Senior Media Planner

HDMZ • Chicago, IL

7d • $70,000 - $90,000

About The Position

HDMZ is seeking a Senior Life Science Trade Media Planner to spearhead media strategy across trade, clinical, and scientific publications targeting physicians, researchers, lab professionals, and healthcare administrators within the life sciences sector. This role emphasizes publisher relationships and negotiation, focusing on print advertising, direct-buy online display on publisher sites, eNewsletter and podcast sponsorships, and non-digital event promotion. The planner will engage directly with publisher sales representatives, association staff, and event organizers, rather than utilizing self-serve ad platforms.

Requirements

• 5+ years in trade, print, or publication media planning and buying, with direct experience negotiating with publisher sales representatives (not primarily programmatic or paid-social platforms) within life sciences.
• Working knowledge of the life sciences/healthcare trade publication landscape, including journals, associations, and trade portals.
• Demonstrated relationship-management and negotiation skills with publishers and association partners.
• Comfort interpreting media kits, circulation/readership data, and syndicated audience research.
• Experience planning and executing conference/event sponsorships and on-site promotional materials.
• Proficiency in Google Workspace; familiarity with Google Data Studio/Looker Studio for reporting.
• Strong organizational skills to manage multiple concurrent insertion schedules and hard deadlines.

Nice To Haves

• Existing relationships with key life-science publishers or associations.
• Background in health/science journalism, publishing, or association sales.
• Experience collaborating with a Digital Media Planner on integrated campaigns.

Responsibilities

• Design and present integrated trade media plans encompassing print, direct-buy online display, eNewsletter/e-TOC sponsorships, podcast sponsorships, and event promotion for life-sciences clients.
• Cultivate and expand direct relationships with publisher sales representatives, editors, and association staff across journals, trade portals, and membership organizations.
• Negotiate insertion orders, rates, and added-value opportunities directly with publishers, excluding programmatic or self-serve platform buying.
• Plan and manage non-digital event promotion, including conference sponsorship packages, exhibit signage, registration bag inserts, meeting-guide ads, and on-site materials.
• Evaluate publisher media kits and syndicated readership/circulation research to develop accurate audience profiles for client recommendations.
• Lead client media discussions, contribute to meeting agendas, and justify recommendations using reach, circulation, and share-of-voice data.
• Track budgets, insertion schedules, and materials deadlines for multiple concurrent trade campaigns.
• Develop client-facing reports (e.g., using Google Data Studio/Looker Studio) summarizing trade campaign delivery and spend.
• Independently resolve client and publisher issues and mentor junior planners on relationship management and negotiation practices.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed