Assistant Director, Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies

Position Summary

Based at Doshisha University in Kyoto, the Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies (KCJS) is an undergraduate study abroad program governed by a consortium of thirteen American universities and administered by the Center for Undergraduate Global Engagement (UGE) at Columbia University.

Reporting to the KCJS Resident Director, the KCJS Assistant Director is an integral part of the KCJS senior administrative team. The Assistant Director coordinates the efforts between the Kyoto and UGE teams to ensure that all aspects for the fall, spring, and summer study abroad programs are executed in an efficient and timely manner. This position collaborates closely with the local team to manage the onsite program in addition to supervising an administrative staff member who is responsible for student life. The Assistant Director also contributes to the planning and development of new opportunities, assuring that they enhance the KCJS Experience by providing a rigorous academic program, engagement with a variety of communities, and active learning and reflection through a global lens.

The position is based in Kyoto. The candidate will be hired locally through the Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies with a start date in August 2025. The compensation will be paid in the local currency. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in Japan.

Responsibilities

Leadership and Personnel Management

• Acts as the first point of contact between the Resident Director and the full time administrative staff and teaching faculty.
• Troubleshoots any issues and works with the onsite team to develop solutions.
• Supervises the administrative staff member responsible for student life.
• Handles the appointments of full-time administrative staff, instructors, and adjuncts, and ensuring they are paid in a timely manner.

Program Management and Administrative Operations

• Planning and Coordination:
  
  
  
  • Collaborates with UGE staff on all aspects of the program including but not limited to program planning, policies and protocols, admissions and enrollment, and student affairs.
  • Coordinates the work of the local administrative staff and contributes to budget development.
  
  
  
  
• Academics:




• Establishes the program calendars and arranges the academic course schedule.
• Consults with faculty and partners about course scheduling and field trips.
• Works with the adjunct faculty to organize guest speakers, course activities, and course materials/books.
• Finalizes course registrations and sends information to UGE.
• Collects grades for disciplinary courses and prepares grade reports.




• Admissions and Acceptance:
  
  
  
  • Reviews applications as part of the admissions team
  • Updates student acceptance materials.
  • Oversees the student visa processing and follows up with students as needed
  
  
  
  
• Liaison and Outreach
  
  
  
  • Liaises with the relevant Doshisha offices to reserve space, coordinate visa processing and student ID's, coordinates Doshisha exchange student information, and shares general information.
  • Assures that the Memoranda of Understanding and agreements are updated and implemented.
  • Coordinates the outreach and reviews applications for the Kyoto University summer program.
  • Communicates with the local police and other government agencies regarding student orientation, registration with the local ward offices, processing national Japanese health insurance, liability and travel insurance, and the like.
  • Along with the Financial Coordinator, consults with the labor and tax consultants for hiring, payroll, and insurance questions.
  • Actively develops and strengthens connections with local networks including alumni to provide a broad range of opportunities for KCJS students.
  • Arranges site visits for program visitors.
  • Attends and presents at KCJS Board meetings and relevant meetings as requested.
  • Acts as a liaison with sending schools as needed.
  
  
  
  
• Policy and Process
  
  
  
  • Develops and refines policies and processes related to student programming, student housing, and onsite emergency protocols.
  • Maintains documentation that support program planning such as course enrollments, independent studies, summer research grants, and exchange students in addition to alumni contact database.
  
  
  
  

Student Life

• Supervises the staff member who is responsible for overseeing student housing and organizing extracurricular program activities.
• Plans the onsite program orientations and overnight trips. Accompanies the group on the overnight trips.
• Coordinates a robust program activities calendar that include workshops, field trips, and social events with local university students.
• In conjunction with the Program Coordinator and Resident Director, is on-call to coordinate support for students who are in distress or require medical attention, and for ensuring their daily wellbeing.
• Leads the development and implementation of the KCJS Our Global Journey, a virtual hub designed to deepen the impact of the global learning experience.

Other responsibilities as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Required bachelor's degree
• Near native fluency in both English and Japanese
• Deep understanding of Japanese and American culture
• Minimum of 3-5 years of relevant experience preferably working with international study programs or in higher education administration including project coordination and oversight, personnel management, working with budgets, risk management, and supporting students, with increasing responsibility over time.
• Must be able to work independently and as part of a team, exercise good judgment and discretion, and prioritize and manage multiple tasks.
• Strong interpersonal skills and communications skills
• Demonstrated ability to work with diverse populations including students, staff, faculty, parents, alumni, and international partners.
• Working knowledge of Google suite and Microsoft applications.
• Possess the capacity to learn relevant administrative applications such as Terra Dotta, website host, Qualtrics, and Canvas.
• Able to work variable hours due to time difference and/or that may include periodic evenings or weekends.
• Able to travel locally and/or internationally with occasional overnight travel.
• Able to be on-call for emergency response.

Preferred Qualifications

• Supervisory experience that includes hands-on familiarity with personnel policy and practice; ability to mentor administrative team members.

How to Apply

• Applicants must submit the following materials in English:
  
  
  
  • A cover letter, no more than 1 page, that responds to the following questions:
    
    
    
    • Are you a Japanese resident who is legally authorized to work in Japan?
    • Why are you interested in this position?
    • Please provide specific examples of how your background and experience make you a good fit for this position.
    • Any other relevant information that you wish to provide.
    
    
    
    
  • A resume that includes your professional experiences, educational background, and relevant skills and knowledge.
  
  
  
  
• Where to submit the application:
  
  
  
  • Please email application materials to kyoto@columbia.edu. Please note in the subject line: KCJS Assistant Director: Your First Name and Last Name.
  
  
  
  
• Applications will be reviewed beginning November 30, 2024 and will be accepted until the position is filled.

The Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.