SEO Manager

ABOUT THE ROLE

This is a pivotal role for an SEO Manager who will act as a key expert and champion for Waitrose. You will be responsible for developing a holistic content SEO strategy that focuses on integrated planning, content quality and driving discovery of our content through AI-driven search.
You will work closely with content, social and other digital teams, while also retaining a strong focus on technical and on-page optimisation. Your success will be measured by your ability to drive content performance and ensure SEO is a central part of our digital strategy.

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• Salary- up to £50,000 (depending on experience) 

• Contract type –  This position is a Fixed Term contract (internally a Secondment) until mid January 2027.

• Working pattern/flexible working – The Partnership has adopted a hybrid working approach, meaning you’ll be able to work a mixture between the office and home based upon your personal needs whilst balancing the needs of the business. The team aim for around 1 day a week in the office to connect and on a more ad-hoc basis to attend key meetings. 

• Location – This role is based at our Bracknell Head Office. 

Key responsibilities 

• Content Liaison and Advocacy: You will act as the key SEO point of contact for internal content teams and external partners. You will champion SEO insights, facilitate the content roadmap, and provide expert advice on authorship and content alignment.

• Integrated Content Planning and Activation for SEO: You will feed into and manage the master content calendar, collaborating with the Agency partners & Content teams. This includes identifying commercial, customer, and trend insights to drive activation across various channels.

• Content Governance and Hygiene: You will be responsible for organising and maintaining a centralised digital asset repository. Your goal will be to eliminate redundant and misplaced content to streamline access and ensure all content is purposeful and aligned with business objectives.

• Thought Leadership and Influence: You will attend key strategic meetings to represent the SEO function, present agency insights and content updates, and ensure content initiatives align with broader marketing goals. You will drive the inclusion of SEO recommendations in strategic discussions.

Essential skills/experience you’ll need 

●Experienced SEO strategic thinker who consistently is looking to find incremental gains and uses innovation to drive the SEO agenda 

● Proven experience in SEO with a strong focus on content strategy.

● Demonstrable experience of driving innovation in digital channels 

● Knowledge of Generative AI principles and Large Language Models (LLMs), with a focus on preparing content for AI-driven search and answer engines.

● Creative problem solver who can devise technical SEO solutions across complex websites

● Proven experience in understanding, tracking and improving leading indicators of SEO success

● Experience and expertise and up to date knowledge in the latest Google algorithms and their impact on SEO performance 

● Ability to clearly communicate complex technical requirements to a range of audiences and stakeholders 

● Experience of leading an SEO team coaching and developing individuals

Desirable skills/experience you may have 

● Strong online experience, ideally within Grocery retail 

● Experience of wider digital marketing channels and how they influence SEO and vice versa, specifically Social, Email, Display and PPC

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To learn more about this role, please copy and paste this link into a new browser window: https://embed.wirewax.com/8114190

Closing Date:

August 26, 2025

Pay:

£45,000.00 – £71,000.00 Annual

Contract Type:

Temporary

Hours of Work:

35

Job Level:

Partnership Level 7

Where You’ll Be Working:

Bracknell Campus, Doncastle Road, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 8YA

ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP

We’re the largest employee owned business in the UK and home of our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. We’re not just employees, we’re Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world. As we look to our future, there’s never been a more exciting time to join us.

We’re ruthlessly focused on being brilliant at retail. We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify. Never Knowingly Undersold on price, quality and service in John Lewis and passionately serving food-lovers in Waitrose.

As Partners we all share the responsibility of ownership and in its rewards. We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through the good and challenging times, holding true to our behaviours and treating everyone with kindness and respect. 

We all own making the Partnership somewhere we belong. Embracing our differences and creating an environment where we’re free to be ourselves and can THRIVE. Growing ourselves individually, and as a collective. 

As Partners, we make all the difference. And, we all own it.

Important points to note:

It’s important to note that some of our roles are subject to pre-employment vetting (which may include DBS checks for successful candidates). If required, you’ll be informed and provided with information about vetting during the recruitment process and we encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays. Any DBS checks required will be carried out by a third-party registered body and financial probity checks may also be required for some of our roles.

We also recommend that you apply as soon as possible as vacancies can close early if we see a high number of applicants.

We want all of our Partners to have a good work-life balance and we support flexible working. This might mean flexible or compressed hours, job sharing or shorter hour contracts, where possible. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview.