Lead and support Middle and Upper School debate programs by overseeing student training, competition preparation, and tournament participation. Develop novice and advanced curricula while coordinating logistics and travel for competitive events.
Requirements summary
Requires experience working with debate teams, including research and argument development, and prior experience working with children in educational settings. Candidates must possess strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.
Percentage: Up to 25%Located in the San Francisco Bay Area, Crystal Springs Uplands School is a 6-12 co-educational, independent day school located on two distinct campuses in Hillsborough and Belmont, CA with 125 employees. Our deeply connected culture and community celebrates scholarship, strives for balance, and fosters inclusion. The Professional Adult Community (PAC) is an experienced, collaborative group of employees who are committed to the mission and core values of the school. Crystal is full of kind, curious learners (adults and students alike) who are passionate about the school’s mission of transformative teaching and meaningful connections. We are committed to the work required to create more equitable systems and foster inclusive environments so that all members of our community can thrive together. MISSION STATEMENT Through transformative teaching and meaningful connections, we empower kind, curious learners to thrive together. CORE VALUES We Celebrate Scholarship - The foundation of Crystal is academic excellence. We Seek Growth Challenges - Our culture says try it. We Foster Kindness & Inclusion - Crystal is a caring and diverse community. We Strive for Balance - A holistic approach to well-being is integral to our mission. We Engage with Enthusiasm - With unbounded spirit, we give our best effort every day and pay it forward to our community. We Lead with Humility - Being grateful and open-minded, we pursue lifelong learning. The ideal candidate will have experience working in dynamic settings serving multiple constituents.
A successful candidate in this position will: Share a commitment to upholding Crystal’s core values and working in an inclusive school environment Work collaboratively with colleagues and engage effectively with all constituents Bring robust organizational, technological, and communication skills QualificationsJOB SUMMARY Crystal seeks a seasonal, part-time, non-exempt, US/MS Debate Coach to lead and support its Middle and Upper School debate programs. The Debate Coach will oversee student training, competition preparation, tournament participation, and program development while fostering critical thinking, public speaking, and collaboration among students.
Key
Job
Competencies
Critical
Thinking/Problem
Solving: Analyzes and integrates trends and patterns based on diverse information and perspectives to determine the root causes of problems, identify the best course of action, and prioritize efforts. Develops new insights and formulates creative solutions, considering the impact and implications of recommendations in the context of overall vision, goals, and objectives.
Project
Management: Ability to lead and execute complex projects to achieve goal attainment by prioritizing activities, assigning responsibilities in accordance with capabilities, monitoring progress, and evaluating impact.
Quality
Results: Ensures high quality results on projects/tasks, meets deadlines, and attends to details. Takes responsibility for the quality of work and achieves results with little oversight.
Developing
Others: Ability to effectively support the growth and development of students.
Communication
Exceptional ability to articulate thoughts and express ideas effectively using oral, written, visual, and non-verbal communication skills, as well as deep listening skills to gain understanding.
Cultural
Competence: Possesses and applies the skills, values, and principles that acknowledge, respect, contribute, and work effectively across cultural differences. Recognizes the unique value, perspectives, strengths, and challenges of every person who comes to the Crystal community.
Emotional
Intelligence: Demonstrates high levels of self/social awareness, self-management, empathy, and curiosity.
Relationship
Management: Positively collaborates and builds/maintains authentic and trusting relationships. Demonstrates high levels of discretion and confidentiality.
Personal
Growth: Demonstrates commitment and curiosity to ongoing learning and development.
Collaboration
the interpersonal and intrapersonal qualities one will leverage to collectively solve a problem or make progress toward a common goal. The ability to work with others to complete a project or task or develop ideas or processes. Essential Functions Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions. Demonstrate the ability to lead, motivate and teach students Direct, coach and prepare the debate teams in both divisions to compete at the novice and varsity levels Develop students' debate skills in parliamentary-style debate techniques Develop and implement novice curriculum for students new to debate Train experienced debaters in advanced techniques of argumentation and tournament strategy Facilitating the acquisition of research material; advising on argumentation and case preparation Conducting practice and drill sessions twice per week. This includes 1 practice/instructional session for Middle School students and 1 session for Upper School students each week. Coordinate tournament registration and travel logistics with the US Student Life and Program Coordinator and the MS Program Manager Work with the US Student Life and Program Coordinator, the MS Program Manager and the Business Office to register students for local competitions. Supervise, coach, and judge students participating in tournaments. Most tournaments take place in-person on the weekends/not during school hours. Take weekly attendance and notify the US Student Life and Program Coordinator and the MS Program Manager of any discipline or student issues. No weekend or evening practices without approval by the US Student Life and Program Coordinator and the MS Program Manager. Travel Required Based on student and team performance, this position may require travel to tournaments. Other duties Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice. Required Education and Experience Experience working with a debate team, including supporting research, argument development, and preparation for structured competitive debates Prior experience working with children in educational or extracurricular settings Physical Demands and Work Environment Able to lift up to 20 pounds Able to climb stairs on occasion Hours will vary weekly based on school needs. The schedule generally requires approximately 3 hours after school (split across 1–2 days per week), plus additional hours on weekends as needed. Affirmative Action/EEO Statement Crystal Springs Uplands School provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. Salary and Benefits This is a seasonal, part-time, non-exempt position. Please note that this position is not benefit-eligible. The hourly wage ranges from $40 to $60, depending on experience. The recruitment period will remain open until sufficient resumes have been received and may close at any time a sufficient pool of highly qualified candidates has been established. The ideal start date for this position is September 9, 2026.
