Coordinator, Road and Trail Program

Position: Road and Trail Program Coordinator

Location: Remote within Canada

Reports to: Manager, Marketing and Events (Domestic Programs)

Classification: Contractor

Duration: 12 months

Overview

Athletics Canada is the national sport organization for track and field, cross county, road, mountain, ultra and trail running. Its purpose is to support high performance athletics excellence at the domestic and international level and to provide leadership in developmental athletics in partnership with its provincial/territorial branch partners. Athletics Canada is a not-for-profit, charitable organization operating under a Board of Directors elected by provincial/territorial members.

The Job

Athletics Canada is seeking an organized, collaborative and passionate Road & Trail Program Coordinator to support the continued growth and development of road running, trail running and mountain running across Canada.

The successful candidate will play an important role in delivering Athletics Canada's national Road & Trail programs and services, working closely with Athletics Canada staff, Provincial/Territorial Branches, event organizers, athletes, coaches, and volunteers. The position will have direct responsibility for several national programs while also supporting the delivery of several Canadian Championships and the Mountain & Trail National Team.

This is an ideal opportunity for someone who understands the culture and landscape of road, trail and mountain running and is excited by the opportunity to help build stronger, more accessible and better-connected programs across Canada.

The position reports to the Marketing & Events Manager, while working closely with the Director, Domestic Programs & Safe Sport on program development, policy implementation, governance and the broader Athletics Canada Road & Trail strategy.

Responsibilities

1. Program Development & Stakeholder Engagement

Develop strong relationships with Athletics Canada Branches, event organizers, clubs, athletes, coaches, officials and other stakeholders within the Road & Trail community.

Provide leadership to the Athletics Canada Off-Track Committee and related working groups.

Monitor developments within Canadian and international Road & Trail running and identify opportunities for program improvement.

Assist with communications, resources and educational materials for event organizers and participants.

Collect and maintain program data and provide regular updates and reports to Athletics Canada staff.

Contribute to broader Athletics Canada initiatives that support participation, athlete development, competition and excellence in Road & Trail running.

2. Road, Trail & Mountain Canadian Championships

Support the Marketing & Events Manager in the planning and delivery of Athletics Canada Road, Trail and Mountain Running Canadian Championships, including:

Assist with championship documentation, host selection, contracting, and coordination with host organizations.

Assist with event planning, timelines, communications and operational requirements.

Support championship eligibility, registration, technical and event information.

Support championship marketing and promotional activities.

Assist with post-event reporting, evaluation and continuous improvement.

Develop strong working relationships with Race Directors, Local Organizing Committees, and other event partners.

3. Road Race Label Program

Lead the ongoing delivery and development of the Athletics Canada Road Race Label Program, including:

Manage applications, label requirements, agreements and communications with approved Road Race Label events.

Serve as a primary point of contact for event organizers

Coordinate event requirements, including sanctioning, course certification, technical requirements and other Athletics Canada standards.

Support the development and implementation of event benefits, marketing opportunities and athlete-facing communications.

Monitor program participation and identify opportunities to strengthen the quality, profile and reach of the national road race calendar.

Work with Athletics Canada staff and Branches to ensure consistent application of national requirements.

4. Mountain & Trail National Team

Support the delivery and development of Athletics Canada's Mountain & Trail National Team program, including:

Support Athletics Canada's participation in international mountain and trail running championships and events.

Assist with athlete and coach communications and team administration.

Support team selection, registration, travel and logistical planning.

Assist with national team event preparation and on-site team operations.

Contribute to the continued development of a strong and sustainable national mountain and trail running program.

5. Course Measurement & Certification

Coordinate the Athletics Canada Road Course Measurement & Certification Program, including:

Manage applications and communication with event organizers seeking course certification.

Maintain an accurate national database of certified courses and renewal dates.

Support the transition to updated course certification requirements and processes.

Provide guidance to event organizers regarding course measurement and certification requirements.

Help develop and coordinate pathways and training for certified course measurers.

6. National Road & Trail Sanctioning

Support the implementation and ongoing administration of the Athletics Canada Road & Trail Sanctioning Framework, including:

Work with Athletics Canada Provincial/Territorial Branches and event organizers to support adoption and implementation of national minimum requirements.

Assist with the development of tools, resources and communications to support consistent application across Canada.

Monitor implementation and identify areas requiring clarification, education or additional support.

Work closely with the Director, Domestic Programs & Safe Sport on policy implementation and governance matters.

Help ensure that Athletics Canada's national Road & Trail programs are aligned with broader organizational policies and strategic objectives.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will bring a combination of technical knowledge, organizational ability and a genuine understanding of the Road & Trail running community.

Understanding of the Road & Trail landscape – Knowledge of competition rules, age categories, competition formats and the culture of the road, trail and mountain running community. Familiarity with event management and delivery is strongly preferred.

Strong organizational skills – Ability to manage multiple programs, deadlines, projects and communications streams simultaneously while maintaining attention to detail.

Program coordination experience – Experience coordinating programs, events or projects, ideally within sport, nonprofit, community development or a similar environment.

Strong communication skills – Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively with athletes, coaches, volunteers, event organizers and organizational partners.

Bilingualism – Fluency in both English and French is considered an asset.

Athlete and participant focused – Comfortable communicating directly with athletes and participants in an empathetic, respectful and responsive manner and able to work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds and at different stages of their athletic journey.

Collaborative mindset – Ability to work effectively with the Athletics Canada Off-Track Committee, Provincial/Territorial Branches, Local Organizing Committees and colleagues across Canada.

Solution-oriented approach – Proactively identifies opportunities to improve programs, solve problems and strengthen the overall Road & Trail system.

Independent and self-motivated – Comfortable working remotely and managing responsibilities indep