Upwork ($UPWK) is the world’s largest work marketplace, connecting businesses with highly skilled professionals worldwide. From entrepreneurs to Fortune 100 enterprises, companies trust Upwork’s platform to access expert talent, leverage AI-powered work solutions, and drive meaningful business outcomes.
Upwork’s AI-powered platform has facilitated over $20 billion in economic opportunity for professionals worldwide. With professionals spanning 10,000+ skills, including AI and machine learning, software development, sales and marketing, customer support, finance and accounting, and more, Upwork empowers businesses of all sizes to scale, innovate, and build agile teams.
Are you excited by the rapidly evolving realm of search and its connection with AI? Upwork is seeking an SEO Product Manager to join our expanding SEO team. This is a high-impact role where you’ll not only implement traditional SEO best practices but also help shape our strategy in response to the emergence of AI-powered search experiences like Google’s AI Overviews (AIOs), large language models (LLMs) such as OpenAI and Perplexity, and generative search technology.
You’ll collaborate across functions to drive discoverability in this new era of search, where understanding how search engines and LLMs process and display content is more crucial than ever. This is a thrilling opportunity for someone who flourishes at the intersection of content, product, and data, and who’s passionate about experimenting and learning in an AI-transformed search landscape.
Responsibilities
- Advocate for the customer by applying a product mindset to SEO work, ensuring that solutions are user-centric and aligned with core business goals
- Manage and execute SEO projects, emphasizing both traditional optimization and visibility strategies for the AI era
- Examine how generative search models and AIOs impact Upwork's rankings and traffic, and suggest necessary adaptations
- Develop project plans and timelines, ensure alignment among stakeholders, and produce high-quality work with measurable outcomes
- Design and implement SEO and CRO experiments, including split tests and pre/post tests, to assess the effects of changes in content, layout, and technical elements on traffic, engagement, and conversion performance
- Conduct keyword research and perform content audits tailored for both classic SERPs and LLM-generated results
- Collaborate with content, design, and engineering teams to implement structured data, schemas, and technical enhancements that boost visibility in AI-driven search experiences
- Translate data from tools such as Google Search Console and third-party platforms into actionable insights and monitor performance across both traditional and AI-influenced environments
- Keep up with industry shifts, such as algorithm updates and developments in search AI, LLMs, and conversational interfaces
- Ongoing tracking of search results, including ranking changes, page performance, and competitor mix
What it takes to catch our eye
- 2 to 4 years of experience in SEO with a solid understanding of both technical and content-driven strategies
- Exhibited project management abilities to orchestrate collaborative initiatives and achieve results on schedule
- Experience implementing a customer-centric, product-oriented approach to SEO with user experience at the core of the strategy
- Demonstrated experience in driving organic traffic and conversion results, preferably with marketplace, SaaS or e-commerce websites
- Curiosity and foundational knowledge of AI-powered search trends, including how LLMs and generative search engines are reshaping SEO
- Strong analytical skills and hands-on experience using tools like Google Search Console, Looker, Ahrefs, SEOClarity, and StatSig to drive decision-making
- Clear, collaborative communication style and the ability to partner across product, marketing, UX, content, and engineering teams
- A growth mindset and eagerness to adapt and learn in a fast-evolving SEO and AI landscape
Come change how the world works
At Upwork, you’ll shape the future of work for a global, remote-first workforce, creating economic opportunities for professionals worldwide. While we have a physical office in Palo Alto, we currently hire full-time employees in 21 U.S. states, making it easier than ever to join our mission from wherever you call home.
Our culture is built on trust, risk-taking, customer focus, and excellence, all in service of our core mission: to create economic opportunities so people have better lives. We embrace authenticity and inclusion, encouraging everyone to bring their whole selves to work. Personal and professional growth is a priority here, supported through development programs, mentorship, and our Upwork Belonging Communities.
We’re proud to offer benefits that go beyond the basics, including comprehensive medical coverage for you and your family, unlimited PTO, a 401(k) plan with matching, 12 weeks of paid parental leave, and an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. Visit our Life at Upwork page to learn more about our values, working principles, and the overall employee experience.
Ready to help shape the future of work? Check out our Careers page and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X to learn more about life at Upwork.
Upwork is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse and inclusive workforce. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, genetic information, or other legally protected characteristics under federal, state, or local law.
Please note that a criminal background check may be required once a conditional job offer is made. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered in accordance with applicable law, including the California Fair Chance Act and local Fair Chance ordinances.
