Youth Program Engagement Specialist

Job Summary

About NYRR

New York Road Runners 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 to the world’s premier community running organization.  NYRR’s mission is to empower everyone, of all ages and abilities—beginners and competitive athletes, the young and the elderly, adult professionals and underserved schoolchildren—to improve their health and well-being through the power of running and fitness.

NYRR’s races, community events, instruction and training resources, and youth programs give hundreds of thousands of people each year the motivation, know-how, and opportunity to start running and keep running for life. NYRR’s premier event, the famed TCS New York City Marathon, attracts the world’s top pro runners and committed amateurs alike while also raising millions of dollars annually for charity and driving economic impact for the City.  But NYRR is equally committed to the runners of tomorrow, passionately providing youth fitness programs that educate and inspire more than 100,000 kids in underserved communities in New York City, all 50 states, and around the world.

Headquartered in New York City, NYRR implements a unique nonprofit model that teams contributed and earned income to make all its efforts possible.  To learn more, please visit www.nyrr.org.  

 New York Road Runners is an Equal Opportunity Employer

 About the Department

NYRR’s Youth & Community Programs Department is dedicated to growing NYRR’s impact and reach through free programs serving youth and adults in communities of New York City and across the country.  We believe in the power of running, movement and social interaction to build physical and mental strength and we encourage people of all ages and abilities to participate in-person or online in our programs and events. Our programs embody NYRR’s mission of helping and inspiring all people through running. 

The Youth & Community Programs Department oversees the strategy, execution and promotion of NYRR’s portfolio of free and impactful programs, including Rising New York Road Runners, NYRR Run for the Future, NYRR Open Run, NYRR Striders, and resources for athletes with disabilities. These programs inspire kids, young adults, adults and seniors to get moving and stay moving for life.  We offer valuable online resources, virtual classes and educational webinars in addition to in-person opportunities including classes, events, training sessions and races. As a department, our goal is to foster our communities’ lifelong desire to run and to prioritize health and wellness.  

The department closely collaborates with NYRR’s Development & Philanthropy Department, whose primary role is to raise funds for NYRR’s various philanthropic efforts. The Development & Philanthropy Department oversees individual and institutional giving, NYRR’s membership program, and NYRR Team for Kids, a team of adult runners who raise funds for NYRR’s youth programs through training and racing. 

About the Position

The Youth Program Engagement Specialist manages the Rising New York Road Runners program registration, communication, and administration of in-person and virtual youth events, including event day registration logistics and customer support. This position also oversees the development, project brief creation and approval process for all virtual youth events and other program engagement initiatives.

 Job Responsibilities:

• Lead the youth program event registration process, material preparation, transportation, logistics and event day registration operations for enrolled sites/schools/clubs
• Manage and share all event related information to ensure site/school/clubs are compliant with registration and transportation processes, meeting deadlines and familiar with expectations on race day
• Create internal event calendar with all necessary deadlines and collaborate with the program team on content and scheduling of email event announcements, reminders, and pre-event instructions
• Share and align on all logistic details and event capacity with Youth Events Team (ED&P), SPOO and Race Scoring
• Attend events and lead the check-in process for sites/schools/clubs, handling customer service issues, supervising event-day registration staff, and ensuring race day procedures are followed
•  Develop and administer virtual youth events – races and challenges – to engage sites/schools/clubs and families in our Rising New York Road Runner resources
  • Develop project briefs and project plan outlining all deliverables and timelines
  • Collaborate with Marketing and Digital to design web pages and resources and to promote virtual events to maximize participation

• Oversee event-related elements of the online database used by enrolled sites/schools/clubs
  • Manage youth program event and training set-up
  • Develop data collection and tools to track, measure and report on the success of in-person and virtual event participation, updating systems with attendance/participation statistics
  • Lead ongoing initiative of identifying process improvements to best serve sites, families, and kids
  • Assist in formal and informal testing of new systems and processes for program implementation

• Lead administration of Summer Camp Scholarships including student recruitment, application, and selection; work with external camps to fulfill scholarships to selected students and families

 Job Requirements:

 Experience:

• Minimum 3 years of relevant work experience
• Experience working with youth and/or families
• Experience as an athlete at any level, including recreational, preferred

Skills and Attributes:

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook)
• Strong attention to detail
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to relate and work with diverse populations
• Strong organizational skills; ability to prioritize, multi-task and meet deadlines
• Creativity and an understanding of how to engage and motivate kids and teachers
• Initiative to identify and offer suggestions for improvements or enhancements
• Reporting and interpretation of results
• Fluency in Spanish or other non-English languages, preferred

 Other Requirements:

• Comfortable and willing to travel throughout NYC
• Represent NYRR in school, community and professional meetings and events as appropriate
• Knowledge of NYC neighborhoods, preferred
• Work most Youth Program and major NYRR events throughout the year