May 6

Job: Program Assistant – Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA (Washington, DC)

Jobs Comments Off on Job: Program Assistant – Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA (Washington, DC)

Posted by Sydney Sparrow, an ALT currently living in Toyota City. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

Positions: Program Assistant
Posted by: Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA
Location:  Washington, DC
Contract: Full-Time

Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA (Sasakawa USA) is a 501c3 non-profit located in Washington, DC involved in U.S.-Japan relations, providing conferences and seminars, think tank analysis, people-to-people exchanges and coordination of high-level dialogue between the two countries through our programs. Sasakawa USA is independent from but works closely with our sister foundation in Tokyo, Sasakawa Peace Foundation.

Sasakawa USA seeks an entry-level Program Assistant to provide programmatic and administrative support to the Senior Program Officer in the Education Program in all program functions, including preparation and evaluation of program proposals, event planning, execution and follow-up, and internal and external coordination and communications. The Education Program focuses on improving public understanding of U.S.-Japan relations through frequent public events, delegation trips, people-to-people exchanges/dialogues and fellowships.

The Program Assistant is a member of a broader Programs team led by the Chairman and CEO and Director for Programs, and works with Research Fellows and Assistants, the Communications/Media/Outreach team, and the Administrative office.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field (Japanese Studies, International Relations, History, Political Science, or area studies relevant to Japan and Asia)
• Strong written and oral communications skills
• Proficiency in written and oral Japanese
• Knowledge of and demonstrated interest in U.S.-Japan relations
• Attention to detail and ability to multi-task
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Demonstrated ability to work in a team
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office
• Authorization to work in the U.S. (non-US citizens must possess work authorization that does not require employer sponsorship for a visa)

Preferred Skills:

• Native/advanced proficiency in written and oral Japanese
• Administrative support experience
• Experience in non-profit programs and event planning
• Experience with mass email marketing systems (Constant Contact, MailChimp, etc.)

Responsibilities:

• Provide administrative and programmatic support as directed by the Senior Program Officer
• Help organize and take the lead in the administrative functions of conferences, roundtables and other events on U.S.-Japan relations in and outside of Washington, D.C. Travel as needed.
• Help organize and take the lead in the administrative functions of visits to Japan by American scholars and practitioners or visits to the United States by Japanese scholars and practitioners as part of Sasakawa USA’s outreach programs. Travel as needed.
• Assist in drafting Sasakawa USA’s program proposals and documents
• Assist in evaluating incoming proposals and documents from external organizations
• Assist in facilitating communication with other departments, project partners and other external organizations
• Assist in formulating project budgets and tracking expenditure of funds
• Manage social media and website contents of the Education Program in coordination with Communications team
• Assist in developing new projects and events for the Education Program through research on potential speakers and topics
• Research information as requested by the senior members of the Program team on current developments in U.S.-Japan relations and Sasakawa USA research areas
• Assist in selecting and supervising program interns

Compensation and Benefits:

• Sasakawa USA offers health insurance coverage, a 401k plan, paid vacation and sick leave.
• Normal working hours are Monday – Friday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm with flexibility on start and end time, with a one hour lunch break and the occasional weeknight and/or weekend event (paid overtime).
• Salary is in the mid-30K range.

Application Process: To apply, please send resume, one page writing sample, and cover letter to Ms. Sora Choi at schoi@spfusa.org.

Include your name and the title “Program Assistant” in the subject line. All attachments should be labelled “First Name Last Name_Document Title” (e.g. Jane Doe_Resume).

Your cover letter should detail your interest in Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA, how your past experience relates to the above responsibilities, and your available start date. The deadline is Friday, May 27, 2016.