Managing Partner - Search Product and Innovation

This role leads SEO Product & Innovation, shaping dentsu’s future-facing Search proposition across SEO, LLMs, AI, automation, content, technical SEO and wider Search capabilities. It is responsible for turning specialist expertise into scalable products, tools, frameworks and delivery models that improve client performance, drive adoption across teams, and keep dentsu ahead of market and platform change. The role also leads the Total Search Specialism team, supports key clients and new business, and helps build a more connected Total Search offering across SEO, Paid Search and adjacent disciplines.

Job Description:

Managing Partner, Search Product & Innovation

The SEO and Creative Experience team within dentsu is a global, award-winning marketing practice that delivers performance, growth and innovation for some of the world's most recognised brands.

Operating at the intersection of Search, Content, Experience, Data and Technology, the team plays a critical role in helping clients navigate an increasingly complex digital landscape.

As Search continues to evolve through AI-powered discovery, large language models (LLMs), conversational interfaces, automation and shifting consumer behaviours, dentsu is committed to building a market-leading Total Search proposition that connects paid, organic and emerging Search experiences.

The Search Product & Innovation function sits at the forefront of this transformation, shaping the future direction of Search across the business and ensuring dentsu remains at the leading edge of client performance, innovation and product development.

The Managing Partner, Search Product & Innovation is responsible for defining and leading dentsu's future-facing Search proposition, driving innovation across SEO, AI-powered Search, LLM optimisation, automation, content strategy, technical SEO and emerging Search technologies.

This role combines product leadership, innovation strategy, commercial growth and specialist capability development to ensure dentsu remains ahead of market change and continues to deliver differentiated value for clients.

As a senior leader within the Search practice, the Managing Partner will transform specialist expertise into scalable products, solutions, frameworks, methodologies and delivery models that can be deployed consistently across clients and markets.

Working closely with senior leaders across SEO, Paid Search, Analytics, Content, Experience and Media, the role will create stronger alignment across the broader Total Search ecosystem while shaping the next generation of Search services and capabilities.

The role will also provide leadership to the Total Search Specialism Team, driving capability development, community engagement, innovation adoption and industry-leading standards across the practice.

Define and own the strategic roadmap for Search Product & Innovation across Dentsu.

Lead the evolution of the agency's Total Search proposition, ensuring it remains differentiated, commercially viable and future-focused.

Develop scalable products, methodologies, frameworks and service offerings that create value for clients and drive operational excellence.

Translate emerging trends and technologies into practical solutions that can be adopted across teams and markets.

Establish governance and standards for innovation adoption across the Search practice.

Partner with regional and global stakeholders to ensure product development aligns to broader business priorities.

Act as Dentsu's senior authority on emerging Search technologies, including AI-powered Search, Generative AI, LLM optimisation, automation, retrieval-based experiences and evolving search behaviours.

Identify opportunities to enhance client performance through innovation and experimentation.

Lead pilots, proof-of-concepts and innovation programmes that test new technologies and delivery models.

Evaluate industry developments and anticipate how changes to platforms, algorithms and consumer behaviour may impact clients.

Drive adoption of innovative solutions at scale across the business.

Lead and develop the Total Search Specialism Team.

Foster collaboration between SEO, Paid Search, Content, Data, Experience and Analytics teams.

Create a culture of innovation, knowledge sharing and continuous capability development.

Support the development of future leaders and specialist talent across the Search practice.

Ensure teams have access to best-in-class tools, methodologies and learning frameworks.

Drive the commercial growth of the Search practice through innovative product development and proposition enhancement.

Identify opportunities to create new revenue streams and scalable service offerings.

Support major pitches, strategic opportunities and business development initiatives.

Partner with client leadership teams to expand Dentsu's role within existing clients.

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