Job description

BACKGROUND

Showa Boston Institute of Language and Culture is a residential academic institution for about 300 students established by Showa Women’s University in Tokyo in 1988. Its mission is to increase students’ English proficiency, to develop their cross-cultural awareness, and to foster their personal growth. The 40-acre campus rests on a hilltop overlooking the Boston skyline. At the heart of the campus are administrative offices, residences, a dining hall, and educational facilities.

POSITION SUMMARY

Under the supervision of the Assistant Director, implement programs designed to help achieve the Showa Mission to develop and implement a variety of community outreach programs, enabling Showa students and Americans to interact and develop a better understanding of each other’s culture. Plan and organize a variety of engagement programs including the Showa Friendship Circle and College Connection Program.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Programming responsibilities:

Showa Friendship Circle

· Manage the Showa Friendship Circle Program including recruitment, development and retention of Showa Friendship Circle volunteers.

· Promote the program to students, then match students as soon as is practical in the semester

· Educate students about the Friendship Circle: realistic expectations, cultural awareness, program infrastructure and guidelines, and student/volunteer responsibilities

· As needed, mediate intercultural differences between students and Friendship Circle Volunteers. In consultation with supervisor, terminate unfit Friendship Circle volunteers and students from the program.

· Survey students and the Friendship Circle Volunteers to assess its success and areas needing improvement

· Ensure that students and the Friendship Circle Volunteers follow program guidelines.

Community responsibilities:

· Create on-campus initiatives and activities to provide opportunities for students to interact with staff, faculty and community members

· When needed, adapt activities online for our remote students to engage with our community and its members

Events and celebrations

· Assist and collaborate the planning and logistics of events and celebrations, both on-campus and off. Some examples include: Coming of Age, Japan Festival, Brookline Cherry Blossom festival our culture festivals and more.

Public relations and communications

· Create and produce informative e-newsletter communications for current student groups, topics include: updates, announcements, sign-ups, cultural tips and more from various Showa Boston departments. To be distributed at least biweekly.

· Keep our community up to date with relevant information about our programs and intercultural communication.

· Create community invitations for community programs and activities.

· Maintain the community relations database for Showa-wide contacts. Coordinate occasional mass e-mailings, using Constant Contact.

Student Services Responsibilities:

· Student Advisor- support students in their study abroad journey. Focusing on being successful, responsible and balanced.

· Serve as one of the department’s International Student Advisors for immigration services

· Input student data into the Department of Homeland Security’s immigration online system, creating initial student I-20s, work together with our school Designated School Officials to check the accuracy of the data against the student passports

· Create admission packets (I-20s and acceptance letters) to express-mail to Japan for incoming groups of students

· Keep proactive access to the Department of Homeland Security’s immigration online system, as required by regulations

· Maintain current working knowledge of laws, regulations, and procedures affecting international students.

· Identify students that will have immigration changes. For example, BLIP, DIS, or SAF students who are in need of transfers or academic extensions. Make the necessary changes in SEVIS, distribute a new I-20 to the student, and update the master campus database

· Participate in the After-hours Manager duty rotation (1 weeks/cycle)

· Actively participate in departmental meetings and functions, and serve on campus-wide committees

· Occasionally serve as chaperon (or lead chaperon) for students on off-campus day-trips and/or overnight/weekend trips

· Function as back up for other Student Services staff as assigned by supervisors

SKILLS

· Ability to deal tactfully with others and exercise good judgment

· Ability to build and maintain positive working relationships with employees at all levels, and with external contacts and organizations.

· Aptitude for professional writing, teaching, training, advising, organizing, and strategic planning

· Capacity for clear communication and sensitivity to a very diverse population: Japanese ESL students, diverse community volunteers, and Showa Boston faculty/staff/RAs (in Boston and Tokyo)

· Excellent interpersonal, intercultural, marketing, and negotiation skills

· Ability to work as a team member and independently.

REQUIREMENTS

· International living or study-abroad experience

· Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field of study required

· Working knowledge of Windows Office Suite; specifically Office 365. Word, Access, PowerPoint, Desktop Publishing and Constant Contact.

· Experience with International Student Services within a university residential campus, strongly preferred

· Experience with community outreach programs, strongly preferred

· Knowledge of Japanese language, preferred

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $55,000.00 - $58,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday
• On call

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Jamaica Plain, MA 02130: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person

randomorbitinc.com is the go-to platform for job seekers looking for the best job postings from around the web. With a focus on quality, the platform guarantees that all job postings are from reliable sources and are up-to-date. It also offers a variety of tools to help users find the perfect job for them, such as searching by location and filtering by industry. Furthermore, randomorbitinc.com provides helpful resources like resume tips and career advice to give job seekers an edge in their search. With its commitment to quality and user-friendliness, randomorbitinc.com is the ideal place to find your next job.