Responsibilities include:

• Define and continually evolve GAIN's approach to SEO, organic search, social, authority building and digital discovery
• Maintain deep knowledge of technical SEO and ensure best practice is consistently applied across complex and enterprise-level client environments
• Provide senior oversight and strategic direction for major client programmes, pitches and complex organic-search challenges
• Establish clear standards for technical SEO, content optimisation, authority and link building, measurement, reporting and strategic planning
• Challenge teams to move beyond traditional SEO metrics and demonstrate the relationship between organic visibility, discovery, customer behaviour and business growth
• Coach and mentor senior specialists, ensuring technical knowledge and strategic thinking continually develop across the team
• Build strong relationships with search platforms, technology partners and relevant industry communities
• Represent GAIN as a recognised authority on the future of search and organic discovery through client conversations, industry events, content and thought leadership

THE FUTURE OF SEARCH: AI, GEO & DISCOVERY:

The Head of Owned Media will play a central role in defining what the next generation of Owned Media looks like at GAIN.

You will:

• Develop GAIN's approach to Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) and visibility within AI-powered search and answer environments
• Build our understanding of how brands are discovered, referenced and represented across traditional search engines, AI assistants, generative search experiences and emerging discovery platforms
• Establish methodologies for measuring brand visibility and influence across both traditional and AI-mediated search journeys
• Explore how technical SEO, content, structured data, digital PR, authority signals and brand credibility influence visibility within generative search environments
• Lead experimentation around emerging search technologies, separating meaningful opportunities from short-term industry hype
• Work with GAIN's AI and Technology specialists to develop proprietary approaches, tools and workflows that create competitive advantage
• Ensure new capabilities can be translated into credible, repeatable and commercially viable client services

AI-ENABLED WAYS OF WORKING:

We want AI to change how the capability operates, not simply become another tool in the technology stack.

You will identify and implement opportunities to use AI and automation across areas such as:

• Search and audience research
• Keyword, topic and intent analysis
• Technical auditing and diagnostics
• Content opportunity identification and optimisation
• Competitor and market intelligence
• Authority and link analysis
• Data analysis and insight generation
• Reporting and performance commentary
• Quality assurance and workflow automation
• Identification of emerging trends and changes in search behaviour

You will establish appropriate governance around these workflows, ensuring automation improves human expertise rather than compromising quality, accuracy or strategic thinking.

CLIENT & DELIVERY EXCELLENCE:

• Take senior ownership of the strategic direction and quality of GAIN's most important and complex Owned Media engagements
• Build trusted relationships with senior client stakeholders, translating complex search challenges into clear commercial opportunities
• Support teams in resolving difficult technical, strategic or performance challenges
• Ensure appropriate quality assurance is applied across strategy, implementation, analysis and reporting
• Challenge briefs, strategies and established approaches where a better solution can be found
• Ensure client strategies remain current as search platforms, algorithms, consumer behaviour and AI-powered discovery evolve
• Lead or support strategic pitches, credentials and new-business conversations where specialist expertise can differentiate GAIN
• Work closely with Client Portfolio teams to identify opportunities to grow and deepen client relationships

PROPOSITION & SERVICE DEVELOPMENT:

• Continually assess GAIN's Owned Media proposition against client needs, competitor capabilities and wider changes within the search landscape
• Identify opportunities for new products and services across SEO, GEO, AI discovery, authority building and organic performance
• Turn successful approaches into repeatable methodologies, frameworks, scopes and commercial propositions
• Lead pilots and proofs of concept before scaling successful approaches across the capability
• Develop reusable assets, methodologies and intellectual property that differentiate GAIN
• Collaborate across Strategy, Creative, Media, Data, Technology and AI to develop integrated propositions rather than allowing Owned Media to operate in isolation
• Ensure propositions are commercially viable, scalable and capable of demonstrating measurable client value

DEVELOP WORLD-CLASS EXPERTS:

You will build a specialist community that people want to join, develop within and learn from.

You will:

• Lead, coach and inspire the Owned Media team, creating clear expectations around quality, performance and professional development
• Raise the technical and strategic capability of every team member through coaching, mentoring and knowledge sharing
• Identify emerging skills required as SEO and organic discovery evolve and ensure the team develops ahead of client demand
• Create clear development and succession pathways for technical specialists and future leaders
• Foster a culture where experimentation, curiosity and constructive challenge are actively encouraged
• Encourage specialists to develop their external reputation through thought leadership, events, awards, publications and industry communities
• Create an environment where people are expected to question established approaches and continually look for smarter ways to deliver better results

COMMERCIAL & OPERATIONAL LEADERSHIP:

As Head of the capability, you will also ensure Owned Media operates as a healthy, scalable and commercially successful part of GAIN.

You will:

• Maintain visibility of utilisation, capacity, skills coverage and future resource requirements
• Ensure work is scoped and delivered efficiently against agreed commercial parameters
• Identify and address over-servicing, scope leakage and inefficient working practices
• Use automation, technology and improved workflows to increase productivity without compromising quality
• Support forecasting and workforce planning, ensuring the right balance of skills exists against current and anticipated client demand
• Use performance data to identify risks, opportunities and areas requiring investment
• Work with the Group COO to inform future capability, technology and talent investment

HOW SUCCESS WILL BE MEASURED:

Success in the role will be demonstrated through:

• A clear, differentiated and progressive Owned Media proposition
• Consistently outstanding SEO and organic-search work across GAIN's clients
• Evidence that GAIN is successfully evolving beyond traditional SEO into GEO, AI search and broader organic discovery
• Measurable improvement in client performance, satisfaction and retention
• Successful development and commercialisation of new services and methodologies
• Increased productivity and quality through AI-enabled workflows and automation
• Strong utilisation, sustainable commercial performance and effective resource planning
• Growth in the technical capability, engagement and progression of the team
• Strong collaboration with Client Portfolio teams and other GAIN capabilities
• A growing external reputation for GAIN within search, organic media and AI-powered discovery

Requirements

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