SEO Lead

Our mission? To do work that matters,  for our clients, our people, and the planet.

As we grow, we’re doubling down on supporting our team’s development and well-being, creating an environment where everyone can do the best work of their careers.

We work from our Earls Colne, Colchester office 2–3 days a week,  because staying connected, aligned, and inspired together really matters.

Our Values

We don’t just talk about our values,  we live them every day.

We are ethical.

We lead with honesty, kindness, and integrity, always considering the wider impact of what we do. We care deeply about building a sustainable and inclusive future.

We are curious.

We never stop learning. Whether it’s AI, SEO, or the next big trend, we’re always exploring new ideas so our clients stay ahead of the curve.

We are caring.

We genuinely care about our clients’ success and our craft. We take pride in delivering work that makes a difference.

We are client-focused.

We build lasting partnerships with clients who share our values and trust us to deliver outstanding results.

The Role

The SEO Lead will be responsible for defining and leading Climbing Trees’ organic search strategy across our client portfolio and internal growth initiatives.

This role sits at the intersection of strategy, leadership, innovation, and client growth. You will oversee technical SEO, content strategy, and Digital PR integration while ensuring our work consistently delivers measurable results for clients.

As the overall owner of the SEO function, you will be accountable for the delivery, performance, and quality of work produced by the SEO team. This includes ensuring projects are delivered to a high standard, client objectives are achieved, and the team operates efficiently and collaboratively.

You will also hold responsibility for the ownership and management of client KPIs, service level agreements (SLAs), and agreed client deliverables, ensuring all work meets client expectations and agency standards.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Team Management

• Lead, mentor, and develop the SEO team.
• Create clear structures for project delivery, accountability, and quality control.
• Foster a culture of curiosity, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Support team members’ career development and skill progression.
• Work closely with Digital PR, Paid Media, and Content teams to create integrated marketing strategies.
• Ensure Digital PR campaigns support SEO and link acquisition goals.

Client Growth & Commercial Ownership

• Act as the strategic SEO lead for key client accounts.
• Lead high level SEO strategy conversations and presentations.
• Ensure clients understand performance, strategy direction, and results.
• Identify opportunities to expand SEO services within existing accounts.
• Support new business pitches with SEO insights and strategies.
• Hold responsibility for the SEO team’s upselling target, proactively identifying opportunities to grow client accounts and increase revenue through strategic SEO recommendations and service innovation.

SEO, Strategy & Delivery

• Define and lead the SEO strategy across Climbing Trees’ client portfolio.
• Be the overall person responsible for the delivery and performance of the SEO team, ensuring campaigns are delivered on time and to a high standard.
• Own and manage client KPI performance across SEO accounts, ensuring campaigns are aligned with measurable outcomes such as traffic growth, rankings, visibility, conversions, and engagement.
• Maintain accountability for client SLAs, ensuring agreed deliverables are consistently delivered on time and to the required quality.
• Oversee the planning and execution of client deliverables, ensuring work is prioritised effectively across the team.
• Monitor and optimise performance against client KPIs and reporting frameworks, identifying opportunities for improvement.
• Ensure technical SEO, content optimisation, and link acquisition strategies are executed effectively.

AI, Innovation & Thought Leadership

• Keep Climbing Trees at the forefront of SEO innovation, AI, and search trends.
• Develop strategies for LLM visibility, AI driven search, and emerging SERP features.
• Contribute to agency thought leadership through insights and industry participation.

About You

• You’re an experienced SEO leader who knows how to turn organic search into real business results.
• You lead teams with clarity and accountability, ensuring SEO campaigns consistently deliver against client KPIs, SLAs, and deliverables.
• You’re commercially minded, spotting opportunities to grow client accounts through strategic SEO.
• While deep SEO expertise is essential, the ability to translate complex SEO concepts into clear, client-friendly language is equally important.
• You will be comfortable explaining SEO performance, strategies, and technical insights to clients in a way that is easy to understand and tied directly to their business goals.

Skills & Experience

Essential

• Proven experience leading SEO strategy in an agency environment
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• Strong expertise across technical SEO, content optimisation, and search strategy
• Experience managing or mentoring an SEO team
• Ability to translate SEO insights, data, and performance metrics into clear client narratives
• Experience presenting SEO strategies and results to clients or senior stakeholders
• Strong analytical skills with experience using tools such as GA4, GSC, Ahrefs, Screaming Frog
• Experience managing performance against client KPIs and SLAs
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills

Desirable

• Experience integrating Digital PR and SEO strategies
• Experience contributing to new business pitches and commercial strategy
• Knowledge of AI, LLM visibility, and emerging search trends
• Experience working with purpose-driven brands or B Corp organisations
• Thought leadership through speaking, writing, or industry participation

Why Join Us?

• Joining us means being part of a team that cares deeply about doing meaningful work, supporting one another, and continually learning and improving. You’ll have the opportunity to shape the future of SEO within the agency, work collaboratively across teams, and make a genuine impact on the success of our clients.
• If you’re excited by the idea of combining high quality digital marketing with purpose and integrity, Climbing Trees could be the place for you.

Perks & Benefits

• Competitive salary that recognises your impact.
• Flexible working, hybrid setup before it was cool.
• Volunteering days to give back to causes you care about.
• Tailored training and development plan.
• Private healthcare and well-being support.
• 3:30pm Friday finishes, start your weekend early.
• Annual team trips & socials (because connection matters).
• Sabbatical after 10 years to recharge and reflect.
• Emergency loan and support when life throws curveballs.
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