Director, Paid Search

SurveyMonkey; Ottawa; Hybrid; CAD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading survey platform is seeking a Director of Search to lead their global SEO and SEM strategies. In this role, you'll develop comprehensive growth strategies, oversee substantial budgets, and lead a talented team. You'll also communicate complex strategies to stakeholders and drive innovative solutions using cutting-edge technology. The ideal candidate has significant experience in Search marketing, particularly within a high-growth B2B and SaaS environment. This position includes an in-office collaboration expectation of up to 1 day per week.

Benefits

Flexible hybrid work environment

Programs to help employees thrive

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in Search marketing.
• 3+ years in a senior role overseeing SEO and SEM.
• Strong understanding of web development technologies.

Responsibilities

• Develop a unified global Search strategy.
• Own global Search budget and forecasting models.
• Lead and mentor the Search team.

Skills

SEO knowledge

SEM management

Data analysis

Team leadership

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Marketing or related field

Master’s preferred

Tools

Google Analytics/GA4

SEO tools (e.g. Ahrefs, Screaming Frog)

Job description

SurveyMonkey is the world’s most popular platform for surveys and forms, built for business—loved by users. We combine powerful capabilities with intuitive design, effectively serving every use case, from customer experience to employee engagement, market research to payment and registration forms. With built-in research expertise and AI-powered technology, it’s like having a team of expert researchers at your fingertips.

Trusted by millions—from startups to Fortune 500 companies—SurveyMonkey helps teams gather insights and information that inspire better decisions, create experiences people love, and drive business growth. Discover how at surveymonkey.com.

What we’re looking for

SurveyMonkey is seeking an experienced, strategic, and results-oriented Director of Search to lead our global Search engine optimization (SEO) and Search engine marketing (SEM) channels. You will develop and execute a unified, holistic Search strategy that drives sustainable traffic, conversions, and revenue growth across both paid and organic channels.

You will lead the Search team and serve as the primary bridge between our technical, product, paid, and data teams. You will be leading a high-impact function with the resources and executive visibility to define the future of Search at SurveyMonkey.

What you’ll be working on

• Develop and champion a unified, multi-year global Search strategy that maximizes traffic & conversions across both SEO and SEM, ensuring the channels work synergistically to achieve ambitious growth targets.
• Develop a clear, competitive POV and actionable strategy on how SurveyMonkey will achieve high visibility and conversion rates within the evolving Generative Experience Optimization (GEO) and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO landscape.
• Own the global Search budget and forecasting models, ensuring the efficient allocation of multi-million dollar spend across paid channels (e.g., Google Ads, Bing) while balancing investment in organic growth initiatives.
• Serve as the cross-functional leader connecting Growth, Product, Engineering, Content, and Data Science teams to prioritize and align on the technical roadmap and reporting requirements (e.g., optimizing landing pages and UX for search performance).
• Oversee the end-to-end strategy for all Search efforts, including technical SEO implementation, keyword strategy, ad copy/content optimization, bid management, and content structuring designed for optimal consumption by Large Language Models (LLMs) and generative AI outputs.
• Drive a culture of continuous testing and optimization (A/B testing) across all campaigns and assets. Ensure performance excellence by leading keyword research and competitive analysis.
• Partner closely with the Data team to enhance attribution models and ensure the accuracy of paid signal data (tying into critical Growth data initiatives like SA360), helping us secure the most competitive pricing and get the most out of every agreement.
• Stay abreast of Search engine algorithm changes, industry trends, competitive landscape, and new technologies (e.g., LLM-driven search, AEO, GEO, etc).
• Lead, mentor, and grow the Search team, fostering collaboration and shared learning between the SEO and SEM disciplines.
• Provide strategic direction to the functional channel leads, ensuring optimized daily performance and campaign alignment.
• Manage search marketing budgets and tools, directing vendor and platform relationships (e.g., Google) to drive strategic objectives and deliver maximum value.

We’d love to hear from people with

• 7+ years of experience in Search marketing; 3+ years in a senior leadership role overseeing both SEO and SEM functions, in a high-growth B2B and SaaS environment.
• Track record of driving significant, measurable growth in organic traffic and managing multi-million dollar global SEM budgets, driving conversions.
• Experience in building, managing, and mentoring entire Search teams.
• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, or related field (Master’s preferred).
• Understanding of the interdependencies between technical SEO, content, paid strategy, and the rapidly evolving landscape of Generative Experience Optimization (GEO), Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), and Large Language Models (LLMs).
• Excellent ability to communicate complex technical requirements, channel performance, and holistic Search strategy to non-technical stakeholders and executive leadership.
• Strong understanding of web development technologies, site architecture, and the technical requirements for large-scale, enterprise-level SEO.
• Highly proficient in data analysis and using data signals (like SA360) to drive precise budget allocation and strategic channel optimization. Expert in SEO tools (e.g. Ahrefs, Screaming Frog) and analytics (Google Analytics/GA4, Search Console).

SurveyMonkey believes in-person collaboration is valuable for building relationships, fostering community, and enhancing our speed and execution in problem-solving and decision-making. As such, you will be required to work from a SurveyMonkey office up to 1 day per week.

#LI-Hybrid

At SurveyMonkey, curiosity powers everything we do. We’re a global company where people from all backgrounds can make an impact, build meaningful connections, and grow their careers. Our teams work in a flexible, hybrid environment with thoughtfully designed offices and programs like theCHOICE Fund to help employees thrive in work and life.

We live our company values —like championing inclusion and making it happen—by embedding them into how we hire, collaborate, and grow. They help shape everything from our culture to our business decisions. Come join us and see where your curiosity can take you.

Our commitment to an inclusive workplace

SurveyMonkey is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing a workplace free from harassment and discrimination. We celebrate the unique differences of our employees because that is what drives curiosity, innovation, and the success of our business. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status, pregnancy, parental status, genetic information, political affiliation, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. Accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities.