Search Lead (SEO, PPC and Lead Gen)

Discover Africa Safaris; Bellville; Hybrid; ZAR 300 000 - 700 000; Full time

Job summary

Join a forward-thinking company dedicated to sharing Africa's beauty with the world. As a Digital Intake Lead, you will harness your expertise in digital acquisition and performance marketing to drive high-intent traffic to the website. This role combines strategic execution with analytical insights, ensuring a seamless visitor experience that converts effectively. Collaborate with a passionate team to create impactful campaigns that resonate with travelers, while enjoying a supportive culture that values creativity and personal growth. If you're ready to make a difference and explore Africa, this opportunity awaits you.

Benefits

20 days of paid annual leave

Extra paid birthday leave

Paid sabbatical leave

Hybrid Working Opportunities

Discounted Africa travel opportunities

Qualifications

• 10+ years in digital acquisition and performance marketing with multi-channel campaigns.
• 5+ years SEO experience with a strong track record in holistic strategies.

Responsibilities

• Define and own the digital acquisition strategy to drive growth across channels.
• Lead SEO and PPC strategies to optimize inbound traffic and improve ROI.

Skills

Digital Acquisition

Performance Marketing

SEO

PPC

Data Analysis

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Education

Relevant Tertiary Qualification

Tools

Google Analytics

Search Console

Job description

Who You Are & How You Work

You approach search with curiosity, precision, and a deep understanding of digital behaviour. You understand that digital acquisition is more than just rankings and ad placements — it’s about reaching the right audience at the right time, with the right intent, through the right channels.

You thrive on analytics, blending technical expertise with performance marketing to drive high-intent, conversion-ready traffic. You take ownership of results, constantly refining strategies across organic and paid channels to maximize efficiency and impact.

You know that exceptional search experiences aren’t just optimised, they’re built for sustainable growth and measurable success. And if this sounds like you, we’d love to chat.

About Us
Discover Africa Group is a team of innovative, experienced, and ambitious go-getters passionate about sharing Africa’s best with travelers from around the world. Our portfolio includes:

• Discover Africa Safaris: Bespoke luxury safari travel in Southern and East Africa.
• 4x4 Hire: Adventure 4x4 self-drive exploration.
• Drive South Africa: Africa’s first online rental car comparison and booking engine.

Our in-house digital marketing and development team operates as a dedicated "internal agency," bringing together permanent staff, contractors, and agencies to create high-quality campaigns for our core travel brands.

We embrace a Kaizen approach of continuous improvement, ensuring every project is customer-centric and aligned with our mission to make travellers’ dreams come true. By collaborating closely with our travel experts, we craft engaging, results-driven marketing that inspires and connects with our audience.

Our team culture is friendly, supportive, and professional—we value creativity, collaboration, and personal growth. Based in the northern suburbs of Cape Town, you might even enjoy a smoother commute, traveling against peak traffic.

Your purpose
The Digital Intake Lead is responsible for driving high-intent traffic to the website through diversified digital acquisition strategies. This role combines technical expertise with strategic execution to optimise multiple inbound channels, ensuring the right audience is reached and converted effectively. The role will require both analytical and performance marketing expertise, working cross-functionally to enhance lead generation efforts, while working closely with brand and tech teams to ensure smooth coordination.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Digital Acquisition

• Define and own the digital acquisition strategy, ensuring a sustainable, diversified, and high-performing inbound traffic engine. Lead the long-term vision for how SEO, PPC, and emerging channels (email, social, AI) work together to drive growth and reduce reliance on any single source.
• Ensure sustained growth and optimisation of the SEO channel as a key inbound traffic driver, while expanding acquisition beyond SEO dependence.
• Drive a long-term strategy that shifts away from pure SEO dependency, incorporating paid media, AI-driven channels, and emerging acquisition opportunities.

Performance-Driven Growth

• Lead the strategy across SEO, PPC, and digital platforms, optimising paid media efforts while enhancing organic reach for long-term traffic acquisition.
• Own PPC strategy and execution, ensuring paid search and social campaigns drive measurable return on investment and align with overall growth objectives.

