Program Specialist

Position Overview

The SVUDL Program Specialist role is key to the delivery, growth, and impact of the SVUDL program in

our partner schools, helping build and implement a shared vision among all stakeholders, including

youth, teachers, administrators, SVUDL staff, volunteers, and the school community. In this role, you will

be responsible for recruiting, supporting, and collaborating with Teacher Coaches at 2 schools by

providing professional development and support to coaches, developing programming opportunities for

students, and measuring and evaluating program effectiveness. Your goal will be to build strong

programs that can eventually operate independently. The Program Specialist works directly with the

Program team to manage and execute several competitive debate tournaments, workshops, and events

each year.

The SVUDL Program Specialist is also key to the delivery, growth, and impact of Debate Centered

Instruction (DCI) in SVUDL partner schools, working closely with the Director of Education to support

teachers in bringing DCI activities into their classrooms. The Program Specialist is responsible for

supporting the preparation and delivery of professional development workshops, helping teachers

identify opportunities to integrate DCI activities into their subject area curricula, and providing

classroom based support as teachers implement those activities with students. This includes observing

DCI lessons, offering clear and constructive feedback to teachers, sharing instructional resources and

best practices, and helping assess the effectiveness of DCI implementation across partner schools.

Through this work, the Program Specialist helps strengthen teacher practice, expand student access to

rigorous discussion and argumentation, and support the continued growth of Debate Centered

Instruction as a core element of SVUDL’s school-based programming.

You will spend approximately 85% of your working hours in the field visiting school sites and attending

practices to provide training and oversight to teacher coaches as scheduling permits, and 15% of your

working hours at the SVUDL office in San Jose or remotely. You will be an active member of the Program

team, working collaboratively with other Program Specialists, Teacher Coaches, administrative staff, the

Director of Programming, the Director of Education, and the CEO.

Community organizing is essential for building sustainable programs. While coaching can exist without

program development, creating lasting institutions requires intentional community-building. Program

Specialists will focus on creating and building relationships while equipping stakeholders with the

knowledge and skills needed for SVUDL's success. Program Specialists will also work closely as a team, sharing responsibility for program design, event execution, and student experience across partner

schools.

The Program Specialist reports to the Director of Education.

What You’ll Do

Build and Sustain School-Based Relationships and Program Presence

● Maintain a consistent on-site presence at each partner school, including visiting each school at least

once per week during active programming.

● Build and maintain strong relationships with Teacher Coaches, students, and school staff through

regular interaction, visibility, and follow-up.

● Conduct ongoing student recruitment efforts, including classroom visits and outreach during the

school day to ensure consistent participation throughout the year.

● Support the implementation of Debate Centered Instruction in classrooms at partner schools in

coordination with the Director of Education.

● Attend and support team practices regularly, providing coaching, observation, and feedback to

Teacher Coaches to strengthen practice quality and alignment with SVUDL’s model.

● Maintain relationships with school administrators by sharing program updates and student

successes at least once per semester, and identifying opportunities for increased visibility and

support.

● Represent SVUDL as a consistent and trusted presence on campus, building relationships that

support long-term program sustainability.

Develop Teacher Coaches Toward Independent Program Leadership

● Provide ongoing coaching and support to Teacher Coaches through weekly 1:1 meetings and inpractice guidance, with the goal of developing independent practice leadership over time.

● Train Teacher Coaches to use SVUDL’s skills progression to plan practices, assess student

development, and support both novice and experienced students.

● Support Teacher Coaches in leading inclusive, team-based practices that avoid siloing students and

promote shared skill development and team cohesion.

● Develop Teacher Coaches’ ability to recruit and retain students, facilitate engaging practices, and

build strong team culture.

● Support Teacher Coaches in preparing students for tournaments, including managing logistics,

communication, and expectations.

● Monitor Teacher Coach progress and identify areas of growth or stagnation. Collaborate with the

Director of Programming to adjust support, address challenges, or plan transitions when necessary.

● Contribute to a broader community of Teacher Coaches across schools to support peer learning and

long-term program sustainability.

Deepen Student Experience and Skill Development

● Support the delivery of high-quality team practices that build student engagement and skill

development.

● Collaborate with the Program team to introduce and promote diverse formats and activities that

broaden student exposure and maintain engagement.

● Create and support opportunities for students to apply and demonstrate their skills, including

showcases, events, and other presentations.

● Coordinate enrichment opportunities such as field trips, guest speakers, and partnerships that

deepen student learning and connection to the activity.

● Ensure programming evolves to meet the growing skill levels and needs of students, increasing rigor

and independence over time.

● In some cases, the Program Specialist will be called to teach and/or coach students.

Create Quality Competitive Experiences

● Collaborate with the Program team to plan and execute tournaments and events, contributing to

logistics, preparation, and on-site coordination.

● Ensure assigned schools are registered for tournaments and that student participation is accurately

tracked.

● Support Teacher Coaches in preparing students for tournaments, including communication, logistics,

and readiness.

● Contribute to judge recruitment and training efforts in collaboration with the Program team.

● Support event logistics, including setup, materials, and coordination with staff and volunteers.

● Ensure students, teachers, and judges from assigned schools are prepared and present for

tournaments.

Support Debate Centered Instruction Professional Development

● Prepare teacher-facing materials for professional development workshops, including sample lesson

plans, activity instructions, facilitation guides, discussion protocols, graphic organizers, and

reflection tools.

● Assist with the design, preparation, and facilitation of workshops that introduce teachers to DCI as a

classroom based instructional method that uses structured academic discourse, evidence-based

argument, and collaborative reasoning to deepen student learning across subject areas.

