New York City Urban Debate League

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College Grads: Full-time Paid Lawyers’ Advisory Council Fellowship with the NYCUDL

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NYCUDL Mission

The New York City Urban Debate League (“NYCUDL”) creates equitable access to academic debate opportunities with a focus on students of color and students from other historically underserved communities in New York City to empower the next generation of diverse, informed, and courageous leaders.

NYCUDL Description

The NYCUDL is a nonprofit that exists to support the growth and development of academic, competitive debate programs in the greater New York City area, with priority emphasis given to schools with a large percentage of students of color and low-resourced students. To support debate in the greater New York City area, the NYCUDL provides instructional support for students and coaches, operates more than 30 debate tournaments, and runs at least 4 weeks of summer debate camp. The NYCUDL operates 4 closed leagues (NYCDOE District 7, District 9, District 16, the Middle School Quality Initiative (MSQI)) and an Open League. Currently, the League has more than 160+ member schools and supports close to 3,000 students.

Lawyers’ Advisory Council (“LAC”) Description

The NYCUDL Lawyers’ Advisory Council, founded in 2022, is an engaged group of lawyers from the judiciary, law firms, companies, and other organizations who share a common goal of youth development that leads to diversity in the legal profession.  The LAC’s primary purpose is to provide career exploration opportunities to NYCUDL students and serve as ambassadors of the NYCUDL. 

LAC Fellowship

The LAC Fellowship is an exciting two-year opportunity for someone who wants to take some time to give back to the community before going to law school or graduate school.  Fellows will work directly with the NYCUDL’s Executive Director and learn about non-profit management in a mentoring relationship.  In addition, The LAC Fellow will have the opportunity to explore the legal field, receive mentorship, and build their networks via monthly interactions with individual members of the LAC, who include partners at major law firms, in-house counsel, federal judges, and many other accomplished attorneys.  

The LAC Fellow will work with the NYCUDL to help build organizational capacity across areas of nonprofit management including fundraising and development, communications, strategic planning, programming and overall organization. The position is intended for a recent college graduate interested in learning not only from their experience with the NYCUDL but from the lawyers on the LAC as well. LAC Fellows will have the opportunity to meet with each of these lawyers individually over the course of their two years in the position.

Job Responsibilities

  • Direct Report to the Executive Director
  • Strategy/Development:
    • Support the Executive Director in setting and executing the organization’s strategic priorities
    • Assist with grant writing, government funding applications, event fundraiser planning
    • Assist with planning for annual gala fundraiser-including helping to plan and attending fundraising committee meetings
  • Communications:
    • Liaise with members of the Lawyers’ Advisory Council, potential funders, and other advisory groups and support partner relationships
    • Streamline communications and act as a point of contact among management, board members, employees, clients and external partners
    • Manage information flow in a timely and accurate manner
    • Format information for internal and external communication – memos, emails, presentations, reports
    • Assist with coordinating League staff
  • Organization:
    • Manage the Executive Director’s calendar and set up meetings
    • Assist with planning the Lawyers’ Advisory Council, Fundraising Committee, and other meetings including developing meeting materials- agendas, slides, etc.
    • Develop systems and track follow-up and action items following meetings with external partners and internally
    • Build institutional memory
  • Programming:
    • Help run debate tournaments with other League staff
    • Assist with student debate workshops   
  • Other:
    • Assist the Executive Director as needed
    • Work alongside leadership and program staff at events, fundraisers, tournaments etc.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree required
  • Experience with youth programs preferred but not required
  • Experience with competitive academic debate preferred 
  • Experience with event planning, fundraising, non-profit management a plus
  • Interest in legal field a plus

Qualities

  • Commitment to our mission
  • Empathy, humility, flexibility and willingness to serve and lead teachers, students, volunteers and contract staff in an often-challenging and fast-changing urban education setting
  • Positive, solution-oriented approach on a team working toward common goals
  • Strong cultural competency in serving a diverse population of teachers and learners with a variety of needs and challenges and communication styles
  • A detail-oriented, responsible self-starter, creative, and forward thinker with an ability to work and produce results in a fast-paced dynamic environment
  • Self-aware, teachable, and eager to learn
  • Must have the utmost integrity and an ability to process, protect and exercise discretion in handling confidential information and materials, including student data

Skills

  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills across different audiences
  • Experience in an education or nonprofit setting is a plus
  • Outstanding organizational and time management skills, ability to develop and implement organizational systems where they are missing
  • Ability to quickly synthesize large amounts of information into actionable next steps
  • Familiarity with office equipment and applications (e.g. e-calendars and copy machines)
  • Experience with major social media platforms 
  • Familiarity with Tabroom.com…, including tournament administration or a willingness to learn
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Suite, Google Suite, Zoom and Microsoft Teams
  • Experience with Canva, Adobe Suite and MailChimp or a willingness to learn
  • Comfort with technology and ability to quickly learn new systems

Work Week

Employees are expected to work 5 days a week. The expected work week is 45-50 hours. While some work will be remote, employees should anticipate working in the office most days.

Employees must be available to work 1-2 evenings per week and 2 weekends/month during the school year and evening events in the summer.

Compensation

  • $58,500 annually
  • Monthly subway pass
  • Full health benefits, including eye and dental, with no employee contribution
  • 2 weeks of vacation. 2 personally significant holidays, 3 personal days, and 5 sick days 

Other Requirements

  • Commitment to our mission
  • Legal clearance to work with minors
  • Must pass a background check
  • Strong ethics, maturity, and appropriate boundaries for adult interactions with minors, including compliance with all NYCDOE and reporting requirements
  • Physical demands include working at the computer but also carrying supplies (boxes up to 50 pounds, paper, printers, computer, t-shirts, food, etc.) for tournaments and events
  • Willingness to complete all NYCUDL vaccination requirements, including the COVID-19 vaccine

Hiring Process

Initial review of applications: June 1, 2022

Hiring decisions will be made on a rolling basis

Start Date: September 12, 2022

To apply, please submit a cover letter along with three references and a resume to jobs@debate.nyc All inquiries are confidential.

People of color, women and LGBTQ candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. The NYCUDL is committed to a diverse workplace, and to supporting our staff with ongoing career development opportunities. The NYCUDL is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its employment decisions, in accordance with state and federal law.

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