Summary: The Interim Head of SEO & PPC at Fortnum & Mason will lead the organic and paid search strategy during a maternity cover period, ensuring high visibility and authority across search engines. This role requires a combination of strategic leadership, hands-on expertise, and stakeholder management to enhance performance for a luxury retail brand. The successful candidate will oversee both SEO and PPC initiatives, collaborating with various teams and external agencies. The position is based in London with a hybrid working arrangement.
Key Responsibilities:
- Own and lead the SEO and GEO strategy for fortnumandmason.com and eu.fortnumandmason.com.
- Ensure strong visibility across Google, Bing, and AI-driven search experiences.
- Drive technical, on-page, content, and authority optimisation.
- Partner closely with content, brand, editorial, product, engineering teams, and external SEO agency.
- Champion structured data, entity optimisation, content authority, and E-E-A-T principles.
- Monitor and respond to algorithm and LLM landscape changes.
- Act as senior internal owner of PPC across all markets.
- Lead and challenge the external PPC agency to deliver best-in-class campaign strategy.
- Oversee brand and non-brand search, Shopping/Performance Max, and seasonal peaks.
- Ensure paid activity complements SEO and brand positioning.
- Set clear performance targets and KPIs across SEO and PPC.
- Own performance reporting and insight generation.
- Ensure search supports key trading moments and gifting occasions.
- Balance growth with brand protection and premium positioning.
Key Skills:
- Proven experience leading SEO at scale, ideally for a premium or content-rich brand.
- Strong understanding of GEO/LLM visibility and the evolving search landscape.
- Hands-on PPC expertise, with experience leading agencies.
- Strong commercial mindset and ability to tie activity to revenue outcomes.
- Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
- Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, seasonal retail environment.
Salary (Rate): undetermined
City: London
Country: United Kingdom
Working Arrangements: hybrid
IR35 Status: undetermined
Seniority Level: undetermined
Industry: Other
Join the Fortnum and Mason Family! Fortnum & Mason is seeking an Interim Head of SEO & PPC to lead our organic and paid search strategy during a maternity cover period. This role will be responsible for ensuring our websites (both domestic and international) remain highly visible and authoritative across Google, Bing and emerging LLM-driven search experiences, while also delivering best-in-class paid search performance in partnership with our external PPC agency. The successful candidate will combine strategic leadership, hands-on expertise, and excellent stakeholder management to drive performance across one of the most iconic luxury retail brands in the world.
Job Overview Fortnum & Mason is seeking an Interim Head of SEO & PPC to lead our organic and paid search strategy during a maternity cover period. This role will be responsible for ensuring our websites (both domestic and international) remain highly visible and authoritative across Google, Bing and emerging LLM-driven search experiences, while also delivering best-in-class paid search performance in partnership with our external PPC agency. The successful candidate will combine strategic leadership, hands-on expertise, and excellent stakeholder management to drive performance across one of the most iconic luxury retail brands in the world.
Role Logistics & Responsibilities Contract: Interim maternity cover Duration: 6 months Start: Mid-February 2026 End: September 2026 Location: London / Hybrid
SEO & GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) Leadership Own and lead the SEO and GEO strategy for fortnumandmason.com and eu.fortnumandmason.com Ensure strong visibility across: Google and Bing, AI-driven search experiences (LLMs, AI Overviews, conversational search) Drive technical, on-page, content and authority optimisation Partner closely with: Content, brand and editorial teams, Product and engineering teams, and our external SEO agency Champion structured data, entity optimisation, content authority and E-E-A-T principles Monitor and respond to algorithm and LLM landscape changes
Paid Search (PPC) Leadership Act as senior internal owner of PPC across all markets Lead and challenge our external PPC agency to deliver: best-in-class campaign strategy, strong ROI, ROAS and incrementality, and continuous testing and optimisation Oversee: Brand and non-brand search, Shopping / Performance Max, and Seasonal and gifting peaks (e.g. Mother’s Day and Easter) Ensure paid activity complements SEO and brand positioning
Commercial & Strategic Accountability Set clear performance targets and KPIs across SEO and PPC Own performance reporting and insight generation Ensure search supports key trading moments and gifting occasions Balance growth with brand protection and premium positioning
Essential Skills & Experience Proven experience leading SEO at scale, ideally for a premium or content-rich brand Strong understanding of GEO / LLM visibility and the evolving search landscape Hands-on PPC expertise, with experience leading agencies Strong commercial mindset and ability to tie activity to revenue outcomes Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, seasonal retail environment
Why Join Fortnum & Mason? Competitive salary A generous store and restaurant discount of up to 40% 25 days holidays (excluded bank holidays) and an extra day off for your birthday A fantastic subsidised staff restaurant which uses Fortnum’s ingredients A range of opportunities to develop and grow personally and professionally Excellent pension scheme At Fortnum’s, we offer more than just a job; we provide the chance to be part of a storied legacy while driving modern, meaningful change. Expect opportunities to grow professionally in a supportive and collaborative environment where every day is extraordinary. If you’re an international trading expert, with a passion for luxury and creativity, we’d love to hear from you! We are committed to developing your career and nurturing your talent, regardless of age; disability; gender reassignment; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion or belief; sex; sexual orientation. We respect and embrace each other's differences, to create a truly inclusive environment. In the last year alone, our people have been recognised and celebrated, winning awards for their outstanding contributions to Retail, Technology, Global Hospitality & Tourism, Visual Merchandising & Display, Customer Service and Local Community Awards.
