Senior SEO ManagerJob Description

A Senior SEO Manager leads strategy, manages teams, and reports to executives, while an SEO Specialist focuses on tactical execution. Senior managers require 5+ years of experience and proven leadership skills, whereas specialists typically have 2-4 years and handle day-to-day optimization tasks.

Yes, strong in-house experience is equally valuable if they've managed complex enterprise sites. Look for candidates who've driven measurable organic growth, managed technical implementations, and collaborated across departments. Agency experience offers multi-industry exposure, but in-house expertise provides deep vertical knowledge.

Prioritize technical SEO skills for Senior SEO Managers, as they must diagnose complex site issues and guide developers. Content strategy can be supported by content teams, but technical expertise is harder to supplement. The ideal candidate balances both, but technical proficiency is non-negotiable at the senior level.

Conduct a live site audit where they analyze your website and present findings with prioritized recommendations. Ask them to explain how they'd approach a specific traffic decline scenario or evaluate their past campaign results with before/after metrics. Request examples of technical SEO problems they've solved.

Watch for outdated tactics like keyword stuffing mentions, inability to explain Core Web Vitals, or lack of GA4 experience. Red flags include vague results without specific metrics, no experience with mobile-first indexing, or unfamiliarity with AI's impact on search. Avoid candidates who can't discuss recent algorithm updates.