Director, Media Planning

Underscore Marketing; United States; Remote; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Underscore Marketing is seeking a Director of Integrated Media Planning to lead omnichannel strategy across pharma brands for HCP and DTC. You will own media planning, investment frameworks, and cross-functional collaboration to drive launch and lifecycle success.

Bring 8+ years in pharma media with agency leadership experience, fluency in FDA/MLR constraints, and a data-driven mindset to optimize performance across digital and traditional channels. MBA is a plus.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of media planning experience with deep pharma expertise (HCP + DTC).
• Strong media agency background with proven client-facing leadership.
• Fluency in MLR/FDA requirements and pharma media realities.
• Expertise across digital channels, data partners and media research tools.
• Clear, confident communicator who can influence senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Own media strategy across launch readiness and lifecycle management, translating brand goals into clear, actionable plans.
• Define channel roles, audience approaches, and investment frameworks that drive engagement, adoption, and Rx lift.
• Lead integrated planning across digital (programmatic, social, search, endemic) and traditional (TV, print, OOH) channels.
• Ensure media plans reflect the full patient and HCP journey, not siloed tactics.
• Serve as a trusted advisor, presenting media strategy with confidence and partnering with activation, strategy, and client services teams.

Skills

Media planning

Agency leadership

Stakeholder influence

Data-driven decision making

Pharma industry knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree

MBA (preferred)

Tools

Media research tools

Digital channels platforms

Job description

Location: United States

Department: Strategy, Media Planning

Director,IntegratedMedia Planning

TheDirector, Media Planningleads integrated, compliant, and data-driven media strategy for pharmaceutical brands acrossHCP and DTC/Patient

Description:

This role sits at the intersection ofstrategy, execution, and client leadership—owning omnichannel planning, guiding investment decisions, and ensuring media drives real business outcomes across launch and lifecycle. This is a senior agency role for someone who canset direction, pressure-test thinking, and collaborate across teams while remaining close to the work.

Key Responsibilities:

• Own media strategy acrosslaunchreadiness and lifecycle management, translating brand goals into clear, actionable plans

• Define channel roles, audience approaches, and investment frameworks that drive engagement, adoption, and Rx lift

• Bring a strong point of view rooted in data, experience, and market understanding

• Lead integrated planning acrossdigital (programmatic, social, search, endemic)andtraditional (TV, print, OOH)channels

• Ensure media plans reflect the fullpatient and HCP journey, not siloed tactics

Be a Senior Client Partner

• Serve as a trusted advisor

• Present media strategy with confidence, clarity, and conviction

• Partner closely withmedia activation, strategy, client services, and project managementteamsto ensure alignment and impact

• Set a high bar for strategic thinking, rigor, and accountability

Manage Agencies, Budgets & Performance

• Oversee external media partners to ensure highquality, efficient, andonstrategyexecution

• Own large media budgets,optimizinginvestment to maximizeinvestment spend

• Partner withstrategy and media activation teamsto interpret performance and drive inflight optimization

Innovate

• Stay ahead of media, data, and platform evolution in pharma

• Leverage andadoptsmarter, more effective ways to reach and engage audiences

What You Bring

• 8+ yearsof media planning experience, withdeep pharmaexpertise(HCP + DTC)

• Strongmediaagency background with proven clientfacingleadership

• Fluency inMLR/FDA requirementsand pharma media realities

• Expertiseacross digital channels, datapartnersand media research tools

• Clear, confident communicator who can influence senior stakeholders

• Bachelor’s degree required, MBA a plus

Core Strengths

• Integrated, omnichannel media leadership

• Datadrivendecision-makingand optimization

• Pharma compliance fluency

• Client partnership and strategic influence

Underscore Marketing is a woman-owned, independent agency specializing in life sciences. Since 2002,we'vehelped clients gain a competitive edge through bold, data-driven promotional strategies that deliver measurable results.

Our teamcomprisesmedia, strategy, and omnichannel analytics experts who thrive on collaboration, innovation, and results. When you join Underscore, you become part of a dynamic environment where your ideas matter, your growth is supported, and your work helps elevate brands in a competitive healthcare landscape.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Underscore is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. Weprovideequal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law. We believe that diversity drives innovation and success, and we welcome candidates from all backgrounds to apply.