Join our team!

The IJCC is currently hiring for the position of Operations Manager.

The Operations Manager is a highly active, front-facing role with the opportunity to represent the IJCC and Team Ireland in the Tokyo international business scene. This role is being offered on the basis of a 1-year contract with potential for 2-year extension.

Please view the full job specifications and instructions on how to apply below.

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Job Opportunity – 

Recruitment of Operations Manager 

Ireland Japan Chamber of Commerce (IJCC) 

About the Chamber 

The Ireland Japan Chamber of Commerce (IJCC) is a non-profit organisation with a mission to promote the interests of Irish business in Japan and Japanese business in Ireland. Founded in 1973, the IJCC has been serving the Ireland-Japan business community for over 50 years and encourages the development of commerce between the two countries. The Chamber is Tokyo-based with some events and operations held in Ireland. 

Role Overview 

The IJCC is recruiting for a full time Operations Manager to take responsibility for the oversight and management of Chamber activities including Membership, Events, MarComms, Administration, HR and Board Management. The Operations Manager is a highly active, front facing role with the opportunity to represent the IJCC and Team Ireland in the Tokyo international business scene. The role requires strong interpersonal skills, suited for someone adept at managing multiple relationships simultaneously and fostering the close-knit business community of the Chamber. As a dynamic organisation with strong growth in recent years, the ideal candidate embodies creative, entrepreneurial thinking and seeks to further the growth and development of the IJCC. This role is being offered on the basis of a 1-year contract with potential for 2-year extension. There will be frequent evening meetings and event management required as part of the role. 

Roles and Responsibilities

• Work closely and foster good relations as a part of Team Ireland to stay abreast of latest news and trends in Ireland-Japan business and opportunities. (Team Ireland is inclusive of the Embassy of Ireland in Japan, Enterprise Ireland, Bord Bia, and IDA Ireland) 

• Actively retain, develop and promote membership through good relations with current members and sponsors, pursuing leads and new potential members and sponsors, working with the Membership Committee to contribute ideas in membership strategy 

• Provide consistent communication and support to IJCC members and sponsors, answering queries via email or meeting with members online or in-person 

• Delivery of a wide array of events including the annual Ireland Japan Business Awards and support of the Green Ireland Festival 

• Generate interest and undertake all aspects of gathering sponsorship 

• Management of all marketing and communication of the chamber and its events via website, social media, email and newsletters 

• Oversight of all administrative duties and accounting record keeping and supporting the work of the Operations Assistant 

• Providing administrative support for chamber directors and all IJCC committees, providing input and advice to encourage growth and activity of committees 

• Active engagement in monthly board meetings and provide regular reporting and information sharing on Chamber operations with Board of Directors 

• Work with the Executive Directors to manage the operations of the IJCC board and carry out the Chamber’s mission 

• Act as a support and advisor to the President of the IJCC 

• HR management of (1) part-time Operations Assistant and the IJCC internship programme, maintaining good communication with all staff, interns, volunteers and university partners and ensuring an inclusive and supportive working environment for the team 

Qualifications

This is an excellent opportunity for a proactive, entrepreneurial and ambitious individual to work in an environment interacting with high profile Irish and Japanese business members, while developing your business network in Japan. 

This role would particularly suit a dynamic, highly motivated person with initiative who can thrive in working without daily supervision. 

The role combines the flexibility of working from home with the ability to work in a hotdesking office environment as needed. Therefore, the candidate must be based in Tokyo or able to travel frequently to Tokyo to organise and manage events and meet with members and partner organisations. 

The successful candidate would ideally possess most of the following attributes: 

• Ability to work individually and proactively with little to no supervision 

• Experience in planning, organising and executing a wide range of events 

• Ability to manage time and stress effectively to work to time-sensitive deadlines 

• High attention to detail and strong professional presentation skills (written and oral) 

• Strong communication, interpersonal and social skills with high emotional intelligence 

• Flexible schedule to support evening and occasional weekend events and meetings 

• Written and spoken proficiency in English (TOEIC 800 and above or native) and in Japanese (JLPT N2 and above or native) 

• Highly organised and able to manage tidy paper and digital file keeping with experience in administrative/office work 

• Proficient in Microsoft Office, Canva, general website management, social media (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube) and other digital tools 

• A familiarity with Japanese, Ireland and international business environments 

Desired additional attributes: 

• Design background or experience 

• A familiarity with Ireland and Ireland-Japan relations 

• Personal connection to Ireland/Japan 

Salary and Benefits

Annual salary starts at 4,200,000 with possibility for increase in the future based on Chamber needs and financial standing and candidate growth and experience. 

Benefits include: 

• 20 days of paid leave 

• 5 additional paid volunteer days 

• 30 days of paid sick leave (inclusive of menstrual leave or mental health related leave) 

• Monthly commuter pass and full reimbursement for all travel costs incurred 

• Monthly mental wellness allowance (25,000 JPY) 

• Monthly mobile phone subsidy (1,500 JPY) 

• Dedicated 1:1 mentorship with an IJCC Director for training and career development 

• Parental and childcare leave 

• Visa support (if needed) 

• Enrollment in comprehensive social insurance, health insurance and pension plan 

• Annual bonus calculated from membership and sponsorship revenue in the previous fiscal year 

Additional benefits after contract renewal: 

• (After completing 1 year) Full JMEC scholarship to participate on the programme 

• (After completing 1 year) Annual allowance to attend other Chambers or supporting organisations events (50,000 JPY) 

Application Process 

Please submit, in Japanese or English, your CV and cover letter by 31st January 2025 18:00 JST by email to lily.wu [at] ijcc.jp. Depending on the volume of applications, any submissions received after the deadline may or may not be considered.

All applicants will be contacted after the initial screening process to acknowledge receipt of their applications.

Interview Process

All applicants will be notified on the status of their application and whether or not they passed the screening for the first interviews. 

The first interviews will be held online on 10th and 12th February. There will be an oral assessment of the candidates’ non-native language ability (English or Japanese) during this interview. 

Shortlisted candidates will be asked for a second interview in-person on 25th and 26th February. There will be a written assessment of the candidates’ non-native language ability (English or Japanese) during this interview. 

The candidate will be selected by 1st March and work expected to commence shortly after in mid-March 2025. There is flexibility in regards to the chosen candidate’s official start date. The IJCC is happy to work with the chosen candidate based on their availability as needed.