Event Manager

Our Commitment to You

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.

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 NYCUDL is seeking an experienced and detail-oriented Events and Volunteer Manager to join our team. This role is essential to the success of our programs, managing the logistics and coordination of approximately 40 debate tournaments annually, along with professional development sessions and special events, including our gala. The ideal candidate is a skilled project manager who thrives in a fast-paced environment, enjoys working with diverse stakeholders, and is passionate about supporting youth development through educational programming.

This position reports to the CEO and works collaboratively with team members across all departments to ensure seamless execution of events that serve elementary, middle, and high school students throughout New York City.

Key Responsibilities

• Tournament Planning & Execution
• Plan and execute approximately 40 debate tournaments annually, ranging from District Tournaments (70-200 students) to large-scale Open League and NYC Reads tournaments (600-700+ students)
• Identify and secure venue partnerships with local public schools and external partners throughout NYC
• Coordinate all tournament logistics, including procurement of food and beverage, materials, and supplies
• Develop and manage comprehensive run-of-show documents for each tournament
• Confirm staffing plans and book part-time staff as needed for each event
• Map out room usage and scheduling for multiple rounds of debate across tournament days
• Confirm and coordinate volunteer judge pools to ensure adequate staffing for all debate rounds
• Manage tournament-specific logistics using tournament software for debate operations—training provided
• Travel to tournament sites throughout NYC to provide on-site support and coordination
• Other duties as assigned

• Events
• Plan and coordinate approximately 10 full-day professional learning sessions annually for debate coaches
• Manage venue setup, materials, catering, and logistics for daylong workshops at the NYCUDL office
• Oversee and coordinate Summer Debate Institute staffing, planning, and program execution
• Plan and coordinate the Cross District & Summer Institute topic field trips
• Coordinate with program staff to ensure all training materials and resources are prepared and accessible
• Support,…