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The Director of Operations (DO) serves at the pleasure of the Manjiro Society Board.  The DO, with the advice and consent of the Board, and of the Executive Director (Taeko Floyd), is responsible for the continuation and growth of the Manjiro Society for International Exchange.

Tasks

The DO may choose to assume additional duties, however, the DO's primary tasks are:

1. Take a leadership role in the planning and implementation of the annual Japan-U.S. Grassroots Summit.
2. Maintain and expand membership in the Manjiro Society by persuasive and diplomatic communication with all constituents (Board, members, non-members, Manjiro-Whitfield Commemorative Center in Tokyo, travel agency, and U.S. agencies to which the Manjiro Society must report).

The following secondary tasks may be assumed by the DO or delegated to subcommittees directly supervised by the DO.

1. Maintain the Manjiro Society hard copy and computer records, including financial records.
2. Motivate and expand the current volunteer staff.
3. Plan and implement monthly or bi-monthly local (DC, VA & MD) cultural and fundraising events for the Society.
4. Publish the Manjiro Society Newsletter 2-3 times a year.
5. Assist the Floyd family, as requested, in the annual Children's Summer Camp and Exchange.
6. Assist the McLean Youth Orchestra Director, as requested, in the bi-annual Chiba/McLean Youth Orchestra exchange.

Skills

The DO will be committed to the Manjiro Society goals detailed in the accompanying Background Information section.  To implement these goals the DO will have the following primary skills:

1. Diplomatic and persuasive interpersonal communication.
2. Cross-cultural sensitivity and awareness of both Japanese and U.S. cultures.
3. Strong organizational and time management skills.

In addition, the following skills are highly desirable:

1. Basic computer skills sufficient to access and respond to email, use a word processing program, input financial data on an Excel spread sheet and input information into a Mac-based membership database.
2. Ability to speak, or willingness to learn Japanese. (The presence of a bi-lingual staffer in the Tokyo office does not make this language skill a high priority.)
3. The DO would be expected to maintain and recruit individuals to the volunteer staff to provide any computer or translation skills needed.

Compensation**

The DO position is a non-salaried, part-time volunteer position.  The DO will have the use of a Manjiro Society owned Mac computer and a fax machine and access to the Manjiro Society web page.  The DO should consult a tax specialist regarding eligibility for tax deductions for maintaining a home Manjiro Society office.  All associated operating costs for the home office will be the responsibility of the DO. The DO may be eligible for a basic expense paid trip to the bi-annual Japan-U.S. Summit in Japan for which he/she has performed the DO's primary tasks.  Domestic airfare to the U.S locations of Japan-U.S. Summits may be available if 15 or more U.S. participants book transport from this geographic area through the Manjiro Society travel agent. The primary compensation is the DO's satisfaction in pursuing the goals of the Society.

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** To make the DO a salaried employee may require the Society to regain its 501(c)(3) certification.  The applicant would be expected to assist in the fundraising and/or grant writing activities necessary to maintain his/her salary.

Disclaimer

The Manjiro Society does not discriminate in membership, or in staffing, on the basis of race, religion, ethnic origin, able-bodiedness or gender.

 

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Background Information

Current Board

Barbara Nesbitt, Executive Director of the Japan-Virginia Society
Richard Holbrook, Esq.
Hardy Hargreave
David Thompson, Newsletter editor and web site master
Taeko Floyd, Executive Director, Manjiro Society for International Exchange

Purpose of the Manjiro Society for International Exchange

The U.S. Manjiro Society was launched in late 1993.  It serves as the counterpart and partner of the similarly named Japanese organization founded in 1991 in response to the recommendation of the government-to-government Tokyo Declaration that more grassroots exchanges between Americans and Japanese were needed.  The Society supplements the work of the numerous 'Japan-America' societies located throughout the U.S.  The Manjiro Society is a membership organization seeking to interest those who:  (A) have a serious, but perhaps not professional interest in Japan; (B) wish to visit Japan and meet Japanese in the U.S.; (C) may prefer to concentrate their involvement in annual sessions of no more than ten days, keeping in touch outside the 'Summits' through Society publications and electronic communications; and (D) wish to support the Society's service as a coordinating point for special exchange programs that grow out of developing member interests. The Manjiro Society is a separate entity from the Manjiro-Whitfield Commemorative Center in Tokyo.

