SEO Outreach Specialist - Spain (12 month contract)

Job Description

Please note: This role requires the candidate to be based in Madrid or willing to relocate. We are open to candidates who have availability between 20-40 hours per week.

About the Team

At Canva, we create tools that empower the world to design. Our mission is to democratize design and empower creativity for anyone and everyone, on every platform. Since launching in August 2013, Canva has grown exponentially—we're one of the world's fastest-growing startups, and the journey has only just begun.

International is becoming Canva's biggest growth driver in 2026 and beyond. To reach our foundational goal of having 1 in 5 internet users use Canva every month, we're shifting from translating English successes to implementing truly local strategies that resonate with and convert local audiences.

The LOX group spans the globe with keyword researchers, technical SEO specialists, content specialists, copywriters, engineers, data analysts, designers, and operations specialists. As SEO Outreach Specialist for Spain, you'll be part of the Logged Out Experience (LOX) Group and International Supergroup, working in a dual alignment model, embedded in your Country team locally while contributing to the global outreach team.

About the role

Link building is evolving fast: LLMs are changing how authority signals work, and what earned placements yesterday might not work tomorrow. This role requires someone who can balance proven tactics with experimentation, adapt quickly, and think beyond just securing backlinks.

You'll build high-quality backlinks for priority landing pages in Spain while exploring brand mention opportunities. You'll report to both your Spanish SEO Country Lead and the Global Outreach Lead, executing local strategy while contributing to global coordination.

As search evolves and LLM-driven discovery grows in importance, the most valuable authority signals will come from genuine earned coverage — not just link volume. This role is an early bet on that future, and the person who fills it will help define what modern outreach looks like for Spain.

This role combines three things:

• Commercial outreach execution (your foundation): You know how to hit targets. You can build and manage a prospecting pipeline, write personalised outreach that gets responses, negotiate placements without paying for links, and maintain the kind of disciplined CRM hygiene that makes the whole operation compound over time. This is the foundation — and in the early months, it's where you'll build your credibility.

• Editorial and PR thinking (your differentiator): Your editorial instinct is what sets you apart — you can look at Canva's data or a product moment and ask 'what's the story worth telling here?' You know how to pitch it to the right Spanish outlet and collaborate with the content team to make it publishable. At the same time, you stay plugged into Spain's marketing, community, and partnerships teams — amplifying their work, surfacing the link opportunities hidden inside it, and supporting your Country Lead on content or SEO tasks when priorities demand it.

• Experimentation and global contribution (your growth path): You document what works and what doesn't. You run A/B tests on messaging, explore new platforms, use AI tools to automate the repetitive stuff so you can spend more time on the high-value work. And you share your findings with the global outreach team — because your insights on Spain's media ecosystem are genuinely valuable to a team operating across 20+ markets.

What makes this different from typical outreach roles:

You're not just executing a list handed to you. You're expected to be proactive, spotting opportunities, proposing optimizations, contributing to strategy discussions, and solving problems resourcefully. You'll operate with significant autonomy while staying aligned to your SEO Country Lead's priorities.

Success means delivering measurable authority growth that improves Canva's rankings and search visibility, helping more local users discover Canva and contributing to the country's market penetration goal.

What we're looking for

We're looking for an outreach specialist who thinks beyond the link. You have a solid foundation in digital PR or link building, a deep understanding of Spain's media and publisher landscape, and the curiosity to explore what earned authority looks like as search continues to evolve.

Spanish Market Expertise

• Native Spanish speaker with business-level English (to collaborate globally and access English-language resources)

• Deep understanding of Spain's digital publishing landscape, content creator ecosystem, and outreach norms

• Familiarity with Spain's key media outlets — from tech and digital press to regional and institutional publications

• Ability to identify locally relevant opportunities that non-locals would miss

Relationship Building & Communication

• Positive, enthusiastic, and personable with excellent written communication skills

• Proven ability to build authentic, trust-based relationships remotely — with publishers, editors, journalists, and content creators

• Resilient in handling rejection — able to reframe conversations, identify alternative value exchanges, and negotiate win-win placements without paid links

• Skilled at tailoring messaging for different audiences (journalists, bloggers, YouTubers, community moderators, institutional partners)

SEO or Marketing Experience

• 1-2 years experience in link building, digital PR, content marketing, or related outreach-focused roles

• Basic understanding of how search engines work and what makes a high-quality backlink

• Familiarity with SEO tools (Ahrefs, Google Search Console, Screaming Frog) or willingness to learn quickly

AI Fluency & Technical Comfort

• Comfortable using AI tools for drafting, research, and analysis

• Basic understanding of how LLMs work and how they're changing content discovery

• Not afraid of learning new software

Attention to Detail & Process Discipline

• High attention to detail—able to closely follow detailed written instructions and quality standards

• Organized and systematic in tracking outreach activity, managing contacts, and reporting progress

• Comfortable working within structured frameworks while proposing improvements

Ownership & Proactive Mindset

• You don't wait for instructions—you propose optimizations, identify opportunities, and solve problems resourcefully

• You're comfortable with autonomy and accountability

• You escalate strategically when blockers arise but default to solving problems yourself

Collaborative & Experimental Mindset

• Thrives in a highly collaborative environment—both within the global SEO team and across country functions (marketing, community, PR)

• Excited to embed with non-SEO teams and spot opportunities where outreach expertise adds value

• Skilled at building trust across teams and making collaboration feel natural, not forced

• Comfortable with experimentation, iteration, and occasional failure as part of the learning process

• Curious and growth-oriented—always looking for ways to improve your craft and support others

Strategic Thinking (Growing Capability)

• Ability to connect individual outreach campaigns to broader SEO goals

• Comfortable participating in strategy discussions and contributing ideas

• Willingness to step beyond pure execution and think about "why" not just "how"

Nice-to-Haves

• Previous link building or digital PR experience

• Experience creating content (blog posts, infographics, design assets) for outreach campaigns

• Experience pitching to or working alongside journalists and editors

• Basic design skills or comfort using Canva to create outreach assets

• Experience with CRM (Pitchbox, BuzzStream)

• Active participation in Spain's SEO, marketing, or content creator communities

We're setting a high bar—because International is becoming Canva's biggest growth driver, and we need exceptional people driving it.

What "A-Player" means in this role:

• Strategic thinker: You define what should be done and why (not just execute)

• Relationship builder: You make collaboration easy and productive — with publishers, editors, and internal teams alike

• Problem solver: You're resourceful and resilient when challenges arise

• Data-driven: You use insights to drive decisions and demonstrate impact

• Ownership mindset: You act like it's your business, not just your job

• Growth-oriented: You're constantly learning, adapting, and improving