Associate Search Strategy Director

Critical Mass; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 125,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

Critical Mass in Toronto is seeking an Associate Search & Platform Strategy Director to lead the strategic vision and development of a search-optimized site platform. You will bridge architecture and client strategy to drive AI-ready search performance at scale.

You will manage a high-performance team of search strategists and collaborate with technical partners to deliver measurable business results, with a focus on scalable, accessible platform architecture.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of search experience with at least 3+ years working closely with technical SEO implementation.
• Experience managing website redesigns, migrations, or platform implementations from strategy through launch.
• Strong understanding of website architecture, site structure, URL hierarchies, and information architecture as they relate to search performance.
• Deep knowledge of technical SEO including JavaScript SEO, site speed optimization, Core Web Vitals, accessibility standards (WCAG), structured markup (Schema.org), crawlability, and indexability.
• Experience translating business objectives and search data into technical requirements and platform specifications.
• Experience leading and managing a team of search specialists and collaborating with technical development teams.

Responsibilities

• Own the vision, strategy, and execution of a new search-optimized site platform from concept through launch and beyond.
• Define technical architecture and platform requirements based on search best practices, performance goals, and user experience objectives.
• Translate search data insights and business objectives into actionable platform specifications, wireframes, and technical requirements.
• Lead and manage a high‑performing team of search strategists and coordinate with technical development teams and external partners.
• Represent the Search practice within the agency, serving as a strategic thought leader, technical advisor, entrepreneur, and client advocate.
• Serve as the primary strategic partner to client leadership, making recommendations on platform approach, search strategy, and technical implementation to drive innovation and performance.
• Conduct comprehensive audits of current search performance, technical implementation, and user experience to inform platform development.
• Develop and document platform specifications covering site architecture, page structure, content organization, URL strategy, technical SEO requirements, accessibility, and performance standards.
• Advise on and oversee implementation of technical SEO best practices including JavaScript SEO, Core Web Vitals optimization, structured markup, indexability, crawlability, and accessibility for users and LLM crawlers.
• Define platform‑level guidelines and requirements for content, copy, page speed, accessibility, indexability, structured markup, site architecture, URL structure, page titles, meta descriptions, headings, anchor text, internal linking, sitemaps, and mobile optimization.
• Use search data and platform analytics to understand user intent, identify content gaps, and inform content strategy and information architecture.
• Lead technical website audits, competitive analyses, and continuous optimization initiatives post‑launch.
• Collaborate with UX/UI designers, developers, project managers, and cross‑functional teams to ensure search best practices are embedded in platform design and development.
• Manage timelines, budgets, and deliverables to ensure successful platform launch and ongoing optimization.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Technical SEO

Website architecture

Data analytics

Project management

Team management

Communication

Client advocacy

Content strategy

AI tools

Tools

GA/Analytics tools

Tableau

Google Data Studio

Adobe Analytics

SEMrush

Ahrefs

Job description

Agency:

Critical Mass

Job Function:

Strategy and Planning

Job Subfunction:

Account Planning and Brand Planning

Job Description:

In this role, you’ll lead the strategic vision and technical development of a best-in-class search platform for one of our world’s biggest brands. You’ll serve as the bridge between technical architecture and client strategy, overseeing the design, development, and optimization of a sophisticated site platform that drives search performance at scale.

As Associate Search & Platform Strategy Director, you’ll combine deep search expertise with technical platform knowledge to build a platform that doesn’t just perform well in search, but is engineered from the ground up for AI search visibility, performance, and user experience. You’ll translate data-driven search insights into platform requirements, manage technical development initiatives, and ensure the platform delivers measurable business results while remaining scalable and maintainable for your client’s evolving needs.

You’ll play a critical role in shaping next-generation search capabilities, leading a high-performance team of search strategists and technical partners, and helping your client achieve top-tier search performance through innovative platform architecture.

