DIRECTOR OF CIVIC FORMATION & DEBATE

State of Florida•Tallahassee, FL

3d•$80,000 - $90,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Florida Education Foundation seeks a visionary Director to lead a statewide initiative for civic formation grounded in the Western tradition, the Great Books, and the American founding. The role combines operational leadership of Florida’s flagship speech-and-debate program, the Florida Civics and Debate Initiative (FDCI), with a broader mandate: restore serious engagement with the texts, ideas, and virtues that formed constitutional self-government and Western Civilization. This is not a conventional program-management job. It is a strategy, partnership, and intellectual-leadership position charged with making Florida the national model for K-20 civic education that produces knowledgeable, articulate, and self-governing citizens. This position is designed for someone who believes Florida’s civics and debate work should not stop at tournaments and end-of-course exams. It should recover the deeper tradition those activities were meant to serve: the formation of free citizens through the best that has been thought and said in the West.

Requirements

Advanced degree in a relevant field (history, political philosophy, classics, education, law, or related discipline) or equivalent demonstrated scholarly and professional achievement.
Deep, demonstrated knowledge of the Western canon, American founding, and civic education—not merely programmatic experience.
Proven ability to lead complex, multi-stakeholder education initiatives at scale.
Strong writing, speaking, and convening skills.
Commitment to the Foundation’s and the state’s mission of forming citizens capable of preserving constitutional self-government.

Nice To Haves

Experience with speech and debate, classical education, Great Books programs, or civic centers (Hamilton School, similar institutes, or K–12 classical networks).
Track record in fundraising and philanthropic partnership.
Familiarity with Florida’s K–20 system, standards, and policy environment.
Classroom or faculty experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

Direct statewide expansion and quality of FCDI speech, debate, and civics programming across all 67 districts.
Oversee tournaments, The Great Debate / National Civics and Debate Championship, FCDI Day at the Capitol, coach training, teacher professional development, and student leadership pipelines.
Strengthen alignment between competitive debate and Florida’s civics, U.S. history, and civic-literacy standards.
Grow participation, especially in underserved and rural schools, while raising the intellectual rigor of topics and judging.
Design and scale complementary initiatives that introduce students and teachers to the Great Books and core texts of the Western tradition (Greek and Roman sources, biblical and medieval inheritance, English constitutionalism, the American founding documents, and subsequent debates that shaped the republic).
Partner with the Florida Department of Education, Hamilton School for Classical and Civic Education (UF), New College of Florida, and other classical/civic centers to build coherent K–12 to postsecondary pathways.
Develop teacher institutes, reading groups, curriculum modules, and summer intensives that treat debate as a living practice of the Western rhetorical and civic tradition rather than a standalone activity.
Advise on alignment with state priorities including civic-literacy requirements, Western-canon general-education expectations, FACT U.S. History, and character/citizenship formation.
Serve as the Foundation’s primary civic-education strategist and public voice on these issues, working closely with the Commissioner of Education, State Board, legislative partners, and philanthropic supporters.
Cultivate major gifts, corporate and foundation partnerships, and public-private collaborations that sustain and grow the work.
Measure impact not only by participation numbers but by civic knowledge, quality of discourse, teacher capacity, and pipeline into rigorous postsecondary civic and classical programs.
Represent the Foundation at state and national convenings on civics, classical education, and the restoration of serious humanistic study.

Benefits

State Group Insurance coverage options+(health, life, dental, vision, and other supplemental option)
Retirement plan options, including employer contributions
Nine paid holidays and a Personal Holiday each year
Annual and Sick Leave Benefits
Student Loan Forgiveness Program (Eligibility required)
Flexible Spending Accounts
Tuition Fee Waivers (Accepted by major Florida colleges/universities)
Ongoing comprehensive training provided
Career Growth
Highly skilled, professional environment
Maternity and Parental Leave Benefits