Vice President Performance Optimization Jobs in Chicago, IL

Company Description
With a history that dates back over 80 years, Starcom is a global communications planning and media leader. We are an agency still grounded in our founding principle that people are at center of all we do. Each day, we apply this belief to harness the transformative power of data and technology to inspire and move people and business forward. With more than 7,000 employees in over 100 offices around the world, Starcom partners with the world's leading marketers and brands, including Bank of America, Best Buy, Kellogg Company, McDonald's, Novartis, Samsung, Visa and more.
Overview
We are seeking a dynamic and visionary VP, Performance Content to lead our SEO practice. This role is pivotal in driving our content strategy, ensuring our clients stay ahead of the curve in Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) / SEO. The ideal candidate will be an expert in SEO, with a deep understanding of the latest trends and technologies in the field.
The VP will serve as the senior-most leader responsible for performance content strategy, practice development, cross-agency enablement, client growth, and team leadership. They will also be a key player in developing next-generation search solutions across emerging AI platforms.
Responsibilities
Practice Development

• Lead the strategic vision and development of the Performance Content practice across Starcom clients.
• Maintain deep expertise in the evolving organic search and AI-powered answer engine landscape to guide innovation.
• Own and evolve frameworks, methodologies, and tools that support SEO, conversion optimization, and AI/Generative Engine Optimization (GEO).
• Serve as a senior subject matter expert supporting new business.
• Cultivate strong partnerships with SEO and AI search technology platforms.
• Identify new products and offerings that drive value and growth.
• Support internal education, enablement, and advocacy to drive understanding and adoption of modern search strategies.
• Oversee development and transition plans from legacy content platforms or models.
• Experience managing and optimizing brand's local listings and reviews
• Experience optimizing websites to drive conversions - conversion rate optimization (CRO)

Client Engagement & Strategy

• Partner with senior agency and client leaders to deliver scalable, high-impact SEO and AI search solutions.
• Ensure the quality and performance of strategic deliverables, content optimization plans, and reporting frameworks.
• Guide agencies through SEO transformation efforts, including integration with AI search and emerging platforms (YouTube, TikTok, Reddit, etc.).
• Present performance content vision to C-level stakeholders.

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, mentor, and grow a high-performing team of performance content strategists and SEO specialists.
• Provide strategic coaching to elevate team capabilities in technical SEO, content optimization, AI Search, and analytics.
• Support hiring, career path planning, and ongoing performance management of team members.
• Encourage a collaborative, cross-functional culture across agencies for shared learning and knowledge transfer.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in marketing, business, communications, or related field.
• 10+ years in digital marketing with deep experience in SEO, AI search, and/or content-driven performance.
• At least 6+ years of executive or senior leadership experience, ideally within an agency or multi-brand environment.
• Demonstrated success leading large, cross-functional teams and developing enterprise-level performance content strategies.
• Proven track record of presenting to and influencing C-suite executives.
• Experience developing search solutions that integrate content, user experience, and technology.
• Strong command of tools like SEMrush, Screaming Frog, Google Search Console, Looker Studio, and enterprise analytics platforms.
• Familiarity with AI and Generative Search platforms, and a demonstrated passion for emerging search trends.
• Experience managing large scale content libraries is a strong plus.

Preferred Competencies

• Strategic thinker with the ability to connect search behavior to business outcomes.
• Excellent communicator with strong presentation and storytelling skills.
• Hands-on knowledge of technical SEO, content architecture, and AI search impact on site performance.
• Enthusiastic mentor and team builder, comfortable managing talent at all levels.

Additional Information
Starcom is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our employment decisions are made without regard to actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, disability, medical condition as defined by applicable state law, genetic information, marital status, military service and veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws and ordinances.
The Power of One starts with our people! To do powerful things, we offer powerful resources. Our best-in-class wellness and benefits offerings include:

• Paid Family Care for parents and caregivers for 12 weeks or more
• Monetary assistance and support for Adoption, Surrogacy and Fertility
• Monetary assistance and support for pet adoption
• Employee Assistance Programs and Health/Wellness/Comfort reimbursements to help you invest in your future and work/life balance
• Tuition Assistance
• Paid time off that includes Flexible Time off Vacation, Annual Sick Days, Volunteer Days, Holiday and Identity days, and more
• Matching Gifts programs
• Flexible working arrangements
• 'Work Your World' Program encouraging employees to work from anywhere Publicis Groupe has an office for up to 6 weeks a year (based upon eligibility)
• Business Resource Groups that support multiple affinities and alliances

The benefits offerings listed are available to U.S. based employees, are reviewed on an annual basis, and are governed by the terms of the applicable plan documents.
Compensation Range: $146,490- $210,420 annually. This is the pay range the Company believes it will pay for this position at the time of this posting. Consistent with applicable law, compensation will be determined based on the skills, qualifications, and experience of the applicant along with the requirements of the position, and the Company reserves the right to modify this pay range at any time. Temporary roles may be eligible to participate in our freelancer/temporary employee medical plan through a third-party benefits administration system once certain criteria have been met. Temporary roles may also qualify for participation in our 401(k) plan after eligibility criteria have been met. For regular roles, the Company will offer medical coverage, dental, vision, disability, 401k, and paid time off. The Company anticipates the application deadline for this job posting will be 10/15/2025.
If you require accommodation or assistance with the application or onboarding process specifically, please contact USMSTACompliance@publicis.com. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.
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Compensation Range: USD $146,490.00 - USD $210,420.00/Annually. This is the pay range the Company believes it will pay for this position at the time of this posting. This role may also be eligible for bonus or incentive compensation. Consistent with applicable law, compensation will be determined based on the skills, qualifications, and experience of the applicant along with the requirements of the position, and the Company reserves the right to modify this pay range at any time. Temporary roles may be eligible to participate in our freelancer/temporary employee medical plan through a third-party benefits administration system once certain criteria have been met. Temporary roles may also qualify for participation in our 401(k) plan after eligibility criteria have been met. For regular roles, the Company will offer medical coverage, dental, vision, disability, 401k, and paid time off. The Company anticipates the application deadline for this job posting will be 10/5/2025.