Assistant Debate Coach

Polyprep; New York (NY); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

403(b) retirement plan

Long-term disability

Flexible spending account

Pre-tax commute benefit

Free lunch

Job summary

Poly Prep Country Day School in New York, NY seeks an Assistant Debate Coach to support the growth of its Speech and Debate program. The role combines in-person coaching, instructional design, student mentorship, and tournament representation.

The successful candidate will work with the Director of Debate, consultants, and students, delivering established curriculum while developing original content and research for competitive rounds.

Qualifications

• High school diploma required; bachelor's degree preferred.
• Multiple years of competitive or coaching experience in Cross-Examination/Policy Debate at the high school level.
• Experience with National Debate Tournament (NDT) and/or Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA) preferred.

Responsibilities

• Maintain regular in-person availability for after-school practices on campus, including lectures and drills.
• Meet with students, the Director of Debate, and consultant coaches to coordinate instruction and monitor progress.
• Implement curricular instruction and lesson plans provided by the Director of Debate.
• Independently design original instructional content for student programming.
• Assist with research and evidence production to support argument construction and competition readiness.
• Travel with the team to weekend tournaments and coordinate itineraries; chaperone overnight trips.
• Lead pre-round preparation with students for tournaments and oversee on-site judges and staff.

Skills

Coaching experience

Curriculum design

Student mentorship

Education

High school diploma; Bachelor's preferred

Job description

Poly Prep's mission is to prepare and inspire the next diverse generation of leaders and global citizens to act with intelligence, imagination, and––above all––character.

Poly Prep Country Day School seeks an Assistant Debate Coach to support the continued growth and success of the Poly Prep Speech and Debate program. This position combines in-person coaching, instructional design, student mentorship, research and evidence production, and tournament representation.

The Assistant Debate Coach will work closely with the Director of Debate, consultant coaches, students, and other members of the Speech and Debate program. The successful candidate will be comfortable both implementing an established curriculum and independently developing original instructional content tailored to student needs.

This role requires regular on-campus availability for after-school practices, as well as the ability to travel with the team to select weekend tournaments, including overnight and multi-day trips. At tournaments, the Assistant Debate Coach serves as a chaperone, instructional leader, logistical coordinator, and official representative of Poly Prep Speech and Debate and the school.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

Responsibilities

• Maintain regular in-person availability for after-school practices on campus, including lectures, drills, practice rounds, and other instructional activities.
• Meet regularly with students, the Director of Debate, and consultant coaches, both in person and virtually, to coordinate instruction and monitor student progress.
• Implement curricular instruction, materials, and lesson plans provided by the Director of Debate across student programming.
• Independently design original instructional content, including practices, workshops, drills, and other programming tailored to student needs.
• Assist with research and evidence production, including argument construction and debate file production, to support student comprehension and competitive readiness.
• Maintain current knowledge of contemporary competitive practices, national-circuit trends, and competitive scouting to inform coaching and instructional design.
• Lead pre-round preparation with students at tournaments, including strategic planning, research review, and preparation for individual rounds.
• Travel with the team to select weekend tournaments and implement tournament itineraries.
• Chaperone students during overnight and multi-day tournament travel and ensure adherence to school and program expectations.
• Oversee assistant coaches, staff, and hired judges on site at tournaments.
• Hire and coordinate judges as needed during tournaments.
• Serve as an official representative of Poly Prep Speech and Debate and Poly Prep Country Day School at tournaments and other program events.
• Collaborate with the Director of Debate, Director of Speech, consultant coaches, and hired judges on programmatic and competitive decisions.
• Complete all required background checks and chaperone clearances necessary for overnight and multi-day travel.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education: High school diploma required. Bachelor's degree preferred.

Experience: Multiple years of competitive and/or coaching experience in Cross-Examination/Policy Debate at the high school level. Competitive or coaching experience with National Debate Tournament (NDT) and/or Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA) collegiate debate is highly preferred.

Poly Prep strives to be an equitable, just, and diverse community, one proud of and deeply committed to empowering students to discover who they are and what they want to be. In keeping with the country day school philosophy, we seek community members who will share a passion for learning in and out of the classroom. Every educator at Poly Prep aspires to uphold our mission “to support and inspire the next diverse generation of leaders and global citizens to act with intelligence, imagination and--above all--character.”

We offer a great environment, with a full benefits package (medical, dental, vision, life insurance, a generous match on our 403(b) retirement plan, long-term disability, flexible spending account, pre-tax commute benefit, and free lunch).

Poly Prep is an equal opportunity employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.