● Assist with follow-up communication after professional development sessions, including sharing

resources, gathering teacher feedback, documenting next steps, and helping maintain updated DCI

materials for participating teachers.

Support Teachers in DCI Implementation

● Work directly with teachers to help them integrate DCI activities into their existing curricula. Meet

with teachers individually or in small groups to help identify appropriate units, texts, topics,

essential questions, or standards where DCI activities can strengthen student engagement,

academic discourse, evidence-based reasoning, and analytical writing.

● Support teachers in adapting DCI activities to their classroom goals, student needs, subject matter,

pacing calendars, and instructional routines.

● Use observation cycles to support high-quality implementation of DCI, including pre-observation

planning conversations, classroom visits, post-observation reflection, and follow-up support.

● Model facilitation strategies when appropriate, including how to introduce an activity, frame a

debate question, support evidence use, structure student talk, manage time, and debrief student

learning.

● Support teachers in troubleshooting implementation challenges, including uneven participation,

student reluctance to speak, classroom management during debate activities, insufficient evidence

use, or difficulty connecting discussion to writing.

● Help teachers build confidence and independence over time so that they can implement DCI

activities with increasing consistency, quality, and ownership.

Build Teacher Capacity and Community

● Contribute to the development of a community of practice among teachers implementing DCI across

SVUDL partner schools. Support regular opportunities for teachers to share lesson ideas, reflect on

implementation, discuss student outcomes, troubleshoot challenges, and learn from one another’s

classroom practice.

● Assist with maintaining and improving shared DCI resources, including workshop materials,

classroom activities, model lessons, teacher examples, and implementation tools.

● Support the continuous improvement of DCI programming by helping identify teacher needs,

implementation barriers, successful activities, and opportunities for additional professional

development or coaching.

Support Program Growth, Evaluation, and School Partnerships

● Help maintain strong relationships with teachers using DCI activities, instructional coaches,

department leads, administrators, and other school partners to ensure effective DCI

implementation.

● Support communication with school leaders about DCI goals, professional development

opportunities, classroom implementation, teacher needs, and program impact.

● Assist in collecting and organizing evidence of program implementation and effectiveness, including

teacher participation, workshop feedback, classroom observation notes, teacher reflections, student

work samples, and examples of DCI activities in practice.

● Contribute to reports, summaries, and updates that communicate the progress and impact of

Debate Centered Instruction to SVUDL staff, school partners, funders, and other stakeholders.

● Develop strategies to enhance the recruitment of students from DCI classrooms to afterschool

programming at SVUDL partner schools.

Measure and Communicate Program Effectiveness

● Track and maintain data on student attendance, recruitment and retention, and tournament

participation.

● Monitor overall program health at assigned schools, including engagement and consistency of

participation.

● Assess and communicate Teacher Coach development and readiness.

● Document and share student achievements and program stories, collaborating with the Marketing

team as needed.

● Provide regular updates to the Program team on progress, challenges, and needs.

● Communicate key updates to school administrators, including program progress and student

successes.

Your Experience

The ideal candidate brings a combination of experience in high school Speech and Debate, education,

and relationship-driven program work, along with the ability to operate independently in a dynamic,

school-based environment. In addition to competing or coaching high school Speech and/or Debate,

other qualifications considered are:

● Bachelor’s degree with a strong academic record, or equivalent.

● 2–5 years of relevant professional experience, including experience in education, youth

development, coaching, or program implementation.

● Direct experience working with teachers, administrators, and public school districts - urban public

school experience is a plus.

● Experience working in school-based or youth-serving environments, with an understanding of the

dynamics of public schools (urban public school experience is a plus).

● Experience crafting professional development materials for teachers interested in using Speech and

Debate in the classroom is a plus.

● Ability to work independently and manage time across multiple sites, maintaining organization and

follow-through across competing priorities.

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● Strong communication skills, including the ability to coach, give feedback, and facilitate

conversations with both students and adults.

● Comfort working in a highly relational, field-based role that requires consistent on-site presence and

proactive engagement.

● Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively and independently in a diverse work

environment.

● Strong problem-solving skills and ability to adapt to changing needs and situations in a school

environment.

● Basic proficiency with data tracking and organization (e.g., attendance, participation, program

updates).

● Experience supporting or managing programs across multiple sites or stakeholders.

● Experience using data to monitor program performance and inform decision-making.

● Experience working with historically underserved or underrepresented student populations.

● Proficiency in computer skills, including Word, Excel, and internet-based programs.

The wage range for this position is commensurate with experience, ranging from $25.75 per hour to

$27.75 per hour. This position is non-exempt, and the employee will be paid on an hourly basis and is

eligible for overtime. Generous paid time off, health, and retirement, benefits package offered.

Applying for the position: Please send a resume, cover letter, and recent writing sample to:

jobs@svudl.org with “SVUDL Program Specialist” in the e-mail subject line. In your cover letter, please

share why you are interested in the job, and why you believe your experiences and skills are a good fit

for the position. If you have questions that would affect your interest in applying, please e-mail

jobs@svudl.org and we can set up a time to talk.

The Silicon Valley Urban Debate League is deeply committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive

workplace, because we believe in the value of different experiences, skills, and voices in strengthening

our work and achieving our mission. We also strive to have our team reflect the ethnic, racial, and

socioeconomic diversity of the communities we work with and for. Because of this, we especially want to

encourage people of color to apply for the position. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color,

religion, sex, age, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, pregnancy, childbirth, marital status, physical or

mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other

protected characteristic as established by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Generous paid time off, health, and retirement, benefits package offered

Strong communication skills, including the ability to coach, give feedback, and facilitate conversations with both students and adults