Director, Organic Acquisition

Cars.com; United States; On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Cars.com is seeking a strategic and innovative Director of Organic Acquisition to lead organic search growth. The role focuses on driving high-quality traffic and leads through advanced SEO, AEO, and AI-driven content development, shaping how Cars.com discovers and engages users in a landscape influenced by generative AI.

The candidate will guide a two-report team, collaborate with Product, Engineering, Editorial, Analytics, and other teams, and report to the Sr. Director of Brand and Content.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience total with a majority in SEO
• 5+ years of people management experience
• Deep expertise in SEO strategy, technical and content SEO
• Strong understanding of how LLMs parse content and communicate concepts to non-technical stakeholders
• Experience at sites with high organic traffic is a plus
• Proven track record of driving organic growth through innovation and experimentation

Responsibilities

• Develop and own the organic acquisition strategy for Cars.com across technical, content, and LLM optimization
• Collaborate with Product, Engineering, UX, Editorial, Analytics and other teams to align roadmaps and drive SEO-led growth
• Audit site health,竞争 performance, and implement best-in-class SEO practices
• Partner with Editorial to identify content opportunities aligned with consumer search intent
• Lead innovative content testing frameworks and AI-assisted copy strategies
• Advocate for SEO across the organization and educate stakeholders on its long-term impact
• Manage a high-performing SEO team and coordinate with Paid Media for full-funnel success
• Guide B2B and investor relations SEO strategy and share industry thought leadership

Skills

SEO strategy

Technical SEO

Content SEO

LLM optimization

Team leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Analytics

Stakeholder education

Job description

Power confident decisions at Cars.com

Cars.com is the marketplace millions of people trust to buy and sell cars with confidence.

More than 25 years ago, we started as a simple idea, connect buyers and sellers, and today we do a lot more: trusted reviews, transparent pricing, and real-time, proprietary data that cut through the noise of one of life's biggest purchases. Our scaled marketplace, paired with interconnected technology, data, and media, gives dealers and OEMs everything they need to sell more cars.

At Cars.com, we debate openly, decide fast, and deliver what we say we will. We solve real problems for car shoppers and dealers, simplify for speed, and focus on what matters most. We win together or not at all. Here, your work counts, your ideas can help shape what's next, and you'll build alongside people who have your back.

We're in the middle of a real transformation, modernizing the company and investing in AI and data to move faster. You're joining the No. 1 brand people think of first when shopping for a car, at the exact moment it's being rebuilt for what's next. You help decide what that becomes. That kind of influence is rare, and it's exactly why this is a place worth building your career.

Don't just take our word for it, we're proud to be named one of Built In's 2026 Best Places to Work in Chicago and across the U.S.

Ready to help build the most trusted place to buy and sell a car? Join us.

We are looking for a strategic and innovative Director of Organic Acquisition to lead organic search growth efforts for Cars.com. This is a highly visible role focused on driving growth via high-quality, scalable traffic and leads using forward-thinking SEO and AEO techniques, innovative content development, and data-led recommendations and experimentation - all while navigating the fast-paced and ever-changing search landscape.

The ideal candidate will bring deep SEO expertise, creative and innovative thinking, and strong leadership to help us improve discoverability, amplify brand presence, and convert organic visibility into measurable business results. We are seeking a leader who can guide the organization through the search transformation - from a traditional SEO organization to one that is positioning our brand at the forefront of user search discovery within LLMs, generative AI outputs and agentic solutions.

This role will work cross-functionally with Product, Engineering, Editorial, Analytics, and more - crafting a modern SEO and AEO program that's consumer-centric and results-oriented. You will report to the Sr. Director of Brand and Content. This role has two direct reports and is focused on the B2C website Cars.com while also advising on the B2B site and our investor relations site, as well as partnering with our dealer SEO Services team on best practices and thought leadership.

Key Responsibilities:

• SEO Strategy & Execution
• Own and lead organic acquisition strategy for Cars.com including all aspects of SEO from technical, to content to LLM optimization and innovation to drive transformative growth in website traffic and leads
• Partner with Product, Engineering, and UX teams to refine and execute strategy against an aligned roadmap and PM SEO engineers against dedicated roadmap
• Regularly audit competitors, site health and organic performance using best-in-class tools
• Partner with Editorial teams to identify new content opportunities that align with consumer search intent and business goals.
• Build innovative frameworks for content testing (e.g., modular SEO content, FAQ schemas, AI-assisted copywriting).
• Champion thought leadership and act as organization SME on the ever changing landscape around AI, LLM search and consumer search behavior to ensure SEO strategy remains relevant and impactful
• Own SEO analytics - Make decisions on vendors and tooling and report on rankings, traffic, CTR, conversions and other relevant metrics
• Lead and manage a high performing team with two direct reports to achieve SEO objectives
• Work closely with Paid Media to align organic and paid strategies for full-funnel success
• Advise on the B2B site and our investor relations site, and partner with our dealer SEO Services team on best practices and industry thought leadership
• Advocate and evangelize for SEO across the organization and educate stakeholders on its role in long-term growth and brand health
• Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement

Qualifications:

• 10+ years of experience total with a majority in SEO or related field with 5+ years of people management experience
• Deep expertise in SEO strategy, technical and content SEO
• Deep technical understanding of how LLMs parse content while still able to clearly explain these concepts to someone with less technical fluency.
• Preferred experience at a site with 2M+ monthly organic visits
• Experience in a media company a plus
• Proven track record of driving organic growth through innovation, experimentation, and cross-functional influenc