Debate Program Specialist

How to Apply

A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position.

Job Summary

The National Champion University of Michigan Debate Program, a department within the Division of Student Life that reports to the Dean of Students Office, is committed to student learning and development via participation in intercollegiate policy debate.  We are looking for a motivated, student-centered, and team-oriented individual for a Debate Program Specialist position. Under direct supervision from the Director, you will provide general support to the Director and Assistant Director of the Debate Program. You will receive and respond to routine correspondence following established procedures to keep the Director and Assistant Director informed of the progress of research assignments, practice debates and speeches, and bi-weekly team meetings. For more information about us, click here.

This role will be hybrid (on-campus and remote) based on departmental requirements and role responsibilities. For questions about this role, email talent.acquisition@umich.edu.

Why Work at Michigan?

Benefits at the University of Michigan

In addition to a career filled with purpose and opportunity, The University of Michigan offers a comprehensive benefits package to help you stay well, protect yourself and your family and plan for a secure future.

Benefits include:

• Generous time off
• A retirement plan that provides two-for-one matching contributions with immediate vesting
• Many choices for comprehensive health insurance
• Life insurance
• Long-term disability coverage
• Flexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care expense

Responsibilities*

Some of the key responsibilities of the position include:

• Traveling with the debate team to approximately ten tournaments per academic year (5 per semester).
• Meeting with individual debate teams (two students) weekly to provide coaching, assistance, and mentoring as described by the Director.
• Assisting the debate team's research, which involves planning assignments, editing files, and producing numerous amounts of evidence for the students before each tournament.
• Developing and implementing coaching instruction for debate tournaments and other training formats, such as mini-camps, work weeks, and work weekends.
• Organizing research groups, providing feedback on debate drills and practice debates, and assisting students in evidence retrieval and processing at our summer debate camp.
• Organizing logistics for the annual national fall high school debate tournament with participants both on campus and online.
• Attending national high school debate tournaments to recruit students to attend the University of Michigan and summer debate camp.

For a full job description, see the link here.
 

Required Qualifications*

• Bachelor's degree in political science, public policy, communications, or a related field.
• Minimum four (4) years of policy debate experience.
• Professional experience working with high school and/or college students or in a scholastic environment.
• Experience with college-level policy debate.

Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

Additional Information

Working Conditions

• This position requires the ability to travel to various campus and off-campus locations to provide event support.

Physical Requirements

• You may need to move or transport items weighing up to twenty-five (25) pounds.  You will routinely move through campus to attend meetings/events and access files or information.

This role may have reporting obligations under Title IX and Clery.  

Authorization to work in the U.S. is a precondition of employment and applicants for this position will not be sponsored for work visas.  

Salary may vary depending on qualifications, experience, and education of the selected candidate.

Selected candidates whose start date is 4/1/2025 or after, will not be eligible for the university FY25-26 salary/merit plan unless otherwise notified.

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Union Affiliation

This position is included in the bargaining unit represented by the University Staff United (USU), which represents bargaining unit members in all matters with respect to wages, benefits, hours and other terms and conditions of employment.

Application Deadline

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days.  The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled anytime after the minimum posting period has ended.

U-M EEO Statement

The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.