You Will

• Own the vision, strategy, and execution of a new search-optimized site platform from concept through launch and beyond
• Define technical architecture and platform requirements based on search best practices, performance goals, and user experience objectives
• Translate search data insights and business objectives into actionable platform specifications, wireframes, and technical requirements
• Lead and manage a high‑performing team of search strategists and coordinate with technical development teams and external partners
• Represent the Search practice within the agency, serving as a strategic thought leader, technical advisor, entrepreneur, and client advocate
• Serve as the primary strategic partner to client leadership, making recommendations on platform approach, search strategy, and technical implementation to drive innovation and performance
• Conduct comprehensive audits of current search performance, technical implementation, and user experience to inform platform development
• Develop and document platform specifications covering site architecture, page structure, content organization, URL strategy, technical SEO requirements, accessibility, and performance standards
• Advise on and oversee implementation of technical SEO best practices including JavaScript SEO, Core Web Vitals optimization, structured markup, indexability, crawlability, and accessibility for users and LLM crawlers
• Define platform‑level guidelines and requirements for content, copy, page speed, accessibility, indexability, structured markup, site architecture, URL structure, page titles, meta descriptions, headings, anchor text, internal linking, sitemaps, and mobile optimization
• Use search data and platform analytics to understand user intent, identify content gaps, and inform content strategy and information architecture
• Lead technical website audits, competitive analyses, and continuous optimization initiatives post‑launch
• Collaborate with UX/UI designers, developers, project managers, and cross‑functional teams to ensure search best practices are embedded in platform design and development
• Manage timelines, budgets, and deliverables to ensure successful platform launch and ongoing optimization

You Have

• 7+ years of search experience with at least 3+ years working closely with technical SEO implementation
• Demonstrated experience managing website redesigns, migrations, or platform implementations from strategy through launch
• Strong understanding of website architecture, site structure, URL hierarchies, and information architecture as they relate to search performance
• Deep knowledge of technical SEO including JavaScript SEO, site speed optimization, Core Web Vitals, accessibility standards (WCAG), structured markup (Schema.org), crawlability, and indexability
• Experience translating business objectives and search data into technical requirements and platform specifications
• Experience leading and managing a team of search specialists and collaborating with technical development teams
• Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage complex, multi‑phase initiatives with multiple stakeholders and dependencies
• Proficiency in data analytics and visualization tools such as Google Analytics, Google Data Studio, Adobe Analytics, Google Search Console, and Tableau
• Proficiency in third‑party SEO/SEM tools such as SEMrush, Ahrefs, ScreamingFrog, Moz, and similar platforms
• Strong analytical skills with ability to interpret data, identify trends, and make data‑driven platform recommendations
• Experience developing and executing content strategies that improve brand visibility, traffic, and engagement
• Strong communication and presentation skills, with ability to convey complex technical concepts to both technical and nontechnical stakeholders
• Proven track record of developing and implementing search strategies that successfully drove performance and conversion growth
• Strong Excel skills including pivot tables, VLOOKUP, and comfort working with large datasets
• Experience with testing and leveraging AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude, etc.) for search tasks and optimization
• Experience with GEO and AI search optimization for both AI Overviews and LLMs (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, etc.)
• Experience with GEO and AI search optimization for both AI Overviews and LLMs (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, AI Mode, etc.)
• Passion for staying current in a rapidly evolving digital environment, leveraging new tools, and digital marketing channels to gain a competitive edge

$125,000-$135,000

Omnicom’s policy requires employees to work in the office for a minimum of three days a week, unless additional in‑office days are directed by their agency or manager. Our objective is to increase this requirement over time, and many of our agencies as well as Omnicom’s corporate group already require five days of in‑office attendance.

Omnicom is committed to hiring and developing exceptional talent. We agree that talent is uniquely distributed, and we’re focused on developing inclusive teams that can bring the best solutions to everything we do. We strongly believe that celebrating what makes us different makes us better together. Join us—we look forward to getting to know you. We will process your personal data in accordance with our Recruitment Privacy Notice.

Link to Recruitment Privacy Notice: https://www.omc.com/privacy-notice/