Public Relations Specialist

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 mission is to help and inspire through running, aiming to empower people of all ages and abilities to improve their health and well-being through the power of running and fitness. 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 New York Road Runners Public Affairs department encompasses NYRR’s Public Relations, Government Affairs, and Community Engagement teams. Public Relations shares the stories of NYRR participants, events, and programs with media to drive awareness of NYRR’s nonprofit mission, elevating the organization and its executives as industry leaders, while also enhancing and protecting the company’s reputation. Government Relations & Community Engagement manages NYRR's relationships with local and state elected officials, governmental agencies, as well as its relationships with community stakeholders, from our runners and clubs to like-minded organizations. Public Affairs serves as a bridge for the organization and external stakeholders to advance NYRR’s mission by building and strengthening relationships with media, government, community stakeholders, and key partners across New York City and beyond.

About The Role

Reporting to the Director of Public Relations—with indirect reporting into the Chief Communications and Community Officer and the Head of Public Relations—the Publicist/Specialist supports the department’s strategic public relations efforts to tell the whole NYRR story, increases New York Road Runners’ brand awareness, and executes event PR efforts at running events ranging from the TCS New York City Marathon to weekly races and youth and community programs. The Publicist/Specialist will have ownership of year-round initiatives and serve as project lead for various adult and youth races, community events and projects. As PR lead for assigned events, the Publicist/Specialist will oversee the planning, logistics, and execution of media relations and press operations, managing all pre-event coordination across departments and leading onsite operations to ensure success. Additionally, they will develop PR strategies and execute media outreach, draft media materials, and facilitate media (proactive and reactive) engagement. The perfect person for this role is a proactive communicator, self-starter, strategist, and creative problem-solver with strong writing, media relations, project management, collaboration, and campaign execution skills.

Responsibilities

• At the direction of the Chief Communications and Community Officer, the Head of Public Relations, and the Director of Public Relations, and in collaboration with departments across the organization, support, develop, lead, and execute PR strategy for New York Road Runners and its events, initiatives, partnerships, etc.
• Lead/support the planning and onsite execution of media relations and press operations for NYRR events and races throughout the year, serving as the primary PR lead for assigned events and supporting marquee events including but not limited to the United Airlines NYC Half, RBC Brooklyn Half, Mastercard New York Mini 10K, New Balance 5th Avenue Mile, TCS New York City Marathon race week, and TCS New York City Marathon race day.
• Oversee media outreach for runner stories and weekly races throughout the year as assigned.
• Lead/support PR strategies, including identifying compelling stories and media opportunities that elevate awareness of the organization’s nonprofit mission and impact—supporting various departments and initiatives as needed.
• Lead the organization's awards and speaking engagements strategy, collaborating with departments across the organization to identify opportunities and develop successful submissions.
• Write press releases, media advisories, bios, fact sheets, talking points, reports, and other media materials.
• Develop, maintain, support, and cultivate relationships with local, national, and international media—serve as a media contact, monitor media inquiries, facilitate responses, and staff media opportunities as needed.

Requirements

• 5 years of experience in the Media and Public Relations industry preferred.
• Experience developing PR plans for programs, events, and/or initiatives.
• Experience pitching and cultivating relationships with journalists.
• Experience onsite at events working with media and social teams to ensure coverage.
• Experience with nonprofit, community, or events-based organizations a plus.
• Experience with media operations and logistics a plus.
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college in English, Public Relations, communications, journalism, or related field preferred.

Skills

• Excellent creative and critical thinking skills.
• Exceptional written and verbal communications skills.
• A collaborator with strong project management skills.
• Self-motivated with strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Strong ability to multitask, meet and perform under tight deadlines, think clearly under pressure, and exercise good judgment.
• Strong ability to independently and proactively lead projects, develop PR strategy, and execute PR initiatives.
• Excels in the fast-paced environment of live events, where strong judgment, adaptability, and proactive communication are essential.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).

Other Requirements

• Ability to work onsite at races/events and respond to media during weekends and evening hours as required.
• Passion for New York Road Runners’ mission and knowledge of/interest in the running industry are a plus.
• All staff are required to work the United Airlines NYC Half, RBC Brooklyn Half, and the TCS New York City Marathon.
• Operate on a hybrid schedule, with two days a week in the NYRR Office in Midtown Manhattan.

Pay

$76,000 per year.