Our Commitment to You
The NYCUDL is firmly committed to equal employment opportunity for all in all phases of employment, including the application process. We know that applying for a new job can be a daunting process. But we encourage all candidates with interest in joining our organization to apply. You may be just the person we need. If you have any questions about your application or the interview process, please email us at jobs@debate.nyc.
NYCUDL Mission
The New York City Urban Debate League (“NYCUDL”) unlock the transformative power of debate for New York City public school students to develop the next generation of informed, compassionate, and courageous leaders.
NYCUDL Description
The New York City Urban Debate League is a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding access to competitive debate across New York City, with a focus on teaching underserved students. To advance this mission, the NYCUDL provides comprehensive support for students, educators, and schools—including year-round instructional coaching for educators, student workshops, over 35 annual debate tournaments, four weeks of Summer Debate Institute, and the development of original curriculum, including more than 100 lesson plans for educators each year. The League has experienced significant growth in recent years. Since the 2018–2019 school year, student participation has grown by nearly 80%, from 2,260 to just over 4,000 students annually. The number of participating schools increased by 60%, from 160 to 250, and the number of Title I schools served nearly doubled. With active partnerships in all five boroughs, the NYCUDL is proud to be the largest urban debate league in the country and remains deeply committed to teaching debate, fostering student voice, and supporting academic confidence and civic leadership across New York City.
Position Overview
The Senior Manager of the Office of the CEO serves as a key partner to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), ensuring the smooth operation of all functions across the organization. This role provides high-level administrative support, leads and executes development initiatives such as the annual gala, including hands-on oversight of event logistics, and acts as a central information hub—tracking priorities and updating the CEO on programming, grants, HR, and organizational operations. The Senior Manager will thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic, mission-driven environment and bring strong organizational, communication, development, and project management skills to help advance the organization’s impact.
Job Responsibilities
Executive & Administrative Support
- Serve as the primary point of contact for the Office of the CEO, overseeing the CEO’s scheduling, communications, and task prioritization in partnership with the Executive Assistant.
- Track and prepare regular updates for the CEO on programming, grants, HR, and other organizational functions.
- Draft correspondence, reports, and briefing materials for the CEO.
- Support board and advisory council engagements by preparing materials, coordinating logistics, and tracking follow-up actions.
- Supervise the Executive Assistant in managing the CEO’s calendar, meeting logistics, and travel, setting scheduling priorities and resolving conflicts that require judgment.
Development & Fundraising Support
- Lead fundraising initiatives in partnership with the CEO and Executive Assistant with a special focus on planning and executing the annual gala and other major events.
- Oversee day-to-day gala and event logistics, including vendor coordination, timelines, sponsorship and ticket tracking, run-of-show, and on-site management.
- Manage donor development and stewardship through correspondence, record-keeping, and event follow-up.
- Work in collaboration with Finance and Operations to manage grant tracking, ensuring the CEO is briefed on deadlines, deliverables, and outcomes.
- Identify and cultivate new individual, corporate, and foundation funding opportunities in collaboration with the CEO.
Organizational Coordination
- Monitor key projects and deadlines that require CEO attention and ensure follow-through across departments.
- Maintain a high-level overview of organizational operations, serving as an “early warning system” for issues that may need executive input.
- Support internal communication by ensuring information flows smoothly between the CEO, leadership team, and staff.
Special Projects
- Lead or support cross-departmental projects as assigned by the CEO.
- Research and prepare materials on new initiatives or emerging opportunities.
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree and a minimum of 7 years of relevant experience in nonprofit administration, executive support, or development, including experience supervising staff or leading cross-functional projects
- Must have development experience, such as fundraising, donor stewardship, grant management, or fundraising events.
- Strong organizational, time management, and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to draft polished correspondence and reports.
- Demonstrated ability to work discreetly with sensitive information.
- Collaborative, flexible, and mission-driven with a high level of professionalism.
Skills
- Excellent listening, verbal, and written communication skills across different audiences.
- Outstanding organizational and time management skills, with the ability to develop and implement organizational systems where they are missing.
- Ability to quickly synthesize large amounts of information into actionable next steps.
- Exceptional attention to detail in projects and communications.
- Proficiency with tech programs (e.g., Microsoft Suite, Google Suite, Zoom, Slack, Canva, etc.), and familiarity with donor databases/CRMs.
Work Week
Employees are expected to work in-person, 5 days a week (a majority of Mondays & Fridays are remote in practice), including Saturdays when needed (not more than 2 per month throughout the school year). The expected work week is 40-50 hours. Comp time is offered for a full day of weekend work, with some stipulations.
Compensation
- Salary: $110,000 to $120,000 annually, commensurate with experience.
- Health & Wellness: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with $0 employee contribution for individual plans
- 401K: Starts within a month of hiring date
- Commuter Benefits: Pre-tax transit and parking
- Time Off: 21 days of total annual leave (10 vacation, 5 sick, 5 personal and your birthday), plus additional wellness benefits
Other Requirements:
- Legal clearance to work with minors.
- Must pass a background check.
- 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.
Hiring Timeline
The NYCUDL is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its employment decisions, in accordance with state and federal law. We are committed to a diverse workplace and to supporting our staff with ongoing career development opportunities. Send questions to jobs@debate.nyc. All inquiries are confidential.