Director, Media Planning Remote-United States

Underscore Marketing; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Underscore Marketing is seeking a senior media strategist to own omnichannel planning for pharma brands, guiding investment decisions, and ensuring media drives business outcomes across launch and lifecycle.

This role sits at strategy, execution, and client leadership, collaborating across teams while staying close to the work. You will lead integrated planning, manage large budgets, and influence senior stakeholders to maximize impact.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of media planning experience with pharma (HCP + DTC) exposure.
• 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.

Responsibilities

• Own media strategy across launch readiness and lifecycle management; translate brand goals into actionable plans.
• Define channel roles, audience approaches, and investment frameworks to drive engagement and Rx lift.
• Lead integrated planning across digital and traditional channels with a data-driven mindset.
• Manage agencies, budgets, and performance to optimize spend and align with strategy.

Skills

Media planning

Pharma experience

Client leadership

MLR/FDA fluency

Digital channels

Data partners

Communication

Tools

Media research tools

Job description

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
• 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

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've helped clients gain a competitive edge through bold, data-driven promotional strategies that deliver measurable results.

Our team comprises media, 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.

If you're passionate about making a difference and want to be part of a team that values integrity, creativity, and results, if that sounds like you, we invite you to share.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Underscore is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. We provide equal 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.