Senior Trade & Publication Media Planner, Life Sciences

Chicago, IL (On-site)

$70K/yr – $90K/yrSenior Level5+ years expFull time

Posted 10 hrs ago

Job Summary

Own and grow direct relationships with publishers and associations, lead integrated trade media plans for life-sciences clients, and manage negotiation, budgeting, and reporting across events and sponsorships.

  • Own and grow direct relationships with publishers and associations.
  • Plan and manage integrated trade media campaigns and event sponsorships including budgeting and reporting.

Job Description

Responsibilities

  • Design and present integrated trade media plans spanning print, direct-buy online display, eNewsletter/e-TOC sponsorships, podcast sponsorships, and event promotion for life-sciences clients.
  • Own and grow direct relationships with publisher sales reps, editors, and association staff across journals, trade portals, and membership organizations.
  • Negotiate insertion orders, rates, and added-value opportunities directly with publishers — no programmatic or self-serve platform buying involved.
  • Plan and manage non-digital event promotion: 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 build accurate audience profiles for client recommendations.
  • Lead client media discussions, contribute to meeting agendas, and justify recommendations with reach, circulation, and share-of-voice data.
  • Track budgets, insertion schedules, and materials deadlines across multiple concurrent trade campaigns.
  • Build client-facing reporting (e.g., Google Data Studio/Looker Studio) summarizing trade campaign delivery and spend.
  • Independently resolve client and publisher issues; mentor junior planners on relationship-management and negotiation practices.

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).
  • Working knowledge of the life sciences/healthcare trade publication landscape — journals, associations, and trade portals — strongly preferred.
  • 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.

Preferred

  • Existing relationships with key life-science publishers or associations (see below list of preferred publishers and association partners).
  • Background in health/science journalism, publishing, or association sales — useful “seller-side” perspective.
  • Experience with a Digital Media Planner counterpart on integrated campaigns (this role partners with, but does not own, paid social/programmatic/search).
  • Life Science short-list of preferred publishers: Elite peer-reviewed journals: Nature and Science, NEJM, JAMA family, Journal of Clinical Oncology, Neurology, AACR Journals, ACS Publications, C&EN
  • Life Science short-list of preferred publishers: Trade & industry news: STAT News, Endpoints News, Fierce, GenomeWeb, Healthcare Dive, MedTech Dive, Modern Healthcare, MM&M, The Scientist, GEN
  • Life Science short-list of preferred publishers: Associations: AAN, AACR, ACS, ASCO
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HDMZ

Tech led. Data driven. Science first. HDMZ works with healthcare and science companies to strengthen and transform brands, launch new products, increase sales and connect with people. We are a full-service branding, digital, public relations and integrated marketing communications agency with expertise in life science research, biotech, biopharma, medical device, diagnostics, CROs, medtech and digital health.We are strategists, scientists, creators, and advocates who start each day excited to do what we do best — advance scientific progress, discovery and development through meaningful connections and compelling communication. The central principle we live by is simple, but powerful: Passion in. Out comes great.HDMZ is a member of the 4A's and Confrad.

Founded in 1936
Chicago, Illinois, USA
48 employees (21 in marketing)

Salaries

Posted range

$70K/yr – $90K/yr

Taken straight from the job posting.

See all HDMZ salaries

Marketing Team

Marketing Team Size
16 (33% of company)
Median Tenure
10.5 years
Marketing Roles Posted (Last 30 Days)
3

Traffic Signals

Monthly Visitors
2.2K
Monthly Google Ads Budget
$7.1K
Traffic Source Mix
Search
28.6%
Direct
46.6%
Referral
5.8%
Social
17.4%
Paid
1.5%

Headcount Trend

Current headcount: ~48