Partnerships Lead

We're putting together a talented team to build the #1 training platform for Runners

We help everyday runners become outstanding by building an incredible app providing world-class training, coaching and community for everyone, whether you're improving your 5k time or training for your first marathon.

We’re growing extremely fast! In November 2023 we closed a $6.5M funding round led by JamJar with participation from Eka Ventures, Venrex and Creator Ventures. In 2024, we were selected by Apple as one of three global finalists for the 2024 iPhone App of the Year, reflecting the innovation and impact of what we’ve built & in 2025 we were acquired by Strava! 🤯 🎉

Our ambition is huge: to become the go-to global leading training platform for millions of runners everywhere. We’re growing with purpose and looking for people who want to build something meaningful with lasting impact. With the recent acquisition by Strava accelerating our journey, now is a really magical time to join 🚀

Runna is entering an exciting new phase of growth, with the US our primary market focus in 2026. We’re now seeking an experienced, strategic, and commercially minded Partnerships Lead to lead, scale, and elevate our partnerships function in the US.

This role is based in NYC and will sit at the centre of our expansion, responsible for shaping the next chapter of Runna’s partnerships engine across events and races, fitness brands, technology companies, and the wider health & wellness ecosystem.

Over the past two years, we’ve built high-impact partnerships with top marathon events (e.g., New York Road Runners), industry-leading fitness brands (e.g., luluelmon), and major tech platforms (e.g. Garmin). As we commit to making the US our priority market, this role will lead the next phase of scale.

What you’ll do

1) Build and Execute Runna’s US Partnerships Strategy

• Own the US partnerships roadmap and execution, directly tied to Runna’s 2026 global partnership and growth goals

• Identify, evaluate and prioritize strategic opportunities across the running industry with a particular focus on the race and event industry

• Bring deep category knowledge to guide where we play, how we win, and how partnerships drive commercial impact.

• Work cross-functionally with product, content, events, and marketing to deliver integrated, standout partner experiences.

2) Grow, Manage and Optimize High-Value Partnerships

• Lead the full lifecycle of partnership development - from prospecting and pitching to negotiation and long-term optimization.

• Use your established industry network and experience to open doors and accelerate US momentum.

• Manage key relationships with empathy and commercial focus, ensuring seamless delivery and measurable ROI.

• Consistently raise the bar on partnership quality, scale, and integration across Runna’s ecosystem.

3) Lead, Scale & Coach a High-Performing US Partnerships Team

• Hire, manage, and scale a growing US partnerships team (mirroring and expanding our UK model of 2+ team members).

• Create clear structure, coaching, development paths, and adherence to performance metrics.

• Champion Runna’s culture, collaborative, ambitious, and human - as you help shape our US hub.

• Build repeatable processes, playbooks, and frameworks to support long-term US growth.

Requirements

Your experience

We’re looking for someone with:

• Minimum of 6 - 10+ years of experience in health, fitness, wellness, or sports partnerships or sponsorship (e.g., brand partnerships, strategic alliances, sports marketing, community partnerships, sponsorships or related commercial roles).

• Demonstrated success managing high-value partnerships end-to-end, from strategy through execution.

• Proven track record of leading and scaling a partnerships team - including hiring, coaching, and performance management.

• Strong commercial acumen and negotiation experience.

• Existing network in the broader health, fitness, or endurance space is a strong plus.

About you

• You’re a builder - comfortable owning ambiguity, designing the plan, and executing it.

• You operate with pace, organisation, and clarity; you manage complexity with ease.

• You’re a strong leader who knows how to coach, motivate, and empower talent.

• You’re a fast learner who thrives in a high-growth, fast-moving environment.

• You’re personable, collaborative, and ideally passionate about running or endurance sports.

• You’re based in NYC or have the ability to travel to NYC weekly.

Interview process

We aim to keep the process transparent, efficient, and enjoyable:

1. Intro Chat w/ Talent Partner (25-minute video call)

2. Interview with Katie Goble , Head of Partnerships and or Ashwin Raj(25-minute video call)

3. Take-Home Task + Review (~90 minutes) with Lou (GM North America), Katie, and Josh (COO)

4. Team call to meet our US team

You’ll hear from us with a final decision as soon as the process is complete.