Data Tracking & Attribution

• Collaborate with the Tech Lead to ensure marketing automation, tracking, and analytics are seamlessly integrated, with robust attribution models and data tracking to measure performance effectively.

Seamless Content & UX Integration

• Partner with the Brand & Content Lead to create a frictionless visitor experience, ensuring smooth transitions from traffic acquisition to on-site engagement and conversion.
• Work closely with UX resources to optimise landing pages for both paid and organic traffic, implementing Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) best practices.

Data-Driven Insights & Optimisation

• Support audience segmentation efforts by providing actionable insights on traffic sources and user behavior, enhancing targeting precision while the Brand, Content and Digital Experience Lead owns segmentation strategy.
• Develop a tracking framework for key performance metrics, allowing for proactive risk identification and quick strategic adjustments.
• Identify scalable acquisition opportunities by testing pilot campaigns across new digital channels and audience segments.

Performance Monitoring & Competitive Benchmarking

• Continuously track cost per acquisition (CPA), return on investment (ROI), traffic quality, and lead conversion rates, refining strategies to improve efficiency.
• Focus on driving high-intent, conversion-ready traffic, optimizing for quality over volume to maximize lead generation efficiency.
• Stay ahead of search industry trends, algorithm shifts, and AI-driven changes, monitoring competitor strategies to identify new opportunities and mitigate risks.

Strategic Resourcing & Decision-Making

• Provide input on the in-house vs. outsourced approach to digital marketing functions, working with the Head of Digital to assess cost-effectiveness, efficiency, and strategic alignment.
• Manage external performance marketing agencies, ensuring they meet performance benchmarks and align with broader acquisition goals.

What We Offer

• 20 days of paid annual leave
• After 5 years, earn one extra annual paid leave day per year, up to a max of 25 days
• Extra paid birthday leave - because no one should work on their birthday!
• Paid sabbatical leave days without tapping into your annual leave, after 5 years of service
• Hybrid Working Opportunities with flexible working conditions
• A team led by actively engaged owners who encourage a caring and positive culture
• Working alongside a diverse and dedicated team of professionals, who share your love for Africa.
• Africa travel opportunities at discounted rates, giving you the chance to explore and deepen your connection to the continent.

Who We’re Looking For

• A relevant tertiary qualification.
• Digital Acquisition & Performance Marketing: 10+ years in digital acquisition, performance marketing, or lead generation, with proven success in executing multi-channel campaigns.
• SEO Expertise: 5+ years of experience where SEO was a key traffic and lead driver. Strong track record in developing and implementing holistic, low-risk SEO strategies, including site health, keyword strategy, on-page optimization, content strategy, link building, EEAT, and other emerging ranking factors.
• PPC Proficiency: 3+ years managing PPC campaigns as a significant contributor to lead generation. Deep understanding of search and social paid platforms, their capabilities, and limitations. Hands-on experience developing strategies, managing budgets, and optimizing campaigns for positive ROI — whether in-house, via a team, or through agency partnerships.
• Multi-Channel Integration: Experience aligning SEO, PPC, social, email, and other digital channels to create synergy and maximize acquisition impact.
• Analytics & Data-Driven Decision Making: Strong analytical mindset with expertise in Google Analytics, Search Console, and other performance marketing tools. Ability to translate data into actionable insights.
• Regulatory & Compliance Knowledge: Understanding of data privacy regulations and first-party data strategies to ensure compliance with digital marketing best practices.
• Sales Funnel Optimisation: Experience in high-intent, high-conversion sales funnels, with a strong focus on tracking, attribution, and continuous optimization.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Ability to work closely with content, UX, branding, data, and tech teams to ensure traffic converts into meaningful engagement and business results.

How to apply?
We invite you to apply for this exciting role through our career portal.

If you’re ready to turn your passion for Africa into a career that inspires and transforms lives, we’d love to hear from you. Apply today and join us in sharing Africa’s wonders with the world.

Discover Africa Group is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all.