Deputy Head of SEO (News)

About the role

The Deputy Head of SEO (News) oversees the operational visibility and real-time search performance of our core news and live-blogging verticals (including Breaking News, Politics, Sport, and Business). Reporting to the Head of SEO & AI Search, you will lead and streamline an execution-focused team of News SEO specialists, driving our immediate footprint in time-sensitive search layouts. You will coordinate the day-to-day real-time optimisation and breaking news cycles, delivering instant insights to desks and ensuring our live content remains highly visible, optimised, and dominant across fast-changing news environments. Serving as a key operational leader, you will collaborate with the Technical SEO & Emerging Search teams to maximize performance against different business goals including top-of-funnel traffic volume, real-time subscriber acquisition, and Google Discover visibility.

Key responsibilities

• Oversee the day-to-day optimisation and real-time workflows for live news verticals to maximise immediate search visibility across search platforms, including Top Stories & Discover.
• Support and guide the daily task execution of a small team of News SEO editors, ensuring consistent application of high-standard, rapid-response SEO practices.
• Create, roll out, and govern best-practice frameworks for real-time visibility and Google Discover optimisation across the newsroom, working with the Emerging Search team to evolve advice for multi-media formats.
• Act as the primary point of contact for live editorial desks, (including News, Sport) representing the department at relevant conferences and championing search channels and audience discovery platforms.
• Coordinate and run the SEO plans for major planned diary moments and tentpole events (e.g., elections, major tournaments, budget announcements), aligning cross-desk coverage.
• Coordinate with the Technical SEO team to ensure live-blog templates, schema markup, and fast indexation paths are maintained efficiently.
• Collate routine real-time performance data and traffic metrics from standard toolsets (GSC, Google Trends, Analytics) to provide regular performance updates to the Head of SEO & AI Search and key senior stakeholders.

Key skills

• Excellent real-time project and workflow management skills.
• Deep understanding of Search, Google Top Stories, Google Discover, and live news SEO principles.
• Experience managing fast-paced SEO content execution and breaking news coverage from initiation to completion.
• Analytical and data-driven approach to decision-making under time pressure.
• Ability to build strong relationships across the business and with senior newsroom stakeholders.
• Proficiency in using multiple industry-leading tools (Google Trends, GSC, Real-time Analytics, etc.).
• Numerate and fluent in aggregating and analysing core real-time performance metrics.
• Experience in fast-paced editorial or newsroom environments.

Our benefits

• The nature of our industry means life at Telegraph Media Group is fast-paced, demanding, and interesting.
• We also want it to be rewarding for everyone who works here by creating a suite of benefits that contribute to lifestyle choices and leisure activities.
• From dynamic working opportunities, medical cover, and parental leave (six months fully paid maternity leave and enhanced paternity/partner leave), to life assurance and season ticket loans, you can choose from a range of flexible benefits, designed to support your lifestyle and help you achieve a healthy work-life balance.

Training and development

With support from your manager and colleagues, you’ll also have access to a variety of training and development opportunities through The Academy. Covering a range of personal and professional skills, our courses enable you to develop an enjoyable and rewarding career.

Our commitment to inclusion

At Telegraph Media Group, we foster a diverse and inclusive workplace and we are committed to building a team that reflects a wide variety of skills, perspectives and backgrounds. We believe in equality of opportunity and welcome candidates from all backgrounds, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief. We are proud to be a Level 3 Disability Confident Leader as part of the government’s Disability Confident Scheme. If you are disabled or have a long-term health condition and would like support in applying for any of our roles or if you require any reasonable adjustments in the recruitment process with us, please make us aware.

To find out more about Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging at Telegraph Media Group, and for more information on our purpose, beliefs, and people values, please visit our website.

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