal Opportunities employer, if you require reasonable adjustments during the selection process please engage directly with your Recruiter.