Head of Search Marketing (PPC, SEO)

Head of Search Marketing (PPC, SEO)

Base salary up to £120,000 + 30% bonus
Benefits: 25 days leave, pension, healthcare, life assurance, discount schemes for holidays, utilities, retail, EV car scheme via salary sacrifice, etc.

Location: Hertfordshire office

Working set up: Hybrid working - 3 days per week in office

A big brand in the hospitality and leisure industry is looking to appoint a new Head of Search Marketing, a senior leadership role sitting at the heart of a fast evolving digital function. It's a chance to take real responsibility for how paid search (in all its forms - traditional PPC, P Max, AI Max, etc.), organic search and AI driven GEO search discovery come together to drive revenue, not just traffic.

This is a newly created position. You're not inheriting someone else's playbook. You're defining the direction, setting the standards, and building a search engine that works as a system rather than a set of silos.

This is a dynamic trading based environment where converting D2C clicks to sales at scale happens. So, the business is looking for someone who understands how to create strategy and execute it within a highly competitive and dynamic market, as well as handle the typical challenges which will typically arise operationally and make the necessary adjustments to ensure targets and objectives are delivered by the team.

Why this role will appeal

If you're at a point where pure channel leadership feels limiting, this role offers something broader. You'll own a significant (8 figure) multi million pound search budget, leading a small, but specialist team across PPC, SEO and AI/GEO, and operate as a commercial partner to brand, product and wider performance leadership.

There's also something exciting happening here. As the company embraces the changing search marketing landscape - AI summaries, LLMs, new forms of visibility. The company wants someone who doesn't just react to that shift, but who will help shape how the business shows up in this new landscape.

What you'll actually be doing

• Owning the end to end search strategy across PPC, SEO and AI/GEO, with revenue and ROI as the north star.
• Leading and developing a team of search specialists, setting clarity, pace and standards.
• Managing and optimising a substantial paid media budget across Google and Bing.
• Creating roadmaps for technical SEO, content and AI visibility that stakeholders can buy into.
• Working closely with brand, product and analytics teams to align search with wider commercial goals.
• Representing search confidently in senior forums, trading meetings and roadmap discussions.

Who this is likely to suit

You'll already be operating at a senior level within the search marketing industry with experience across both paid media and organic, could be you're working at an ambitious SME but feel it's time to get that big brand on your CV and step into the big leagues.

Or you could be working in an agency, leading the search/performance marketing teams, setting the strategy and direction. Which includes innovation strategies which helps keep your agency at the forefront of the search marketing industry.

You're used to owning budgets, making decisions and being held accountable for outcomes.

You understand consumer facing brands and how they drive traffic, conversions and ROI through their websites. Bonus points if this includes understanding how booking engines work.

EXPERIENCE/BACKGROUND

• You've led PPC and organic search functions for high profile B2C/D2C trading based websites and can speak to the results you've successfully overseen delivery of, as well as driven step changes to.
• You've a credible background defining and delivering strategy for search marketing, influencing SLT teams to get behind your initiatives, driving the agenda.
• You see paid and organic search as complementary, not competing.
• You're commercially minded and comfortable making judgement calls with imperfect data.
• You're curious about AI and GEO, have probably implemented a series of tests and trials in this space, so have been experimenting to see results, but grounded enough to avoid chasing noise.
• You can lead specialists without needing to be the deepest expert in every room.

If you're looking for a role with genuine scale, influence and future facing relevance, this one is worth a conversation.

Want to Apply? Here's how:

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Colin Doree
Recruiter Blue Pelican