Head of Content, SEO & AI Search Freelance

We’re Animalz, a content marketing agency focused on delivering growth outcomes to brands by supporting them in expressing their unique views and values.

We strive to create content so good that people don’t realize it’s marketing. Our best work is interesting, authentic, and well-delivered so that consumers don’t feel disrupted by it. They’re engaged, intrigued, and hungry for more.

Animalz was founded in 2015 and primarily serves companies in the B2B SaaS/tech sector. We’ve helped build content programs for nearly 500 customers to date, including Amazon, Google, GoDaddy, Amplitude, Ramp, Wistia, Airtable, Appcues, Intercom, Sapphire Ventures, Segment, and many, many more.

We’re a fully remote organization with team members scattered around the world—but with a heavy concentration of US-based employees. We have an eclectic team of marketers and are looking for a stellar Senior Content Marketer to join our roster.

As Head of Content, SEO & AI Search, you will serve as Animalz’s senior SEO expert and strategic leader, helping clients adapt their content strategies for organic visibility in both traditional and emerging search environments.

You’ll lead SEO strategy for 4-5 accounts directly while providing strategic support and escalations for additional accounts managed by the team. This means you’ll develop SEO and AI search strategies, guide clients through evolving best practices, and ensure our team delivers content that helps our customers grow and stays ahead of search trends.

This role is ideal for someone who has a strong foundation in leading SEO programs and is ahead of the curve in adapting to AEO and AI innovation. More than anything, Animalz needs a strategic SEO expert to serve as our go-to authority and guide our customer and audience base through these seismic shifts in search.

You’ll be responsible for maintaining monthly revenue retention with your key accounts. You’ll manage 1+ direct report and collaborate with an extended team of content marketers and freelancers, serving as the SEO/AEO knowledge hub for the organization.

The role offers significant growth opportunities to develop deep expertise and expand your strategic influence within the SEO and AI search space.

What You’ll Do

Strategy & Execution

• Develop and evolve SEO strategies tailored to both traditional search and AI-powered discovery tools (like Perplexity, ChatGPT, and Gemini)
• Conduct full-funnel SEO and AEO strategy planning for assigned accounts and provide strategic input for additional accounts
• Test AI search tactics to help clients appear in AI summaries and conversational search outputs
• Stay current on trends across SEO and AI-assisted search to inform client strategies and internal education
• Experiment with generative-AI content production to figure out where and how customers can benefit

Customer Management

• Serve as a strategic partner to key customers, collaborating on growth goals, content pivots, and performance optimization
• Join regular client calls to present strategy, report on performance, and surface new opportunities
• Handle technical SEO issues and client concerns for supported accounts as escalations arise
• Guide teams through monthly reporting and ongoing performance tracking using tools like GA4, GSC, Ahrefs, Semrush, Scrunch, and Screaming Frog
• Ensure strategy delivery aligns with client expectations, business goals, and Animalz’s standards of quality

Team Leadership & Knowledge Transfer

• Manage 1+ direct report with regular 1:1s to coach team members, share feedback, and support their career growth and professional development
• Collaborate with and guide content marketers and freelancers across SEO initiatives
• Serve as go-to SEO/AEO expert, providing guidance and knowledge transfer across the team
• Foster a collaborative environment that encourages innovation, skill-building, and experimentation in SEO and AI workflows

Operational Improvement

• Contribute to internal process improvements for how we deliver SEO and AI-focused work
• Develop reusable frameworks and templates that improve the consistency and efficiency of strategy development and reporting
• Provide input on team capacity planning, project prioritization, and delivery pacing
• Contribute to the development of AI workflows for SEO content production

Core Competencies

SEO & AI Search Expertise

• Deep understanding of traditional SEO and its evolving relationship with AI-driven discovery engines
• Ability to develop creative strategies for emerging search paradigms (AI Overviews, search agents) and familiar with content SEO, technical SEO, and SERP features
• Deep technical SEO expertise for complex problem-solving

