SEO Manager

About Grainger

W.W. Grainger, Inc., is a leading broad line distributor with operations primarily in North America, Japan and the United Kingdom. At Grainger, We Keep the World Working® by serving more than 4.5 million customers worldwide with products and solutions delivered through innovative technology and deep customer relationships. Known for its commitment to service and award-winning culture, the Company had 2024 revenue of $17.2 billion across its two business models. In the High-Touch Solutions segment, Grainger offers approximately 2 million maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) products and services, including technical support and inventory management. In the Endless Assortment segment, Zoro.com offers customers access to more than 14 million products, and MonotaRO.com offers more than 24 million products. For more information, visit www.grainger.com.

Compensation & Benefits

The anticipated base pay compensation range for this position is $101,300.00 to $168,900.00.

With benefits starting on day one, our programs provide choice and flexibility to meet team members' individual needs, including:

• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans with coverage starting on day one of employment and 6 free sessions each year with a licensed therapist to support your emotional wellbeing.
• 18 paid time off (PTO) days annually for full-time employees (accrual prorated based on employment start date) and 6 company holidays per year.
• 6% company contribution to a 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan each pay period, no employee contribution required.
• Employee discounts, tuition reimbursement, student loan refinancing and free access to financial counseling, education, and tools.
• Maternity support programs, nursing benefits, and up to 14 weeks paid leave for birth parents and up to 4 weeks paid leave for non-birth parents.

For additional information and details regarding Grainger’s benefits, please click on the link below: https://experience100.ehr.com/grainger/Home/Tools-Resources/Key-Resources/New-Hire

The pay range provided above is not a guarantee of compensation. The range reflects the potential base pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual base pay compensation will depend, in part, on factors such as geographic work location and relevant experience and skills.

The anticipated compensation range described above is subject to change and the compensation ultimately paid may be higher or lower than the range described above.

Grainger reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion at any time, consistent with applicable law.

Position Details: SEO Manager

The Search Engine Optimization Manager is responsible for implementing and managing the end-to-end organic search strategy, delivering strong gains in visibility, traffic quality, and revenue. This role pairs technical Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and content expertise with a forward-looking approach that embraces innovation and emerging AI-driven search experiences. Through strong cross-functional leadership, the SEO Manager drives organizational alignment on SEO priorities and oversees the roadmap and investments required to scale our capabilities and accelerate long-term business growth.

This is a hybrid position that is based onsite in Lake Forest or Chicago 3 days a week.

Your Responsibilities

• Own the enterprise SEO program by defining objectives, KPIs, and governance; monitor performance and report progress against goals.
• Execute integrated initiatives across technical SEO, content, and UX to improve organic visibility, engagement, and conversion; track impact using agreed metrics and dashboards.
• Partner with cross functional teams (Technology, Merchandising, Marketing) to prioritize SEO work; document decisions, dependencies, and timelines.
• Lead SEO testing and roadmap by defining hypotheses, test plans, and success criteria; publish results and recommendations to stakeholders.
• Inform site architecture, internal linking, and taxonomy changes through documented requirements and acceptance criteria to support SEO and user navigation.
• Oversee local listings management to maintain accurate data and improve local search visibility; define escalation and audit routines.
• Maintain standard processes, reporting, and alerts to monitor site health and SEO performance; drive remediation for issues discovered.
• Monitor search trends and algorithm updates (incl. AI driven changes) and provide evidence based recommendations for program adjustments.
• Set clear expectations for a team, coach on SEO standards, review work quality, and support performance management processes.

What You Bring

• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience in marketing or related field required.
• 5+ years Experience managing large scale organic search program for well-established online retailer(s) required.
• Experience operating organic search programs for an established online retailer; accountable for visibility, traffic, engagement, and conversion outcomes.
• Experience applying SEO standards and practices: technical SEO, content strategy, site architecture, and performance measurement.
• Experience developing teams and establishing systems/processes that scale organic performance and sustain results.
• Experience performing quantitative analysis and translating data into actionable insights, decisions, and plans.
• Experience developing partnerships, collaborating cross-functionally (e.g., Paid Search, Technology, Content, and Analytics), and communicating updates to leadership.

Key skills/competency

• Technical SEO
• Content Strategy
• UX Optimization
• Organic Visibility
• Data Analysis
• Cross-functional Collaboration
• Team Leadership
• Algorithm Monitoring
• Local SEO
• Program Management