SEO Lead / SEO Manager - Hampshire (Near Southampton – Hybrid Working 2 days in office per week) - £43k-£50k

We are partnered with an established, independent digital agency with a strong reputation across SEO, Digital PR, and Paid Media, who are looking to appoint an experienced SEO Lead / Manager to take ownership of their organic search offering.

This is an excellent opportunity for a senior SEO to step into a role with real autonomy and strategic influence, shaping how SEO is delivered across the agency while leading a growing team.

Your role with involve:

As SEO Lead, you will own and shape the agency’s organic search function, working across a varied client portfolio to deliver measurable performance and long term growth.

This is a hands on leadership role, combining strategy, delivery oversight, and team development, while collaborating closely with internal teams across content, PR, and paid media.

Key Responsibilities:

Lead, mentor, and develop a team of SEO specialists
Establish best practices, processes, and delivery frameworks
Foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement

Strategy & Client Growth

Own SEO strategy across key client accounts
Present insights and performance updates to clients and stakeholders
Identify opportunities to grow accounts and improve results
Support new business pitches with SEO expertise

Delivery & Performance

Oversee technical SEO, content optimisation, and link acquisition
Ensure campaigns deliver against KPIs including traffic, rankings, and conversions
Maintain high standards across delivery timelines and client expectations

Innovation

Stay ahead of developments in SEO, including AI-driven search and evolving SERPs
Introduce forward-thinking strategies to keep clients competitive

What we are looking for:

You are an experienced SEO professional, currently operating at Senior SEO Manager or SEO Lead level, with a strong track record in an agency environment.

You’re confident leading strategy and client conversations, while also being comfortable staying close to delivery when needed. You enjoy developing others and want a role where you can make a genuine impact.

We need you to have:

Proven experience delivering SEO strategy within an agency environment
Strong expertise across technical SEO, on-page optimisation, and search strategy
Experience mentoring or managing team members
Ability to translate data into clear, commercially focused insights
Strong analytical skills (GA4, GSC, Ahrefs, Screaming Frog or similar)
Experience managing performance against KPIs

Desirable:

Experience integrating SEO with Digital PR
Exposure to new business or commercial strategy
Interest in AI, LLM visibility, and emerging search trends

This opportunity offers:

Competitve salary (depending on experience)
Hybrid working
Genuine ownership of the SEO function
Supportive, collaborative team culture
Opportunity to shape strategy and progress your career

Hampshire (commutable from Southampton, Winchester, Portsmouth and surrounding areas)

If you are looking for a role where you can take ownership, influence strategy, and lead SEO in a growing agency environment, then apply now for immediate consideration!

Smile Digital

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