SEO Specialist Edinburgh

VPZ in Edinburgh (Cameron Toll) sits in a nationwide chain with a CSR tilt: staff are NCSCT-trained to help customers quit smoking, and VPZ even notes an Edinburgh-based production facility for its liquids, signaling local sustainability and community focus. (trustpilot.com)

Customer-facing reviews praise knowledgeable, friendly staff and solid product ranges, but employee feedback points to heavy workloads, long shifts with limited breaks, and concerns about head-office leadership and career progression. (trustpilot.com)

Quantitatively, VPZ shows an overall Trustpilot rating around 4.2/5 from about 16,000 reviews, while Indeed’s employee reviews hover around 2.7/5 with Edinburgh-specific comments highlighting pay and advancement issues. (trustpilot.com)

Overall sentiment is mixed: strong CSR and customer-service strengths coexist with ongoing concerns about compensation, work-life balance, and organizational leadership; representativeness is broad (customer and employee sources across multiple locations), though store-level experiences—especially in Edinburgh—tend to dominate recent negative feedback. (trustpilot.com)

What will I be doing in the SEO Specialist role at VPZ?

• Lead the overall SEO strategy and execution across technical, on-page, off-page, and local SEO to drive high-quality traffic, conversions, and revenue.
• Develop and deliver a 12–18 month SEO roadmap aligned with commercial goals.
• Run technical SEO audits, define fixes, and manage implementation with the engineering team.
• Build and optimize content strategies (keywords, briefs, E-E-A-T, UX & CRO) to improve search visibility and user experience.
• Lead link-building and digital PR in collaboration with marketing.
• Own local SEO across Google My Business/Google Business Profile, reviews, and local landing pages.
• Define reporting frameworks, build dashboards, and monitor performance.
• Set SEO governance for migrations, QA, and content standards.
• This is a hands-on, strategic role with opportunities to lead, test, and grow.

What are the required qualifications and preferred skills?

• 5+ years of SEO experience, with some team or agency management.
• Proven success in ecommerce, marketplaces, or multi-location SEO.
• Proficiency with GA4, Google Search Console, Looker Studio, Ahrefs or Semrush, Screaming Frog, and Google Tag Manager.
• Strong technical foundations (HTML, CSS, basic JavaScript) and experience with CMS platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, or Magento.
• Excellent content sensibility and an ethical, sustainable approach to link-building.
• Confident communicator who translates data into actionable business decisions.
• Up-to-date knowledge of SEO best practices, search algorithms, and compliance.

Nice-to-have:

• Experience with international/local SEO at scale, migrations, and large catalogs.
• Familiarity with SQL/Python, CRO, A/B testing, and log-file analysis.

Is this role on-site or remote, and where is it located?

• This role requires 5 days on-site per week at VPZ’s Newbridge HQ in Edinburgh.
• Location: Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
• The posting does not specify remote or hybrid options beyond the on-site requirement; if you need an exception, please check with the recruitment team during the process.

How do I apply and what is the process?

• Please apply with an up-to-date CV (the posting specifically asks for this).
• After submission, VPZ’s recruitment team will review applications and contact suitable candidates for the next steps.
• Expect a interview process that may include multiple stages; specifics (e.g., tasks or case studies) will be shared by the recruiter if applicable.
• Requirements: applicants must be 18 years or older, and any subsequent job offer is subject to pre-employment screening checks.

What are the compensation, benefits, and growth opportunities?

• Salary range: £45,000–£65,000 per year, plus a bonus.
• Location-based on-site role at Newbridge HQ, Edinburgh.
• The role offers significant growth potential: you’ll lead a comprehensive SEO program across technical, content, and local channels with room to influence strategy, manage partnerships, and potentially grow the team.
• You’ll work within VPZ’s Ecommerce team to drive measurable business results and learn from a fast-paced, multi-location retailer environment.