Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Ascend Learning is a leading healthcare and learning technology company, and they are seeking a SEO & AEO Manager to enhance their organic search and answer engine presence across various brands. The role involves developing and executing SEO and AEO strategies, optimizing web content, and serving as a subject matter expert in SEO best practices.
Responsibilities
- Develop and independently execute comprehensive SEO and AEO strategies across Ascend’s healthcare brand portfolio, improving organic search rankings, answer engine visibility, and AI-cited content to drive web traffic and enrollment/certification conversion
- Own keyword and question research spanning nursing education, allied health certification, medical board exam prep, continuing education, and healthcare workforce development, including both traditional search queries and conversational/AI-generated queries (featured snippets, People Also Ask, AI Overviews, ChatGPT citations); identify opportunities to outperform competitors across every category in which Ascend’s healthcare brands compete
- Optimize web content across multiple brand sites, including meta tags, headings, URLs, schema markup, structured data, and on-page elements, for both traditional search engines and answer engines; deliver gap analyses and actionable optimization recommendations to brand content and dev teams
- Monitor and report on keyword rankings, organic traffic, click-through rates, featured snippet capture, AI citation frequency, and other SEO/AEO metrics across all healthcare brand properties; translate data into clear insights and iterate rapidly
- Analyze website performance using tools such as SEMrush, ScreamingFrog, Gumshoe.ai, Google Search Console, and Google Analytics 4; proactively identify areas for improvement across the healthcare brand portfolio and measure the impact of initiatives
- Serve as the internal subject matter expert on SEO and AEO best practices for the healthcare segment, educating and aligning content, creative, eCommerce, and front-end dev teams so SEO/AEO principles are embedded across all web properties
- Lead technical SEO initiatives in partnership with Martech Dev, including site architecture, crawlability, page speed, Core Web Vitals, and schema implementation across healthcare brand sites
- Monitor industry trends, algorithm updates, AI search developments (Google AI Overviews, Perplexity, Bing Copilot, etc.), and emerging AEO/GEO methodologies; adapt strategies to maintain and grow visibility in a competitive healthcare education search landscape
- Coordinate and provide direction to contract/nearshore resources as a project lead (no direct people management), ensuring flawless execution of the organic search plan across brands
- Leverage AI tools, automation, and emerging technologies to drive efficiency and scale across a multi-brand portfolio, applying sound editorial judgment throughout
Skills
- Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Information Systems, or related field, or equivalent professional work experience required
- 8+ years of search engine optimization experience, ideally with high-traffic eCommerce, DTC, or multi-brand digital properties; healthcare, education, or licensure-driven industry experience a plus
- Demonstrated SEO and AEO/GEO expertise; proven track record of improving organic search rankings, traffic, and conversion across multiple sites or brands
- Expert command of on- and off-page optimization, technical SEO, and structured data / schema markup
- Deep knowledge of AEO and GEO principles, including optimization for AI Overviews, conversational queries, and generative AI citation strategies
- Advanced proficiency in SEO tools: Google Analytics 4, Google Search Console, SEMrush, Ahrefs, Screaming Frog, and similar platforms
- Exceptional analytical skills; uses data to drive continuous experimentation, prioritization, and optimization across a portfolio of brands
- Strong project management skills; adept at coordinating multiple workstreams across multiple brand teams and aligning cross-functional partners without formal authority
- Excellent communication skills; confident presenting strategy and results to senior stakeholders and translating technical SEO/AEO concepts for non-technical audiences
- Familiarity with HTML, site architecture principles, and CMS platforms (HubSpot, Sitefinity, or similar); comfortable working within WYSIWYG editors
- Experience directing contract/nearshore resources and external vendors in a project lead capacity
- Self-directed, intellectually curious, and energized by the rapidly evolving AI search landscape
- Experience capturing featured snippets and AI-cited placements strongly preferred; familiarity with how healthcare and education queries surface in AI Overviews and generative search tools
Benefits
- Flexible and generous paid time off
- Competitive medical, dental, vision and life insurance
- 401(k) employer matching program
- Parental leave
- Wellness resources
- Charitable matching program
- On-site workout facilities (Leawood, Gilbert, Burlington)
- Community outreach groups
- Tuition reimbursement
Company Overview