SEO Account Manager

BRAND: Starcom
Job Function: Media Performance
Location: London, United Kingdom
Experience Level: Intermediate
Workplace Type: Hybrid

Company description

With a history that dates back over 80 years, Starcom is a global communications planning and media leader. We are an agency still grounded in our founding principle that people are at the centre of all we do. Each day, we apply this belief to harness the transformative power of data and technology to inspire and move people and business forward. With more than 7,000 employees in over 100 offices around the world, we are the flagship Publicis Media agency that uses our 'Power of One' business model, with teams that span multiple disciplines across clients such as Aldi, P&G, Primark, Samsung, Stellantis, and Visa.

We place a huge focus on our People, and have driven flagship D&I and L&D programmes within Publicis Media; our goal is to help every individual reach their fullest potential, and we encourage everyone to make "Brave Plays" in how they approach their work and their own career development. As a result, we have an exceptionally energised and committed talent base, all of us proud of our welcoming and supportive culture, as evidenced by our recognition as one of Campaign's Best Places to Work for five years in a row, Media Week's Agency of the Year 2025 and one of the Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2025.

Overview

As an SEO Manager at Performics, you'll be the strategic lead on one or more key accounts, partnering closely with the SEO Account Director to design and deliver next-generation organic search programs. You'll blend technical rigour, creative insight and data analysis to craft holistic SEO strategies - spanning technical audits, content planning, local search and AI-driven discovery - that exceed client KPIs and business objectives.

You'll manage, upskill and mentor a team of SEO Executives, own the end-to-end delivery of projects (from roadmapping and briefs through to reporting and strategy evolution), and stay ahead of search trends - whether algorithm shifts, emerging LLM capabilities or new social-search behaviours. Your proactive, test-and-learn mindset will drive continuous optimisation, ensuring our clients' owned media channels deliver maximum visibility, engagement and conversion.

Responsibilities

• Strategic planning : Develop comprehensive SEO strategies (technical, on-page, off-page and local) aligned to client business goals and digital KPIs.

• Execution & oversight : Lead technical audits, site migrations and content optimisation, ensuring flawless implementation and rigorous QA.

• Team management : Line-manage and upskill SEO Executives, providing mentorship, peer-to-peer training and clear workflows to maintain high service standards.

• Cross-channel integration : Collaborate with Paid Search, Social, Content and CRO teams to embed SEO insights into wider performance marketing programs.

• Performance analytics : Define and track success metrics (rankings, organic traffic, engagement and conversions) using Google Analytics, Search Console, Semrush, etc.; translate data into actionable recommendations.

• Client & stakeholder management : Maintain day-to-day client relationships, present insights and roadmaps, and articulate complex technical concepts in clear, persuasive language.

• Innovation & trendspotting : Research and share new ideas - AI search features, voice search, technical innovations - to keep our offering cutting-edge.

• Process improvement : Partner with the Account Director to refine workflows, optimize resource allocation and scale best practices across teams.

Qualifications

• Experience : Prior hands-on SEO experience, ideally within an agency environment supporting enterprise-level clients.

• Technical Proficiency : Solid understanding of HTML, CSS/JS fundamentals and how they impact crawling, indexing and UX; adept with SEO and generic marketing toolsets (e.g. Google Analytics 4, Google Search Console, Looker Studio, Semrush, Ahrefs, Screaming Frog, Lumar, Similarweb).

• Analytical Skills : Comfort with data analysis - pulling insights from performance dashboards and search data, setting forecasts, measuring ROI and reporting to stakeholders.

• Leadership & Communication : Proven ability to manage and motivate junior staff, run trainings, and confidently present to clients and senior internal teams.

• Strategic Thinking : Track record of crafting multi-layered SEO plans that integrate with broader marketing strategies; proactive problem-solving mindset.

• Learning Agility : Passion for staying abreast of algorithm updates, AI-powered search advances and emerging digital trends - and translating them into client advantage.

• Tools & Qualifications : Bachelor's degree (Marketing, Business, IT or similar) preferred; certifications such as Google Analytics IQ, SEMrush or Moz beneficial.

Additional information

Starcom has fantastic benefits on offer to all of our employees, full details of which are shared when you join. This includes the classics like Pension, Life Assurance, Private Medical, as well as Reflection Days, Shared Parental Leave, and spans initiatives:

Please check out the Publicis Career Page which showcases our Inclusive Benefits and our EAG's (Employee Action Groups).

At Starcom, we are proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, and do not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, nationality, religion or belief, disability, age, citizenship, relationship status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected characteristic.

We are committed to providing a fair, accessible, and inclusive recruitment process. If you have any access needs - for example, related to disability, neurodivergence, or a health condition - please let us know. We'll work with you to ensure the process works for you. Sharing this information will never impact your application.

Guided by our values, we listen with empathy, uplift each other, take responsibility, and embrace change - building a culture where everyone feels seen, respected, and genuinely included.