Senior SEO Specialist

As a community, the University of Rochester is defined by a deep commitment to Meliora - Ever Better. Embedded in that ideal are the values we share: equity, leadership, integrity, openness, respect, and accountability. Together, we will set the highest standards for how we treat each other to ensure our community is welcoming to all and is a place where all can thrive.

** Job Location (Full Address):*
* 220 Hutchison Rd, Rochester, New York, United States of America, 14620

** Opening:*
* Worker Subtype:

Regular

Time Type:

Full time

Scheduled Weekly

Hours:

40

Department:

900115 Web Services, URMC

Work Shift:

UR - Day (United States of America)

Range:

UR URG 111

Compensation Range:

$63,815.00 - $95,723.00

_The referenced pay range represents the minimum and maximum compensation for this job. Individual annual salaries/hourly rates will be set within the job's compensation range, and will be determined by considering factors including, but not limited to, market data, education, experience, qualifications, expertise of the individual, and internal equity considerations._

** Responsibilities:*
* Serves as designated SEO authority for the Medical Center and affiliates, establishing standards, guiding prioritization, and influencing decisions that impact content discoverability, trust, and performance across digital properties.

Develops, executes, and measures search engine optimization strategies for websites, including affiliated sites. Ensures our digital content is discoverable, credible, and optimized for evolving search landscapes - including AI Overviews, zero-click searches, and holistic search experiences.

Partners closely with performance marketing, digital content, and social marketing teams or individuals, as well as central marketing and communications team(s), to align organic and paid strategies for maximum reach, efficiency, and ROI. Works across content, design, development, and IT teams to keep SEO at the forefront of our web strategy - all while balancing the accuracy and trust that our consumers expect.

*
* Essential Functions:

*
* ** Strategy & Planning*
* + Serves as the designated SEO authority for the Medical Center and affiliates, establishing standards, guiding prioritization, and influencing decisions that impact content discoverability, trust, and performance across digital properties.

+ Integrates modern SEO and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) best practices - on-page, off-page, and technical - into content creation, design, and site architecture.

+ Builds and maintains topic clusters and pillar pages to strengthen topical authority.

+ Coordinates with designated work groups to align organic and paid strategies for full-funnel impact and data insights, ensuring alignment with central marketing and digital teams and resources.

+ Co-leads the evaluation, selection, and ongoing optimization of SEO tools and platforms in partnership with Analytics and IT, ensuring solutions integrate with enterprise analytics, privacy, and technology standards. Manages SEO-related tool investments, evaluates cost-to-value, and demonstrates ROI through performance reporting and efficiency gains.

+ Owns SEO standards and final recommendations for content, technical implementation, and structured data, with escalation paths defined for governance or compliance review.

+ Serves as the SEO decision authority within the division, aligning with enterprise-level SEO governance where applicable.

+ Develops scalable SEO frameworks, templates, and standards that support multiple sites, departments, and affiliated entities within a complex digital ecosystem.

+ Contributes to enterprise roadmaps for search, analytics, and content discoverability.

** Optimization & Technical Execution*
* + Performs regular keyword research and competitive analysis to identify gaps and opportunities.

+ Optimizes content for both traditional and zero-click/AI search results including featured snippets, knowledge panels, and SGE.

+ Uses structured data and schema markup to improve search visibility.

+ Manages link-building strategies in line with specified content credibility and compliance.

+ Oversees technical SEO elements such as site architecture,…