Rough Estimate of Some Director of Operations (DO) Tasks

Grassroots Summit

Sites are arranged one year prior to the event by the Japan office of the Manjiro-Whitfield Commemorative Center for International Exchange (CIE) in Tokyo.  In the year 2000 the Summit will be held in Chicago and in 2001 most likely in Hiroshima, Japan.

U.S. Summits: The DO will be responsible for recruiting U.S participants through the Society publications, both mailed and web based.  U.S. participants from the Yamagata and Shizuoka Summits should be particularly targeted. Applications and inquiries will be handled by the DO, with applications passed on to the Society travel agency and participant names and Session requests passed on to the Chicago host organization that does the actual structuring of the Summit activities. Some financial bookkeeping will be involved in the application process. Some advise on cross-cultural communication may be asked of the DO. For example, Tokyo CIE asked Exec. Dir. Taeko Floyd to arrange some optional tours in the DC and Virginia area for about 20 Japanese Summit participants after the Chicago Summit. The DO would be expected to assist Taeko in this kind of planning.

Japan Summits: The DO would be responsible, as above, for publishing information about the Summit and handling applications.  Since the primary U.S planning activities are conducted from the U.S. Manjiro headquarters, the DO will require the assistance of a volunteer force to handle some of the details.  It is estimated that it will take the DO about 16 hours a week in the 3-4 months prior to the Japan Summit to complete the arrangements.  Communications with the Japan office is done through a bi-lingual staffer in Japan.

All Summits: The DO would be expected to read all participant satisfaction questionnaires and take action items to the Board.  The DO may also need to do face-to-face recruitment of teachers in schools with a Japanese immersion program, postal workers and other people in the different interest areas depending on the issues of the summit sessions of the year.  Examples of past interest groups include: environmental issues, health, hearing impaired, agricultural practices. The DO will be expected to recruit people interested in Summit issues and provide information to them about the Summit's specialized sessions.

Newsletter and Web Page

The Society is fortunate to currently have a Newsletter editor and web master.  The DO would solicit news articles and photos to be given to the Editor. (Currently the members provide articles on their own initiative.)  The DO and volunteers would mail approximately 500 copies two to three times a year.

Membership and Volunteers

The DO, or a volunteer, maintains and updates membership records via a Mac program (currently).  As the program indicates, the DO creates and mails renewal letters.  The DO would also take the lead, with the Board and members assisting, in creating local area (DC, VA & MD) cultural and fundraising events. Participant information for the Summer Camps, the Youth Orchestra Exchange, and current volunteer information needs to be computerized in 2000.

Financial Records

The DO, or a volunteer, must update the Society's Excel financial spreadsheet.  The DO would also write checks on the Society's accounts for approved expenditures, and reconcile the bank statements monthly.  The DO would complete the annual report required to maintain the "Incorporated" status of the Manjiro Society.

Youth Orchestra Exchange

Two Japan/America Youth Orchestra Exchanges have been conducted. In March 1997, the Chiba Youth orchestra visited McLean and in March 1999 the McLean Youth Orchestra visited Chiba.  This exchange program is aimed at fostering an understanding in the youths of each other's cultures through music, and the development of continuing friendships among the youth.  Plans exist to continue this exchange every other year.  The program includes a joint concert, home-stay and area tours.  These will be coordinated between the Chiba and McLean Youth Orchestra Directors.  The DO will assist the McLean Youth Orchestra Director as requested.  For example, the DO may help locate rehearsal space for twice weekly rehearsals for the three months prior to the event.  Mailings and facilitating travel for the participants might also be involved.