Associate Director, Planning & Strategy

The Associate Director, Media Planning leads digital media planning for healthcare and life sciences clients across channels such as search, display, video, email, mobile, and programmatic media. This role develops research-backed media recommendations, partners with Media Operations and Analytics to activate and optimize campaigns, and serves as a daily client-facing lead. The role also manages media budgets, vendor relationships, performance reporting, and cross-functional collaboration with Strategy, Creative, Content, and Client Services.

What You’ll Do

• Develop integrated digital media plans for healthcare clients using audience insights, channel strategy, budget allocation, and performance goals.
• Lead client-facing media planning discussions, presenting recommendations, reporting, and optimization opportunities to senior stakeholders.
• Manage media budgets, vendor relationships, media spend approvals, and campaign expenses in partnership with Media Operations.
• Collaborate with Analytics to review campaign performance, identify insights, and translate reporting into actionable media optimizations.
• Partner with Creative, Content, Strategy, and Client Services teams to align media plans with campaign objectives and measurable business outcomes.

Required:

• 7+ years of media planning experience, including agency experience developing digital media plans across paid search, display, video, email, mobile, or programmatic channels.
• 3+ years of client-facing experience presenting media strategy, recommendations, and performance reporting to senior clients or cross-functional stakeholders.
• Experience managing media budgets, vendor relationships, campaign spend approvals, and media-related expenses for active client programs.
• Hands-on experience with DoubleClick Campaign Manager, DoubleVerify, Bionic, or comparable media planning and campaign management tools.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint, including budget tracking, media plan development, reporting, and client-ready presentations.
• Experience planning media for US healthcare, pharmaceutical, life sciences, or regulated-industry clients.

Desired:

• Comfort and enthusiasm for using AI as a regular part of how work gets done.
• Experience influencing content, creative, and channel recommendations within a full-service digital marketing agency.
• Experience working across both US and Canadian healthcare audiences, including patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals.
• Experience translating media performance data into optimization recommendations for clients or internal stakeholders.
• Familiarity with healthcare media compliance, regulated communications, or pharma review processes.