The Ontario Cannabis Store provides safe, responsible access to recreational cannabis for adults 19 and older. We operate the sole legal online store for recreational cannabis in Ontario and are the provincial wholesaler of cannabis for private retail stores.
Working at the OCS is a unique opportunity to be part of an agile start-up in a ground-breaking new industry. We’re a diverse team passionate about delivering a great customer experience, working together with mutual respect and building value out of our differences. We’re an inclusive organization that understands that delivering great results comes out of ensuring every voice is heard.
About the Role
We’re looking for a SEO Specialist to join our team! Reporting to the Manager, UX & Digital Enablement, the SEO Specialist will be responsible for managing the organization’s in-house SEO capabilities & directly supporting the development and implementation of effective SEO strategies and tactics to improve our online presence, drive organic traffic & enhance user engagement, with the broader goal of supporting OCS in illegal market share capture.
This role will ensure seamless alignment across cross-functional teams for the successful execution of SEO initiatives.
About Your Day
- Regularly conduct keyword research to identify and prioritize high-value keywords and long-tail queries based on relevance, search volume, and competition
- Conduct competitive analysis for benchmarking and to identify opportunities within the cannabis SEO landscape
- Track and report on keyword performance and identify trends to support the development of strategies for improving search rankings
- Optimize existing and net new content by incorporating targeted keywords, enhancing page formatting, and updating metadata to improve search engine rankings and visibility
- Conduct content gap analyses to identify opportunities for new content creation
- Support and inform the development and implementation of content strategies that align with SEO objectives and target audience needs
- Monitor and report on the performance of optimized content
- Conduct regular website SEO audits to identify and flag technical issues
- Implement fixes to improve site speed, mobile-friendliness, and search engine crawlability
- Provide regular reporting on technical SEO performance for tracking purposes
- Generate monthly reports on key SEO metrics and KPIs, such as organic traffic, keyword rankings, and organic bounce rates
- Drive continuous improvement by providing insights and make data-driven recommendations using a combination of analytic tools (i.e. SEMRush, GA4)
- Act as an internal advocate for SEO, promoting its benefits and best practices to secure buy-in from key stakeholders and ensure alignment across departments
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Product, Digital Merchandising, Content/Creative, Legal, and Social Responsibility to advance key SEO initiatives and deliverables
- Support the development of a fully integrated SEO strategy that aligns with overall business objectives
- Support the development and execution of ad hoc SEO initiatives, such as local search optimization and backlinking to improve OCS’ authority and credibility
- Establish and maintain clear internal processes for in-house SEO operations and deliverables (e.g. SOPs, process documentation)
- Oversee and manage the primary SEO platform (SEMRush), including configuration, user training, vendor relationship management, and administrative oversight to ensure effective tool utilization.
- Completion of post-secondary education in a related area of study OR equivalent combination of experience
- 2 - 3 years of experience in SEO
- 2 - 3 years of professional experience with industry standard SEO tools (preferably SEMRush and Google Analytics)
- Strong understanding of SEO principles, including on-page, off-page, and technical SEO
- Excellent project management and collaboration skills
- Strong analytical skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to keep abreast of the latest SEO industry trends, algorithms, and best practices
- This position currently offers a hybrid work schedule. The current in office requirement is a minimum of 3 days/week (may be more depending on business needs). The OCS office is located near York Mills and Yonge Street. However, OCS reserves the right to change this policy and its office location at any time.
- City: Toronto, ON
- Employment Type: 12 Month Fixed-Term Contract, Full-Time (Bargaining Unit Role; Represented by OPSEU)
- Required Travel: Rare, usually within the GTA
- Application Deadline: August 22, 2025, at 11:59PM EST
The target hiring range for this position is $84,835-89,000. This is a pay grade 8 BU role, with a salary range of $84,835-$103,687. Placement in the salary range will be based on factors such as market conditions, internal equity, and candidate experience, skills, and qualifications relevant to the role.
We are committed to providing an accessible, equitable and inclusive candidate and employee experience. We provide reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process and in employment. If you require an accommodation please let us know, we will work with you to meet your needs.
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