Associate Director, SEO in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at M J Brunner Inc

We are seeking a seasoned and forward-thinking Associate Director of SEO to join our agency and help shape the future of organic search for a diverse portfolio of clients. This is a senior leadership role within our SEO practice, requiring someone who can seamlessly blend deep technical expertise with strategic vision, people leadership, and cross-functional collaboration.

The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced, full-service advertising agency environment, is passionate about staying ahead of industry trends — including the rapidly evolving role of AI in search — and can inspire both clients and internal teams alike.

Team Leadership & Mentorship

• Lead, manage, and mentor a team of SEO strategists, specialists, and analysts, fostering a culture of continuous learning and accountability.
• Set clear performance goals, conduct regular 1:1s, and provide actionable feedback to support team members' professional growth.
• Serve as an internal SEO authority, elevating the capabilities of the team through training, knowledge sharing, and developing best-practice documentation.
• Manage workloads and resource allocation across the team to ensure timely, high-quality delivery.

Client Management

• Own and manage a book of SEO clients independently, acting as the primary point of contact for strategic direction with minimal day-to-day oversight.
• Build and maintain strong, trust-based client relationships through proactive communication, strategic counsel, and consistent delivery of results.
• Lead client presentations, quarterly business reviews, and strategic roadmap discussions with confidence and clarity.
• Identify and develop upsell and growth opportunities within existing client relationships.

Technical & On-Site SEO

• Provide expert-level technical SEO recommendations, including site architecture, crawlability, indexation, Core Web Vitals, schema markup, and page speed optimization.
• Conduct comprehensive on-site SEO audits and translate findings into clear, prioritized action plans for both client and development teams.
• Partner with web developers and UX designers to ensure SEO best practices are integrated from the ground up in site builds, redesigns, and ongoing optimizations.
• Stay current on search engine algorithm updates and emerging technical SEO trends, adapting strategies accordingly.

AI & Emerging Search Technologies

• Champion the integration of AI-powered tools and methodologies into agency SEO workflows, including AI-assisted content optimization, automated reporting, predictive analytics, and large language model (LLM) visibility strategies.
• Monitor the impact of generative AI on search behavior and SERPs (e.g., AI Overviews, SGE) and evolve client strategies to maintain and grow organic visibility.
• Evaluate and recommend new SEO and AI tools to continuously improve team efficiency and client outcomes.

Cross-Departmental Collaboration

• Act as the SEO representative in integrated agency workflows, collaborating closely with Content Strategy, UX/CX, Web Design & Development, PR, Paid Media, and other channel leads.
• Ensure SEO considerations are embedded into website design and development projects from initial discovery through launch.
• Partner with Content Strategy on editorial calendars, topic authority frameworks, and content briefs optimized for organic search.
• Coordinate with PR teams on digital PR strategies, link acquisition, and brand mention optimization.
• Collaborate with Paid Media teams to leverage cross-channel insights and align organic and paid search strategies.

Strategy & Reporting

• Develop and execute holistic, data-driven SEO strategies aligned to client business goals across a range of industries and business models.
• Define and track KPIs, delivering clear reporting on organic performance, ROI, and strategic progress.
• Contribute to agency thought leadership, case studies, and new business pitches as a subject matter expert.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• 8–10 years of progressive SEO experience, with at least 3 years in a senior or leadership role within an agency environment.
• Demonstrated experience independently managing a portfolio of clients across various industries and budget sizes.
• Deep technical SEO proficiency: site audits, log file analysis, crawl management, structured data, JavaScript SEO, Core Web Vitals, and more.
• Strong on-site SEO expertise: keyword strategy, content optimization, internal linking, information architecture, and user intent analysis.
• Proven ability to lead, coach, and develop a team of SEO professionals.
• Experience collaborating in a cross-functional, integrated agency or in-house marketing environment.
• Hands-on experience with tools such as Google Search Console, SEMrush, Ahrefs, Screaming Frog, BrightEdge, Conductor, Looker Studio, and/or similar platforms.
• Familiarity with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript as they relate to SEO implementation.
• Strong understanding of how SEO intersects with UX, content, PR, and paid media channels.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present complex data and strategies to executive-level stakeholders.

Who We Are

Brunner is an integrated marketing communications agency with a fast-paced, creative environment. We value Perseverance, Integrity, Tenacity, Curiosity, and Heart in every aspect of our business, especially our team members. We are good people creating good work. Brunner’s commitment is to its people - fostering growth within (robust training, low attrition, and commitment to diversity), becoming an extension of their client’s teams and maintaining long-term relationships, and creating great marketing programs that achieve business impact for their clients.

Perks

We offer your full traditional benefits including health, dental, vision, a 401k plan, and life insurance. We also offer commuter and transit benefits, as well as an employee wellness benefit for you to enjoy your life outside of work. Add to that unlimited PTO, half day summer Fridays and all the holiday time off you would expect.

Flexible Work Policy

It's simple - work where it's most convenient for you! We recognize that we're a mixed group of people with different priorities in our lives, so we empower our employees to create their ideal working scenario...in-office, at home, or a hybrid of both. Keep in mind you might need to pop into the office for a client meeting here and there, or even an agency-wide meeting.

Environmental Demands

Normal office environment. Ability to sit for extended periods of time including extensive use of PC equipment.

We like everyone, so we are an equal opportunity employer. We do not consider your race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, age, sex, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or veteran status when deciding to hire you. We just want you to be you.