SEO Executive Birmingham

Halfords shows solid financial health with FY24 revenue of 1,696.5m, up 7.9% year-on-year, and underlying profit before tax of 43.1m with underlying EBITDA of 233.0m, signaling resilience in a challenging market. (financialreports.eu)

On sustainability and CSR, the company reports progress such as a 49% reduction in Scope 1/2 emissions vs FY20, a 41% reduction in virgin plastic, Bike Xchange bike returns of over 16,000 and more than 20,000 bikes donated to charities, plus a colleague engagement score of 82% who feel they can be themselves at work and a CDP score of B-, reflecting strong ESG momentum. (financialreports.eu)

Employee sentiment on Glassdoor is mixed: the site shows about a 3.1/5 rating with roughly 38% of employees willing to recommend Halfords, with positives around flexible working and learning exposure in some roles, but criticisms include relatively low pay for retail, long hours, and concerns about management and targets. (glassdoor.com)

Representativeness note: Glassdoor reviews are company-wide and may suffer self-selection bias, so Birmingham-specific experiences may differ; sustainability metrics, meanwhile, come from Halfords’ official annual reporting and ESG disclosures. (glassdoor.com)

What does the role involve?

You’ll deliver on‑page SEO across product, category and service pages to increase traffic, sales and customer value. You’ll audit site performance, present clear SEO recommendations to stakeholders, and support teams through implementation. You’ll also carry out in‑depth keyword research and conduct technical reviews to keep pages crawl‑friendly.

How does Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) differ from traditional SEO?

GEO expands optimization into conversational queries and AI‑generated content. You’ll structure content, map queries for AI interactions and implement structured data to improve visibility on AI platforms while maintaining traditional SEO foundations. You’ll collaborate with teams to balance relevance, accuracy and user experience.

What makes Halfords' SEO team unique?

Halfords is expanding its SEO team from three to five specialists, investing heavily in the future of search. The role sits at the crossroads of traditional SEO and Generative Engine Optimisation, with a hands‑on, collaborative culture and a clear path to influence across the group.

What skills and experience are required?

You're expected to bring established SEO experience with a track record of delivering measurable results, ideally in retail or ecommerce. You should be fluent in technical SEO—HTML, schema markup, Core Web Vitals—and proficient with tools such as Screaming Frog, Google Analytics and Ahrefs.

What about culture and benefits?

Halfords supports a hybrid way of working: 3 days on site at the Support Centre in Redditch and an optional 2 days from home. The package includes a fair, market‑facing salary, discretionary bonus, pension, life assurance, 25 days of annual leave plus bank holidays, and a strong focus on wellbeing and inclusion.

How can I apply and what should I expect next?

Ready to apply? If you’re excited by AI‑driven search and the chance to shape a beloved brand, this could be the role for you.