Director of Civic Formation & Debate

Other; Tallahassee (FL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

The Florida Department of Education seeks a visionary Director to lead a statewide civic formation and debate initiative grounded in Western tradition, Great Books, and American founding principles.

This is a strategic leadership role combining operational oversight of Florida's flagship speech-and-debate program (FCDI) with a broader mandate to advance K-20 civic education that produces knowledgeable, articulate citizens.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in history, political philosophy, classics, education, law, or related discipline
• Deep knowledge of Western canon and American founding
• Proven ability to lead complex, large-scale education initiatives
• Strong writing, speaking, and convening skills
• Commitment to forming citizens capable of preserving constitutional self-government
• Preferred: experience with speech and debate, classical education, Great Books or civic centers

Skills

Western canon knowledge

Leading multi-stakeholder initiatives

Strong writing and speaking

Convene diverse groups

Education

Advanced degree in history/politics/classics/education/law

Job description

The Florida Department of Education seeks a visionary Director to lead a statewide civic formation and debate initiative grounded in Western tradition, Great Books, and American founding principles. This is a strategic leadership role combining operational oversight of Florida's flagship speech-and-debate program (FCDI) with broader mandate to advance K-20 civic education that produces knowledgeable, articulate citizens. The position requires designing and scaling complementary initiatives introducing students and teachers to classical texts and Western intellectual heritage while cultivating major partnerships and measuring impact through civic knowledge and discourse quality.

Key qualifications:

• Advanced degree in history, political philosophy, classics, education, law, or related discipline, or equivalent scholarly and professional achievement
• Deep demonstrated knowledge of Western canon, American founding, and civic education
• Proven ability to lead complex, multi-stakeholder education initiatives at scale
• Strong writing, speaking, and convening skills
• Commitment to forming citizens capable of preserving constitutional self-government
• Preferred: experience with speech and debate, classical education, Great Books programs, or civic centers