Bellarmine College Preparatory · 2 days ago
Director of Program - Speech & Debate
San Jose, CA, San Jose, CA, US
Full-time
Onsite
Director/Executive
$130K/yr - $150K/yrBellarmine College Preparatory, located in San José, California, invites applications for a Director of the Speech and Debate Program position beginning on July 1, 2026. The Director will lead a competitive high school program, overseeing over 200 students and a team of coaches while ensuring the program's excellence and alignment with the school's Jesuit values.
Education Management
Responsibilities
Provide strategic direction and day-to-day oversight of a 200+ student Speech and Debate program
Establish clear systems and processes for program operations and coach collaboration
Manage and mentor a team of assistant coaches, ensuring alignment with the program’s pedagogical philosophy, competitive goals, and mission
Oversee communications with a community of 400+ stakeholders, ensuring transparency, accessibility, and responsiveness
Collaborate with school administrators, faculty, alumni, parents, and the Parent Committee to support program growth, visibility, and sustainability
Serve as a liaison between the Speech and Debate program and the Business Office, including budget oversight and financial processes
Implement and oversee rigorous curricula for speech and debate offerings, including Rhetoric, Rhetoric Honors, and afterschool novice training
Teach multiple sections of Rhetoric Honors
Evaluate Rhetoric Honors course applications and support appropriate student placement
At Bellarmine, instructional focus includes Policy Debate, Extemporaneous Speaking, Original Oratory, Informative Speaking, and Original Advocacy
Develop structured learning systems (e.g., rubrics, interactive modules, digital tracking tools) to scaffold student growth in analysis, delivery, research, and critical thinking
Foster inclusive, student-centered learning environments that promote creativity, empathy, resilience, and intellectual risk-taking
Coach and mentor students across all major speech and debate events
Demonstrate deep expertise in Policy Debate, including preparing students for both traditional, lay-audience debate and technical, faster-paced formats, with strong emphasis on judge adaptation
Provide daily student coaching and attend weekly after-school event meetings
Be available during the school day for formal and informal meetings with students, student leaders, and coaches
Train students for competition at the highest levels, including State Championships, Tournament of Champions, and NSDA Nationals
Provide individualized, advanced feedback on speeches, debates, and written work
Empower and guide student captains and leadership teams in helping to run and sustain the program
Cultivate a culture of collaboration, leadership development, and mutual support
Organize and oversee tournament participation at the local, state, and national levels
Handle tournament registration, payments, travel logistics, flights, hotel reservations, and judging obligations
Coordinate tournament judging sign-ups in collaboration with the Parent Committee
Maintain records of hired judges and ensure timely payment and reimbursement
Host the National Qualifying Tournament in March and potentially other league tournaments
Chaperone and attend league and travel tournaments
Participate in Coast Forensic League coaches’ meetings (approximately three per year)
Partner with the Admissions Office to increase program visibility at Open House, Admitted Student Night, and other on-campus events
Speak with prospective students and families, including shadows and their guides, about Speech and Debate opportunities
Build and sustain strong parent, alumni, and donor networks
Organize annual showcases, banquets, and fundraisers celebrating student achievement
Serve as a visible ambassador for the program within the school community and the broader forensics community
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree in English, Communication, Education, or a related field
Significant experience teaching and coaching Speech and Debate at the high school or collegiate level
Demonstrated record of student success at the state and national levels
Strong organizational, communication, and leadership skills
Ability to manage complex logistics and coordinate large-scale operations
Preferred
Experience directing a large, nationally competitive program
Expertise across multiple competitive events, including Policy Debate and individual speaking events
Familiarity with digital tools for team management (like Slack, Excel sheets, mail merge, etc.)
Commitment to Jesuit educational values of intellectual excellence, justice, and cura personalis
Company
Bellarmine College Preparatory
Bellarmine College Preparatory is a school in San Jose.
Founded in 1851
51-200 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Bellarmine College Preparatory has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
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Trends of Total Sponsorships
2024 (1)
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageLeadership Team
Ron Miller
CFO
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