Director, Runner Services

New York Road Runners (NYRR) was founded in 1958 when a small group of passionate runners vowed to bring running to the people and has grown from a local running club into the world’s premier community running organization. NYRR’s vision is to build healthier lives and stronger communities through the transformative power of running. NYRR’s year-round offerings of races, community events, programs, and training resources provide hundreds of thousands of people with the motivation, know-how, and opportunities to start running and keep running for life. NYRR’s premier event, the famed TCS New York City Marathon, attracts the world’s top professional runners and committed amateurs alike, while also raising millions of dollars annually for charity and driving economic impact for New York City. NYRR is equally committed to the runners of tomorrow, passionately providing youth fitness programs that educate and inspire children in underserved communities in New York City, nationwide, and around the world. Headquartered in New York City, NYRR is a 501(c)(3) organization.

About The Department

The Strategic Partnerships & Runner Products Department includes the Business Development and Strategic Partnerships team, the Runner Products and Services team, and the Professional Athlete Group.

• The Business Development and Strategic Partnerships team secures and manages mission-aligned partnerships providing revenue, value-in-kind and strategic support for advancing NYRR's mission. The team collaborates across NYRR departments to maximize partnership value and runner engagement through strategic programming. Additionally, the department oversees licensing of NYRR IP rights, including production of co-branded product and apparel.
• The Runner Products and Services team enhances the training, racing, and community experience through in-person runner training, tailored customer service, and community engagement at the NYRR RUNCENTER. NYRR’s Official Charity Partner Program includes more than 600 official charity partners raising over $80 million annually, while the International Tour Operator (ITO) Program spans 100+ countries and brings more than 13,000 international runners to the TCS New York City Marathon each year.
• The Professional Athlete Group develops and manages programs for professional and sub-elite runners, including wheelchair athletes, working closely with athletes, agents, coaches, and federations, and leading recruitment strategies for elite participation in NYRR events.

Responsibilities

• Direct a team of Full-Time Leads, Full-Time Associates, and Part-Time Associates; create development opportunities through inspirational leadership, succession planning, and enhanced training/ongoing education; optimize team efficiency with strong performance benchmarks and key performance indicators.
• Collaborate with outsource customer service agency and oversee day-to-day activities of outsourced Full-Time Lead and Full-Time Associates who support the NYRR Runner Services team.
• Optimize customer service Tool Stacks (Salesforce, Aircall, haku) and work closely with stakeholders to enhance functionality and effectiveness; onboard and manage potential AI customer success solution.
• Build accurate reporting structures on key performance indicators and benchmarks; regularly offer status reports to the Runner Services team and stakeholders reflecting customer service metrics, successes, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
• Resolve escalated customer service issues with urgency while adhering to NYRR policies and procedures; collaborate with stakeholders as needed and will frequently respond to external runner inquiries.
• Lead departmental team meetings, trainings, and orientations on a variety of topics.
• Participate in a variety of meetings, committees, taskforces, and other related groups to communicate information and facilitate continuous improvement of programs and services.
• Demonstrate strong financial discipline; able to build annual departmental budgets and demonstrate fiscal responsibility throughout the year.
• Lead the customer service function at Marquee events, weekly races, and other activations to assist with runner-related issues and inquiries.
• Process payroll for team on a bi-weekly schedule; able to manage annual labor budget.
• Build and publish Runner Services shift schedule 3-4 weeks in advance.
• Demonstrate passion and commitment to the NYRR brand and core values: excellence, teamwork, passion, innovation, service, and integrity.
• Represent NYRR to the running community in an inspirational and empathetic fashion.
• Advocate for the runner perspective internally; represent the runner by providing regular, two-way communication between NYRR and the runner.
• Additional tasks and responsibilities as needed.

Supervisory Duties and Responsibilities

• Effectively lead employee performance by adhering to NYRR expectations and standards.
• Analyze and understand data; build reporting structures and status reports; make decisions based on outcomes that are in the best interest of the organization.
• Provide effective feedback and coaching to team including specific areas of improvement.
• Prepare and execute Annual Performance Appraisals; develop goals for the Runner Services department; collaborate on mutual goals for individual employees; partner with next level management when employee performance does not meet expectations.
• Delegate and distribute tasks and responsibilities appropriately.
• Ensure direct reports adhere to company policy; course correct when expectations aren’t met.
• Accurately track employee attendance and submit accurate timesheets for payroll processing.
• Promote team culture that aligns with NYRR mission and core values.

Requirements

• Minimum of 5 years of leadership experience in customer service and leading teams of Full-Time and Part-Time employees; experience leading hybrid teams a plus.
• Experience leading CRM systems; Salesforce/haku experience a plus.
• Experience onboarding AI solutions is a plus.
• Experience working with ‘call center’ teams and outsourced support teams is a plus.
• Bachelor’s Degree preferred, but not required.

Skills

• Success at leading a wide array of tasks with shifting priorities; strong organizational agility and ability to thrive in high-velocity work environment; must have strong sense of urgency.
• Self-motivated, results-oriented; able to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Excellent troubleshooting skills; able to analyze and develop information and content to present internally and to customers; report initial issues to internal teams and the development/reporting of the response to the runner.
• Demonstrated knowledge and working experience within digital, mobile, and social spaces.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
• Strong attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Knowledge of the New York City running community and run clubs.
• Familiar with NYC communities across all five boroughs.
• Strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Ability to speak another language strongly preferred.

Other Requirements

• All staff are required to work the United Airlines NYC Half Marathon, RBC Brooklyn Half Marathon, and the TCS NYC Marathon.
• Able to work at weekly races which includes early morning and weekend shifts.
• Operate on a hybrid schedule, working 2 days a week in our Midtown Manhattan office.

Pay

$100,000