Strategic Thinking & Leadership

• Talent for aligning SEO content strategy with broader business goals and identifying new opportunities for organic growth
• Experience leading SEO initiatives and collaborating across distributed teams
• Mentoring and knowledge transfer abilities

Communication & Tool Proficiency

• Clear, confident communicator able to present complex strategies and performance data to stakeholders at varying technical levels
• Strong command of SEO platforms (GA4, GSC, Ahrefs, Semrush, Screaming Frog) and AI tools for search optimization and content production

What We’re Looking For

• 4+ years in SEO or content strategy roles, preferably within B2B SaaS and marketing agencies • 3+ years leading SEO initiatives with team collaboration experience
• Deep knowledge of SEO fundamentals, technical audits, and content optimization
• Demonstrated success adapting strategy for AI search environments and producing high-quality content with generative AI
• Experience mentoring/coaching SEO professionals
• Experience managing team members and working with freelance contributors
• Track record of delivering clear, measurable results via organic channels
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
• Comfortable navigating ambiguity and pioneering new strategic approaches

Our Values

At Animalz, our values guide how we show up for our customers, our teammates, and the content we create. We’re looking for team members who embody these principles and want to grow within them.

• Value Over Vanity: We measure our success in customer impact, not surface-level praise. We focus on content that drives sustainable, long-term results by understanding and serving our customers’ customers.
• Two Steps Ahead: Great work anticipates needs before they arise. We’re proactive and strategic, always looking for ways to solve problems before they become blockers.
• Power Source; Not Power Trip: We lead through service, not authority. We energize our teammates and customers, convert obstacles into momentum, and focus on elevating others.
• Pursue Mastery: We believe great work comes from deliberate practice, open collaboration, and constant curiosity. We’re always learning, evolving, and testing new approaches.
• Left Brain, Right Brain, Robot Brain: Our best work blends creativity, analysis, and smart use of technology—including AI—to drive meaningful outcomes without sacrificing humanity or voice.
• In the Arena: We’re not spectators. We experiment boldly, contribute to thought leadership, and stay immersed in our customers’ industries so we can lead from experience, not theory.

Your First 90 Days

Days 1–30: Learn & Observe

• Complete comprehensive onboarding to understand Animalz processes, tools, and culture
• Shadow customer meetings across SEO accounts to understand current approach
• Meet with the team to understand customer acquisition process
• Begin building relationships with your direct report and key stakeholders
• Review current customer onboarding processes and identify opportunities for enhancement

Days 31–60: Take Strategic Ownership

• Take ownership of 2-3 key SEO customer relationships
• Begin providing strategic input and handling escalations for additional supported accounts
• Conduct audit of current SEO initiatives and delivery processes
• Identify opportunities for improving quality and consistency
• Develop initial plans for team development and knowledge transfer processes

Days 61–90: Drive Strategic Impact

• Own SEO strategy for 4-5 key accounts and lead strategic presentations
• Establish yourself as the go-to SEO expert for escalations across additional accounts
• Implement refined processes for SEO strategy development and execution
• Begin systematic knowledge transfer and coaching across the team
• Demonstrate measurable improvements in customer satisfaction and retention for key accounts

Working Arrangements

• Location: Fully remote, Americas or EMEA
• Timezone Requirements: 4+ hours of overlap with US time zones

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary Range: $85,000 – $110,000 USD annually plus possible incentive-based compensation
• Health & vision insurance (or wellness stipend for non-US team members)
• 401(k) retirement plan (US only)
• Unlimited PTO policy
• Flexible working schedule
• Team lunch stipend

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

At Animalz, we believe diverse perspectives make us stronger. We’re committed to building an inclusive workplace where people of all backgrounds, experiences, and identities can thrive. We particularly encourage applications from historically underrepresented groups in tech and marketing, including people of color, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, and those from varied socioeconomic backgrounds.

Equal Opportunity

Animalz is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.