Job Description

Lightburn is a 20-person digital agency in Milwaukee, WI. We work across a range of industries, with a strong concentration in B2B and manufacturing clients. We're looking for an SEO Manager to own search strategy across our client portfolio. The right candidate is someone who thinks deeply about how content, site structure, and search intent connect, and who stays genuinely curious about where search is headed.

This role is equal parts research, strategic thinking, and execution. You'll work closely with other members of our digital marketing team to develop keyword strategies, shape content recommendations, and build visibility for clients in a landscape that now includes AI-generated answers alongside traditional rankings. Search is changing fast, and this role will evolve with it.

NOTE: We strongly prefer candidates local to the Milwaukee area, but will consider remote candidates with the right qualifications.

What you'll be responsible for:

Content Strategy & Research

• Keyword research and search intent analysis that shape recommendations for site structure, new pages, and content priorities
• A point of view on how and why clients should show up in AI-driven search experiences, not just traditional results
• Content briefs and optimization roadmaps that give our team and clients something concrete to act on

 
Execution & Optimization 

• On-page and technical SEO work across client sites
• Partnering with developers on technical priorities
• Experiments designed to test hypotheses and move the needle

Performance Insights & Reporting 

• Clear reporting on search performance and trends using modern reporting tools
• A role in defining how we measure SEO success as the discipline evolves
• Recommendations that clients and internal teams can actually use

What to Know About This Role 

This role balances strategy and execution, with a strong emphasis on content-side thinking. You'll develop SEO roadmaps and content recommendations, and you'll also get into the work of running experiments, analyzing results, and iterating. You'll have real autonomy as you build expertise with our clients. SEO is changing rapidly, and intellectual curiosity is as important here as technical skill. You'll be part of defining how we measure success in a world where visibility matters as much as clicks.

Requirements

Skills and Experience Required

• 4+ years of experience in SEO or digital marketing with a strong SEO focus
• Agency or professional services experience strongly preferred
• Proven ability to develop SEO strategy and content optimization roadmaps
• Strong keyword research and search intent analysis skills that translate into real recommendations
• Experience developing content briefs and site structure recommendations
• Technical SEO fluency: site structure, crawlability, structured data, page speed
• Comfort working across multiple client accounts with different industries and needs
• Strong written and verbal communication skills

Other Attributes We Love 

• Genuine curiosity about how search algorithms work and where the industry is headed
• A point of view on generative search and AI-driven visibility, even if you're still developing it
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution
• Entrepreneurial spirit and comfort with increasing autonomy
• Collaborative attitude and willingness to share what you're learning with the team

Benefits

• Competitive salary basted on experience and industry-leading benefits, including generous vacation, flexible schedule, dental and medical insurance, 401(k), and all sorts of other fun stuff.

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