Director/Sr. Director, Strategy (DTC/HCP) – Pharmaceutical Media

Position Overview

Underscore Marketing is seeking a Director or Senior Director of Pharmaceutical Media Strategy to join our dynamic, specialized media agency focused on pharmaceutical advertising. Reporting to the Head of Strategy, this leadership role will drive integrated media strategy and analytics for both DTC (Direct-to-Consumer/Patient) and HCP (Healthcare Provider) audiences. You will elevate performance reporting, insights, and optimization from day-to-day execution to enterprise-level strategic decision-making that shapes client success and agency growth.

Our agency provides comprehensive support services including media and launch strategies, ongoing optimization, scenario planning, message mapping, audience sequencing, and consultative client partnerships. This is an opportunity to lead strategy across a portfolio of pharmaceutical clients while collaborating with cross-functional teams and driving data-informed decision-making at the highest levels.

Key Responsibilities

Performance Reporting & Strategic Insights

• Deliver strategic oversight of media performance reporting across multiple pharmaceutical accounts, ensuring consistency, accuracy, and actionable insights
• Transform raw performance data into strategic narratives that inform client decision-making and internal planning
• Identify trends, opportunities, and risks across DTC and HCP channels; recommend optimization strategies
• Develop enterprise-level dashboards and reporting frameworks that align with client KPIs and regulatory requirements

Strategy Development & Planning

• Lead development of integrated media strategies for product launches, ongoing campaigns, and market expansion
• Collaborate with analytics, planning, data science, and technology teams to build sophisticated audience targeting and messaging strategies
• Conduct scenario planning and forecasting to support client investment decisions and resource allocation
• Ensure all strategies maintain full compliance with pharmaceutical advertising regulations (FDA, HIPAA, etc.)

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Partner with strategy, analytics, planning, client services, data science, technology, and media activation teams
• Set overall strategic goals and KPIs; promote data-driven culture across internal teams and client relationships
• Serve as strategic thought leader and trusted advisor to pharmaceutical clients on media trends and industry best practices
• Mentor junior strategists and contribute to agency capability development

Client & Market Impact

• Own strategic relationships with key pharmaceutical clients; deliver insights that drive ROI and campaign effectiveness
• Stay current on pharmaceutical market dynamics, competitor activity, and emerging media channels
• Present strategic recommendations and performance insights to C-level client stakeholders

Ideal Candidate Profile

You bring 7+ years of media strategy, analytics, or consulting experience, with a minimum of 3 years in a leadership or senior role. Deep familiarity with pharmaceutical DTC and/or HCP marketing is highly valued. You excel at synthesizing complex data into clear strategic recommendations, thrive in cross-functional collaboration, and demonstrate strong stakeholder management. You are proactive in staying compliant with regulated industry requirements and passionate about driving measurable business impact through intelligent strategy and optimization.

💰 Compensation not publicly listed. Market estimate for similar roles: from $200K, varying by experience and location.