ESU Competition Leads (Freelance) in Wales

Support young people to find their voice through debating, public speaking and performance 

The English-Speaking Union is looking for confident, responsible and reliable individuals to lead our Schools’ Mace Debating, Public Speaking and Performing Shakespeare competitions. 

Hours: Ad hoc, mostly weekday evenings (16:00–20:30)

Fee: £70 (online) / £120 (in person) + travel expenses

Location: Across England and Wales (travel required)

Contract: Freelance

Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS): Enhanced DBS certificate (cost covered by the ESU).

As a Competition Lead, you will host online and in-person events, manage logistics on the day and support volunteer judges. You may also act as a judge, providing constructive feedback to students. This is a rewarding opportunity to support young people’s confidence, communication and critical thinking skills. 

We’re seeking confident communicators with excellent organisational skills, experience engaging with young people and a passion for education and oracy. Familiarity with Zoom and event hosting is essential. 

Please note: It will be compulsory to attend an in-person paid training day on Tuesday, 6 October and provide an Enhanced DBS certificate (cost covered by the ESU).    

Role Overview

ESU Competition Leads host our domestic ESU competitions, including the ESU Schools’ Mace Debating Competition, the ESU Public Speaking Competition and the ESU Performing Shakespeare Competition.

The ESU Competition Lead is responsible for ensuring the smooth running of events (heats) throughout the competitions, with duties including Zoom hosting and in-person MCing. If required, Competition Leads may sit on the judging panel and provide constructive feedback to students and teachers participating. They also support and provide guidance for our volunteer judges, ensuring they have a positive experience while volunteering with the ESU.

NB The ESU is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.

Therefore, we expect all contractors to share this commitment. All contractor appointments are subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks, including a satisfactory Enhanced DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) Disclosure.

Responsibilities For all competitions you will:

• Support and promote the charitable objectives of the ESU, acting as an ambassador for the organisation
• Assist the ESU Competitions Team in ensuring competition heats run smoothly and act as point of contact for schools and volunteers on the day of heats
• MC or compère Zoom and in-person heats, engaging both students and audience whilst following ESU scripts
• Be the technical host for Zoom ESU competition heats, setting up and hosting Zoom meetings, creating break-out rooms and acting as tech support throughout heats
• Provide accurate heat results in a timely manner to the ESU Competitions Team
• Support volunteer judges and ensure they have a positive and rewarding experience
• If required, be part of judging panels at ESU competition heats (which may include acting as chair judge) offering fair, positive, constructive and unbiased feedback based on our judging criteria
• Follow the ESU’s safeguarding policies and provide oversight of safeguarding and equity requirements, in line with ESU policies
• Signpost teachers and volunteers to resources, other ESU programmes and additional support, such as through the ESU website
• Undertake training sessions for continual professional development

Person Specification

Essential criteria:

• Be over 18 years of age and have the right to work in the UK
• Be confident in engaging with and motivating young people of different abilities and backgrounds
• A passion for education, social mobility and/or developing young people's oracy skills
• Fully proficient in the English language with excellent spoken language skills
• A confident and engaging public speaker with experience hosting events or judging
• Technically competent, with experience in using Zoom professionally, ideally as a meeting host
• The ability to engage with and motivate young people of different abilities and backgrounds
• Excellent organisational skills and ability to meet deadlines
• Commitment and ability to deliver a minimum of eight ESU events between November – June, and more if possible
• Able to participate in mandatory training sessions
• Have access to a vehicle or be willing to travel via pu