Director, Search Strategy

ABOUT ORCHESTRA

Orchestra is a full-service marketing-communications firm that offers clients across sectors unparalleled strategy, storytelling, and data science expertise. Its growing team of 700+ storytellers and strategists is shaping what's next in communications, with experience that spans consumer, technology, climate and sustainability, education, healthcare, philanthropy, real estate, travel, hospitality and arts and culture, to name a few. Since 2022, Orchestra has acquired nine firms, including: BerlinRosen, Civitas, Derris, Glen Echo Group, Inkhouse, M18, Message Lab, Onward and Small Girls PR. It also launched Brightmode, a talent acquisition firm for communications professionals.

People of all backgrounds and abilities are strongly encouraged to apply. Orchestra is committed to building and maintaining a diverse staff, and recognizes that its continued success depends on hiring and retaining high-quality creative professionals with a variety of backgrounds and experiences. Opportunities for advancement exist, and we are committed to helping all staff develop and grow.

ABOUT THIS ROLE

The Director of Search Insights is a senior strategic leader responsible for building, scaling, and operationalizing Orchestra’s AEO (AI-Enhanced Optimization) intelligence offering. This role goes beyond execution to design the systems, frameworks, and insight engines that power discoverability in an AI-driven search landscape.

You will lead the development of a cohesive AEO insights discipline that blends data analysis, AI-driven search intelligence, audience understanding, and strategic storytelling. Your work will ensure clients are not only discoverable in traditional search, but surfaced, summarized, and recommended across emerging AI-powered and multimodal platforms.

This role partners closely with Strategy, Insights, Search and Product teams to translate complex AEO data into clear narratives and actionable recommendations. In collaboration with Product, you will help shape internal tools, data models, automation workflows, and platforms that advance Orchestra’s leadership in AI-powered search strategy.

Role location: This role is fully remote (within the United States).

ACCOUNTABILITIES & QUALIFICATIONS

As the Director, Search Strategy, you will…

Build and Scale Orchestra’s AEO Insights Framework

• Design and formalize scalable, repeatable methodologies for analyzing search behavior across traditional SEO and AI-driven discovery systems
• Define frameworks, taxonomies and KPIs that standardize how insights are generated and applied across teams
• Ensure AEO insights inform platform development, internal tooling and productized offerings

Develop and Maintain Advanced AEO Tooling

• Identify, evaluate and operationalize analytics platforms, LLM-powered tools and search intelligence solutions
• Partner with Analytics, Search and Product teams to build integrated dashboards, automation workflows and internal utilities
• Continuously evolve tooling in response to changing AI search behaviors

Translate Data into Strategic Insight

• Synthesize complex data sets into clear, actionable insights that inform brand strategy, content ecosystems and decision-making
• Present findings to senior client stakeholders with clarity, confidence and strategic rigor
• Elevate search data into compelling narratives that drive impact

Embed Search Intelligence Across Strategy & Activation

• Collaborate with strategy, creative, insights, product and channel teams to integrate AEO insights into brand positioning, messaging and editorial planning
• Ensure insights generated through Product-led tools are fully leveraged in strategic work

Design Measurement & Reporting Systems

• Define how AEO success is measured across client engagements
• Build reporting frameworks that connect discoverability metrics to business outcomes and performance
• Partner with Product to shape reporting features, data models and measurement systems

Ensure AI Search Readiness

• Oversee recommendations related to schema, structured data, semantic alignment and content architecture
• Partner with Search teams to validate technical requirements and inform optimization priorities

Advance Innovation in AI Search Intelligence

• Stay ahead of emerging AI search and LLM technologies
• Pilot new tools, test methodologies, and define future-facing capabilities
• Train teams, publish internal frameworks, and contribute to Orchestra’s thought leadership in AI-driven discoverability

Essential Skills

• 8–12 years of experience in SEO/AEO, digital strategy, or content intelligence, ideally in an agency or consultancy environment
• Deep expertise in search algorithms, structured data and semantic optimization
• Strong understanding of audience intent and narrative strategy
• Hands-on experience using AI and LLM tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity) to inform strategy or workflows
• Ability to synthesize large data sets into clear, visual and actionable insights
• Experience productizing insights into scalable tools, frameworks, or platforms
• Familiarity with search tools (Ahrefs, SEMrush, Screaming Frog, Google Search Console) and emerging AI analytics platforms
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to communicate complex ideas to non-technical audiences
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Curiosity and vision for how search is evolving in an AI-powered ecosystem

WORKING AT ORCHESTRA

Salary range (commensurate with experience and skills): $110,000 – $135,000

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