Associate Director of Search Experience

We are a tech-enabled growth firm at the intersection of marketing, consulting, and data intelligence, igniting revenue and brand recognition for leading and emerging companies worldwide. As a people-first firm, we value diversity in backgrounds and experiences, believing our people and culture are key to our success. Our vision is to be recognized as the most valued and respected private growth marketing firm globally, with a scalable brand, culture, and services. Our mission is to power relentless growth through a team of experts who demand innovation and results driven by integrity, autonomy, and grit.

As a full-service growth marketing firm, we offer best-in-class services including SEO, Content Marketing, Paid Media, Social Media Marketing, Programmatic + CTV, Public Relations, Influencer Marketing, Email + SMS, Conversion Rate Optimization, Retail Marketing, and Creative. We help brands drive revenue growth and brand recognition, delivering irrefutable value through our proprietary technology, nova, which analyzes businesses via first-party data to simplify marketing investment planning and M&A diligence.

About the role

As the Associate Director of Search Experience, you are a player-coach leader who owns two priorities: the people on your pod and the quality of their work. You lead from the front, capable of advising on Search Experience strategy in client meetings while also executing at an exemplary standard when needed. You oversee a pod of search experience professionals, directly managing specialists through senior strategists, and provide strategic guidance to drive team growth, retention, and exceptional client outcomes. You ensure client satisfaction, serve as the first point of escalation, and contribute to high-level Search Experience strategy spanning SEO, GEO/AEO, and content. Beyond client delivery, you champion the evolution of the Search Experience product, staying ahead of AI search behaviors and generative search platform changes. As an AI-Native Channel Architect, you leverage tools like Claude, Omega, Iris, and the Nova ecosystem to automate repetitive analysis, freeing time for judgment, strategy, and client relationships. This role is a pathway to Director, building the leadership, product judgment, and cross-functional fluency required for that level.

Responsibilities

• Team Leadership & Development
  • Lead and manage a pod of search experience professionals, including 2-4 direct reports from specialist to senior strategist level.
  • Build and maintain individual development plans, coaching cadences, and mentorship for every team member.
  • Own team retention via positive sentiment and clear growth paths.
  • Drive performance management using the ARC framework (Activities, Resources, Capabilities). Diagnose underperformance, deliver timely feedback, and provide raise/promotion recommendations.
  • Oversee capacity planning and staffing for the search experience pod.
  • Generate innovation and foster team training (e.g., new product updates, channel knowledge) in conjunction with the R&D team.
• Client Oversight & Strategy
  • Provide executive-level oversight for client accounts, including hands-on support or acting as an Account Director.
  • Serve as the first point of escalation for client concerns, offering strategic guidance and resolving issues with a solutions-first mindset.
  • Support high-level strategy development, performance tracking, and internal audit requests to ensure exceptional delivery.
  • Track client churn and intervene early where risk signals appear.
• New Business & Growth
  • Contribute to new business efforts by supporting audits, pitches, and opportunity identification.
  • Develop compelling case studies to highlight team and client successes.
  • Identify and act on key areas of opportunity for service expansions within the book of business.
• Product Innovation & Quality
  • Own product quality for the pod through consistent, accountable QA processes to catch errors before they impact clients or revenue.
  • Proactively pursue Search Experience channel evolution, including reading industry sources, pursuing certifications, and running experiments on GEO/AEO and AI search.
  • Centralize learnings from the pod’s tests and share them with the division.
  • Lead knowledge-sharing initiatives and quarterly brainstorms to advance the Search Experience product.
  • Use Claude, Omega, Iris, and Nova tools daily to automate repetitive search analysis (rank tracking, GEO/AEO visibility monitoring, reporting, QA checks), freeing time for strategic judgment and client relationships.
  • Maintain full working knowledge of the Power Circuit and Nova ecosystem, driving adoption across the pod.
• Recruitment & Talent Acquisition
  • Drive team growth by supporting recruitment efforts, conducting interviews, assessing channel-specific skills, and building business cases for new hires.
• Other applicable or related duties as assigned, including utilizing AI technologies to enhance business processes and leveraging Power Digital’s Nova ecosystem.

Requirements

• 4-5 years of digital marketing experience, with 3+ years in an agency setting.
• Minimum 5 years of hands-on experience with search experience execution.
• 3+ years of experience managing a team, including performance management and development planning.
• Strong understanding of search experience’s place in the marketing funnel.
• Working knowledge of organic search, GEO/AEO concepts, and AI search behaviors.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Self-motivated with a strong desire to build the team and the product.
• Demonstrated use of AI to optimize workflows.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and a strong work ethic.
• Ability to learn quickly and independently.
• Interest in a long-lasting relationship with a growing company.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Hit Division P&L Goals (as established quarterly).
• Division ETCR Target (as established quarterly).
• Organic Search Contribution Margin: 50-60%.
• Average Organic Search Revenue per Employee: $30k+.
• 90% Organic Search Pod Retention.
• Retention Rate of Service: 95%.
• Personal Revenue per Employee: $10K RPE.
• 8.8 Average Client NPS.

Most Important Things (MITs)

• Effectively manage your pod to create a positive team member experience aligned with company objectives.
• Deliver a top-tier product for clients.
• Own the growth and evolution of the Search Experience product offering, not just its day-to-day delivery.
• Oversee the growth and retention of the team and clients.

Benefits

• Base salary + commission opportunities.
• Robust Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans with up to 100% employer contribution toward employee monthly premiums.
• 401(k) plan with 4% employer contribution matching.
• Unlimited Time Off available from day one.
• Up to 4 hours per quarter for paid Volunteer Time Off (VTO) toward philanthropic endeavors.
• Fully flexible work environment: full-remote, in-office, or hybrid.
• One-time $100 USD Work From Home (WFH) stipend added to your first paycheck.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• 12 observed U.S. national holidays + 2 mental health recharge days per year.
• Unlimited opportunities for growth and leadership within a rapidly growing firm.
• Ongoing employee development programs for personal and professional growth (Hedgehog and Vital 5s).
• Quarterly awards including prize money and recognition for outstanding performance.
• Opportunities to be involved in company DEI initiatives.