Manager, Search Engine Optimization

BUILD A BETTER CAREER WITH MSC Serving customers and our community starts with the best people doing their best work. That is precisely what we have created at MSC Industrial Supply Co. We are a leading North American distributor of metalworking and maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO), products and services. We offer more than 2 million products and have over 80 years of experience across dozens of industries. We aim to execute our Built to Make You Better brand promise for all our stakeholders, including our associates. Requisition ID :20515 Employment Type : Full Time Job Category : Marketing Work Location : Davidson, NC (CSC) BRIEF POSITION SUMMARY The Manager, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is responsible for the execution and ongoing optimization of MSC Industrial's organic search strategy across a complex, enterprise-scale ecommerce platform. This role is a hands‑on, player‑coach position responsible for driving SEO excellence across technical SEO, content optimization, category and product page performance, and emerging AI‑driven search experiences. The Manager will lead SEO initiatives, support the development of team members, and collaborate cross‑functionally with Content, IT/Development, Merchandising, Analytics, and Paid Media to improve search visibility, crawl efficiency, and organic performance inputs. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Execute SEO initiatives aligned to MSC's SEO roadmap, translating priorities into actionable workflows and measurable outcomes Serve as a hands‑on SEO practitioner, leading technical audits, identifying crawl/indexation issues, and recommending scalable solutions Manage and mentor SEO team members, providing direction, coaching, and quality control across initiatives Lead optimization efforts across category pages, terminal nodes, buying guides, and product detail pages to improve discoverability and engagement Partner with Content teams to guide keyword strategy, on‑page optimization, schema usage, and search‑friendly content frameworks Collaborate with IT and Development teams to influence CMS enhancements, technical fixes, and SEO‑friendly implementations Implement and maintain structured data best practices to support rich results, featured snippets, and AI‑driven search experiences Monitor and improve leading SEO indicators including crawl efficiency, indexation health, Core Web Vitals, and SERP feature presence Support SEO initiatives related to AI and LLM search (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini) by integrating optimization best practices into core workflows Collaborate cross‑channel with Paid Search partners to align on keyword strategy, minimize cannibalization, and share performance insights Own SEO reporting and insights, clearly communicating performance trends, risks, and opportunities to stakeholders Act as a strong influencer across teams, advocating for SEO priorities without formal authority Stay current on SEO trends, algorithm updates, and emerging best practices, proactively testing and applying learnings Foster the MSC Culture in the department and throughout the company to ensure fulfillment of MSC's vision and unity of purpose Participation in special projects and perform additional duties as required QUALIFICATIONS What You Need: 4-6 years of SEO experience, with some experience leading projects or mentoring team members Proven experience executing SEO at scale on large, complex ecommerce websites Strong technical SEO foundation, including crawl/indexation, site architecture, and page performance Experience working closely with engineering or development teams on SEO-related initiatives Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, Analytics, or a related field (or equivalent experience) Bonus Points If You Have: Experience optimizing category-heavy or SKU-dense ecommerce platforms Familiarity with SEO considerations for AI-driven search and large language models Experience aligning SEO and Paid Search strategies in enterprise environments Strong analytical mindset with experience using SEO tools to surface insights Ability to clearly communicate SEO concepts to non‑SEO stakeholders Experience collaborating with cross-functional partners to align on priorities Background in B2B or industrial ecommerce environments Other Requirements: A valid driver's license may be required. Position requires up to 10% of travel. This position may require access to International Traffic in Arms Regulations Information (“ITAR”) and/or Controlled Unclassified Information (“CUI”). Compensation starting at $84,800 - $133,320 depending on candidate location and experience. The salary range represented is based on similar roles in comparable industries, and the cost of labor in respective cities. Actual compensation is based on the candidate's relevant experience, education requirements and peer pay equity. The Company reserves the right to modify the range as market conditions change. Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa for this position at this time. This job posting will remain open for a minimum of 3 business days from the original posting date or longer as needed to fill the position. WHY MSC? People. Collaboration. Insight. That's how you build something that works. Built on a foundation of trust, MSC works side by side with our customers to help them drive business results. With more than one million product offerings and 80+ years of experience across industries, MSC strives to help our customers achieve greater productivity, profitability, and growth through inventory management and other innovative supply chain solutions. We care about our associates and have programs in place to help our 6,500+ team members achieve their potential. OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU Our associates are our top priority and investing in their well‑being is one way we execute our Built to Make You Better brand promise. Alongside competitive pay, we have a comprehensive benefits program to support you and your family's health, well‑being and financial future. We offer dynamic healthcare plans, generous 401K and stock purchasing programmes, tuition reimbursement opportunities, and paid time away for holidays, vacations, and illness. Visit our page for a better look at our extensive benefits: Your Future Benefits. You will also have the opportunity to join our Associate Inclusion Circles: Women, Pride, Black, Generational, Veterans, HOLA, and Able. These circles are open to all associates and are designed to promote awareness, collaboration, and respect. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT At MSC, we are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all qualified applicants and our associates without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, sexual orientation or any category protected by applicable law. Accommodation requests can be made at any stage of the recruitment process; applicants are asked to make their needs/requirements known. #J-18808-Ljbffr