Dance-based Fitness Coach, Striders Program

About New York Road Runners 

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.  To learn more, please visit www.nyrr.org.    

At New York Road Runners, we are committed to building an inclusive, diverse workplace by finding the best candidate for the job. We understand that skills come from a variety of different backgrounds. Checking off every single requirement on our job description is not necessary to apply. If you think you are a good fit and have a passion for the work we do, please submit your application. We are eager to learn about your experience and skills! You may be the right candidate for this or other open positions.  

New York Road Runners is an Equal Opportunity Employer  

About the Department   

The Community Impact team oversees a variety of programs that offer running community opportunities to actively support NYRR's mission to help and inspire people through running. These programs include Rising New York Road Runners for youth, Run for the Future for high school young women, Open Run - a free, weekly, community run/walk program open to all ages and abilities, and Striders, a free walking and fitness program that offers physical activity and wellness resources for older adults looking to get active, stay fit or improve their health. The program also connects participants to a community of like-minded adults who are determined to prove that athletes have no age limits. NYRR Striders provides in-person, coach-led workouts to more than 1,000 older adults across NYC at local parks, senior centers, and community centers. We also offer online resources through NYRR Striders at Home to older adults nationwide.  

About the Position  

The NYRR Striders older adult fitness program has weekly sessions, with most program hours occurring between Monday-Friday mornings and afternoons. The Striders program incorporates different types of all-levels activities for older adults at indoor and outdoor locations. Coaches lead weekly walking and fitness sessions and communicate with members about upcoming events. Most sessions are conducted in local parks and older adult neighborhood centers throughout New York City. 

The Coach supports all efforts to foster a safe and inclusive environment and creates strong team cohesion.  

Please visit our website at www.nyrr.org/striders for more details.  

This is a part-time position, requiring a commitment of at least two sessions per week. Typical shifts are Monday through Friday between the hours of 9am-12pm and 1pm-4pm. Each shift is two hours with the exception of events. It’s required to work at least two events throughout the program year. 

Job Responsibilities (primary and secondary duties):  

• Co-lead a functional dance-based group fitness session for an older adult population, including people from diverse backgrounds, and all physical activity levels. 
• Prepare and implement Striders’ Walking and Beyond Fitness curriculum. 
• Ensure all participants are supported throughout each session and finish the session safely.   
• Arrive at various locations promptly and as assigned.  
• Complete daily attendance, and support participants with enrollment and event registration.  
• Perform other administrative tasks required for scheduling program implementation.  
• Attend staff meetings, required program curriculum trainings and team events.  
• Maintain regular communication with Director, Striders Program  
• Communicate frequently with the program team. Respond to all correspondence promptly and reply to all requests by the specified deadline.  
• Communicate correct, effective technique and form to improve participant pace and mobility. 
• Contribute program enhancements based upon practice and experience 
• Perform routine responsibilities under the general direction of the supervisor. 
• Apply established fitness principles, technical skills, and functional knowledge to safely facilitate the curriculum. 
• Deliver pre-planned group fitness sessions while adapting instruction to meet participant needs and ensure a safe, engaging experience. 
• Apply technical and functional knowledge to support assigned program initiatives and daily operations. 

Job Requirements:  

Experience:  

• Ability to apply musicality to structured movement/functional fitness 
• Prior experience fitness instruction with a specialty in non-traditional populations.  
• Prior experience of prior group exercise with a focus on functional fitness and movement.  
• Prior experience of coaching physical activity with populations of all ages  
• Exposure to teaching older adult and/or non-traditional populations preferred  
• Knowledge of best practices in older adult fitness as well as understanding of age-related issues.  
• 1+ Years of Customer Service experience 

Education & Certifications:  

• First Aid and CPR/AED certification (or willingness to obtain certification through NYRR sponsored training)  
• Safesport and NYS Mandated Reporter training (or willingness to obtain certification)  
• Knowledge of Physical Literacy (or willingness to attend online or in-person workshops through NYRR sponsored training).   

Preferred 

• Senior Fitness, Group Fitness, and/or Running Coach certified from a nationally recognized program (i.e. ACE, AFFA, etc).  

Skills and Attributes:  

• Ability to coach and implement training plan for novice-advanced fitness/walker/runner participants.  
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills  
• Ability to facilitate games and team bonding activities to create a strong team environment.  
• Ability to motivate and encourage new fitness and walker/runner participants.  
• Ability to implement effective conflict resolution as needed.  
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite   
• Strong attention to detail  
• Knowledge of NYC neighborhoods is a plus.  
• Fluency in another language is a plus  
• Strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion

Other Requirements:  

• Must be willing to travel to all of our sites, located across the 5 NYC boroughs  
• Must be able to work a consistent weekly schedule of at least two sessions per week 
• Flexibility to work nights and weekends as needed for the program and organization’s events, trainings, and quarterly meetings.  

Salary: $30/hour