How did we get here?
Our job as leaders is to build frameworks that give everyone within them the autonomy, support and space for exploration they need in order to fully explore their potential, do meaningful work and play a key role in something bigger than themselves.
Over the past couple of years we have reached a point where the sheer calibre and continued expansion of our SEO consulting team has pushed us to review our existing frameworks and make structural changes that create new space and new opportunities. And this is the reason we are opening up this new role.
Rewind a few years ago we had a pretty flat, linear SEO team structure that was a consequence of reasonably unregulated organic growth. Line groups weren’t properly formalised and progression was all on the individual without genuine, consistently delivered structural support. We did great work, but it was more down to personal aptitude than a truly well-oiled machine built with performance at it’s core.
We decided to move to a more formalised “pod” structure with an innovative resourcing methodology that ensured greater flexibility and accountability, higher quality, more varied work and most importantly consistency in all these elements. The outcome was a true win-win for our consultants, the work they were doing and the clients that trusted us to deliver.
This whole time Will, our incumbent Head of SEO, has been responsible for leading every aspect of our SEO function. People management, supporting progression, evolving our SEO product offering, QA-ing our work, keeping his eye in through front-line client work, supporting sales and delivering marketing materials have all been a part of his remit.
Simultaneously, our team have been solving more and more complex problems for our clients through technology, innovation and experimentation that has prompted some of the most exciting client conversations I have ever been involved with.
That’s a hell of a lot at the best of times, and with a flurry of recent wins and demonstrable evidence we are cooking on gas, the time has come to get ahead of the curve. As such, we are splitting SEO leadership at Builtvisible into two clear areas to make sure we are investing in our strengths and committing to the path our people and clients have lit for us.
So, what now?
The first part of this change is Will’s promotion to Technical Director, where he will head up a formalised program designed to double down on the innovation, experimentation and tooling side of our work – collaborating with our consulting and development teams to ensure our product offering is evolving at the pace we want it to, and that we have resource dedicated to streamlining our workflows to become more effective and more efficient, while freeing up our consultants to add more value with the time they have working on accounts.
Seeing people progress like this is what it is all about for me. Will joined us as a consultant and after 3 years on the front-lines took on the mantle of Head of SEO – a role in which he has excelled for over 2 years. His demonstrable experience, no-compromise pursuit of excellence and enthusiasm for what he does will stand him in great stead for making his new remit a huge success.
The team Will is handing over is incredible, and we are looking for someone to come in and light the ignition on the rocket ship he has built.
The Head of SEO Operations role
Our new Head of SEO Operations’ primary remit is to come in to support and mentor our world-class team, empowering them to develop both personally and professionally every day they come to work. I see this move as the ceiling being blown off the team in terms of opportunity, and this person’s job will be to help every one of our consultants move into new space, capitalise on new possibilities, follow their passions and have complete ownership of their careers.
The right person will come in and ensure the quality of our work continues to meet and exceed the exceptional standards we have set for ourselves, and become known for. We keep pushing the limits of what’s possible with our work, and using a wealth of prior experience to keep the pride in our work at these levels is a pre-requisite everyone in the agency values.
This individual will also have real integrity and make sure we are doing what we said we’d do – a key mantra within the agency that is upheld by everyone who joins us on the journey. We have an exceptional client retention rate formed on long-standing, trusting relationships and our Head of SEO Operations will play a key part in evolving these.
We are looking for someone to come in bring their lived experiences and add value to an already exceptional group of people. Someone who wants to get onboard for the journey and achieve great things, while enjoying the process with a close-knit team of allies. Someone who brings real passion to the table – passion for SEO, passion for agency life and passion for seeing team management as an opportunity to help others succeed and be a part of something truly special.
If this sounds like you send us your CV, we’d love to speak to you.
