Senior Director, Product & Operations, RLS

Job Summary

We are seeking a strategic, technically fluent, and execution-driven Senior Director, Products and Operations to lead all backend and front-end operations for the Residential Listing Service (RLS) and its industry ecosystem. Reporting to the Senior Vice President of Residential Brokerage Services & Products, the Senior Director sets the operational strategy for the RLS, owns the integrity and advancement of the RLS data set, and drives the technology initiatives that deliver measurable value to members and scale RLS revenue.

The RLS functions as the authoritative master data management (MDM) system for residential real estate in New York City—covering not only listings but also the underlying buildings—and serves as the single source of truth from which data is governed and syndicated out to the Listing Management Platforms (LMPs) that brokers, agents and the public rely on. The Senior Director, Products and Operations owns the integrity of that master data set and the syndication of it across the ecosystem and is responsible for adding and improving the rules that protect members and continuously raising data quality.

Building on a track record of leading project management and operations for the RLS, this role elevates the function from day-to-day operational oversight to enterprise-level strategy and delivery. The Sr. Director will oversee a multidisciplinary team and will spearhead RLS’s first-ever front-end solution, delivering a listings platform that sets a national standard for agents in New York City. Their team will focus on advancing the RLS data set, expanding our centralized building database, and driving adoption of our front-end solution, all with the goal of delivering more value to members and scaling RLS revenue.

The ideal candidate combines deep operational management experience with hands-on technical capability, including familiarity with APIs and tools such as Postman, an AI-forward mindset, and the leadership presence to represent the RLS to its Board of Directors, committees, members, and technology partners.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Strategy & Leadership

• Partner with department and REBNY leadership to develop and execute the operational strategy that meets RLS Key Initiatives and advances the broader industry ecosystem.
• Lead all backend and front-end RLS operations, setting service standards, escalation paths, and the standard operating procedures that govern the function.
• Oversee and lead a multidisciplinary team, providing leadership, mentorship, and direction to the Lead RLS Operations, Data Operations Manager, and the broader member services team, and building a high-performing and accountable organization.
• Track and manage the RLS budget and financial activity, aligning operational investment with revenue and member-value objectives.
• Master the rules and regulations of the RLS, specifically the Universal Co-Brokerage Agreement (UCBA), and ensure operations remain compliant as policies evolve.
• Collaborate with the RLS Compliance Manager to develop, implement, and maintain business rules, requirements, and controls that support data integrity, accuracy, and compliance across the RLS platform.
• Own the overall framework of RLS rules—proposing, adding, and improving the rules that benefit members and improve data quality, and shepherding them through the appropriate governance and approval process

Front-End Solution & Product Delivery

• Spearhead RLS’s first-ever front-end solution, delivering a listings platform that sets a national standard for agents in New York City and across North America.
• Drive member adoption of the front-end solution, defining success metrics and continuously improving the product based on member feedback and usage data.
• Direct the expansion of the centralized building database, ensuring it becomes a foundational asset for members and a differentiator for the RLS.
• Translate member needs and market trends into a clear product and operations roadmap that delivers more value to members and scales RLS revenue.

Data Operations & Technical Oversight

• Own the RLS as the master data management (MDM) system for residential real estate—covering both listings and the underlying buildings—serving as the authoritative source of truth and governing the quality, structure, and integrity of the data set across the ecosystem.
• Own the advancement and integrity of the RLS data set, including the listings data and the centralized building database, by adding or removing data fields and resolving discrepancies and redundancies to better serve the New York City real estate ecosystem.
• Direct the syndication of RLS listing data to the LMPs and downstream platforms, ensuring accurate, consistent, and timely distribution across all destinations.
• Oversee API strategy, vendor integrations, and data feeds, working closely with the Data Operations Manager to ensure accuracy, consistency, and compliance.
• Apply working knowledge of APIs and tools such as Postman to diagnose, articulate, and direct the resolution of technical and data-related issues.
• Oversee the review and approval of vendor and member applications for API access, ensuring alignment with RLS requirements and standards.
• Maintain relationships with key service and software providers (such as Cotality and Technology Providers) and oversee enhancements and improvements across all systems.

Stakeholder Engagement & Governance.

• Serve as the operational liaison between the RLS Board of Directors and the LMPs regarding data system updates, with the goal of creating efficiencies.
• Ensure the data license is up to par and that Technology Providers and Listing Management Providers (LMPs) adhere to RLS rules, standards, and the terms of their agreements.
• Participate in REBNY committee meetings and present operational and compliance updates, trends, issues, and recommended solutions.
• Work cross-organizationally at REBNY to minimize risk and resolve problems.
• Represent the RLS as an internal and industry subject-matter expert on how data is managed, customer service is delivered, and compliance is executed nationwide.

Improvement & Cross-Functional Projects.

• Develop and optimize processes and best practices across the RLS operation, identifying gaps and implementing scalable improvements.
• Establish project management standards, ushering initiatives through the full project lifecycle and driving teams toward defined deliverables.
• Collect project data, evaluate performance against plan, establish corrective action for at-risk elements, and maintain transparent tracking.
• Lead department and REBNY ad hoc projects as needed, ensuring continuity of operations across all RLS functions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 9+ years of professional experience leading operations, projects, and products, including direct experience managing and developing teams.
• Demonstrated success setting and executing operational strategy in a technology- or data-driven environment.
• Familiarity with APIs and tools such as Postman, with the ability to investigate and clearly articulate technical and data issues.
• AI-forward mindset, with a demonstrated interest in applying AI tools and approaches to improve operations, data quality, and member value.
• Familiarity with the real estate industry in general, including how listing data flows between agents, brokerages, MLSs, and technology platforms.
• Comfortable reading and interpreting agreements and data licenses, with the ability to hold providers accountable to their terms.
• Strong understanding of data standards, vendor integrations, ticketing systems, and process-improvement methodologies.
• Excellent communication, relationship-building, time management, reporting, and proactive problem-solving skills, with the ability to confidently engage with members, build strong professional relationships, and communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Exceptional organization, documentation, and execution competencies.
• Knowledge of and interest in real estate technology products and companies, including listing systems, CRMs, and agent and brokerage productivity tools.
• Superior internal and external writing and communication skills.
• Skilled in Microsoft Office, Postman, Salesforce, and similar tools. Tech savvy.
• Results-driven, detail-oriented, and disciplined in meeting deadlines.
• Team-player mindset and a strong collaborator and leader.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of the residential real estate listings market and environment.
• Experience with MLS systems, property data platforms, or other real estate technology.
• Experience launching or scaling a customer-facing software product.
• Proven results driving leadership in project management.

Benefits include Medical, Dental, Vision, generous PTO policy including Summer Fridays, matching 401K, Life Insurance, Transit stipend, Tuition stipend, Citibike and Calm app memberships and more!

REBNY is an Equal Employment Employer