The Japanese Film Festival (JFF) returns to Canberra on 24 September – 13 October, and is seeking a passionate candidate to join the team as a Coordinator. This is an exciting opportunity to work behind-the-scenes for the JFF and gain valuable professional experience. The Coordinator will be responsible for researching contacts for local promotions, recruiting and managing volunteers, and assisting staff during the film festival Opening Night. This is a semi-volunteer position.

Duration: Available from 5 July – 25 October 2024

Location/s: JFF Canberra will be held at Palace Cinemas Electric and NFSA.

The Coordinator is expected to perform their pre-festival and festival duties as outlined below.

Pre-festival period

General

• Act as the contact point for general JFF enquiries and refer media enquiries to the JFF Staff
• Provide regular updates to the JFF Staff either via email, phone or other communication channels
• Represent the JFF by acting as the local contact point for the JFF Staff and communicating relevant information to volunteers and external stakeholders (Cinema representatives and JFF partners in each state)
• Corresponding with the local Consulate General of Japan office after introduction by JFF Staff, and picking up and delivering banners from the office to the venues
• Handle other festival-related tasks as requested by the JFF Staff

Volunteers Management

• Recruit volunteers, organise and conduct a volunteer induction prior to the Opening night
• Roster volunteers for Opening night and Special Guest Talk Event duties if applicable

Program Booklet Distribution Partners Research

• Receive from the JFF Staff a list of booklet distribution partners from previous years
• Update the provided list with local organisations that may be suitable as program booklet drop-off points and that may be interested in signing a booklet distribution partnership agreement (JFF program booklets exposure in exchange for publicity through JFF social channels)
• Send the updated list back to the JFF Staff

External Promotion Research

• Receive from the JFF Staff a list of external promotion contacts from previous years
• Update the external promotion list
• Send the updated list back to the JFF Staff

Promotion Through Your Network

• Promote the JFF through your existing contacts, and take initiative to approach independently your network of like-minded community groups, eg. university societies, Japan related clubs, and education services to disseminate JFF information
• Encourage volunteers to promote JFF through word-of-mouth and social media

Festival period

Opening Reception

• Assist the JFF Staff with the opening reception including guestlist management
• Attend the JFF info desk
• Provide excellent front-of-house services to patrons and special guests
• Coordinate and assign tasks to volunteers
• Brief, supervise and provide support to volunteers
• Liaise with cinema staff for front-of-house communications and access to storage facilities
• Manage incidents as required

Special Guest Talk Event (to be confirmed)

• Act as a MC during the talk event (introducing the event and special guest)
• Assist the JFF Staff with any guestlist management and any VIP seats allocation
• Attend the JFF info desk
• Provide excellent front-of-house services to patrons and special guests
• Coordinate and assign tasks to volunteers
• Brief, supervise and provide support to volunteers
• (Event occurrence and plans are subject to change and are to be confirmed)

Post-Festival period

Material Delivery and Shipping

• Pick up banners from the venues and deliver them to the local Consulate General of Japan office following the below steps:

1. Contact the local Officer and agree with them on a banner delivery date within one week after the festival closing date, after the JFF Staff introduces you to the Consulate General local contact
2. Deliver banners to the Consulate General office on the designated date

• Organise shipping of any leftover JFF materials at the venues as instructed by the JFF Staff

Report

• Wrap up meeting with the JFF Staff
• Provide a post-event report based on a template provided by the JFF Staff

Requirements

• Must be passionate about promoting JFF
• Possess strong project management and organisational skills
• Excellent oral and written communication skills and interpersonal skills
• Exceptional customer service skills
• Be motivated and take initiative
• Must be able to work autonomously
• Japanese language skills not essential but desirable

To apply, please email your resume and cover letter to noriko_horniak@jpf.go.jp by 10AM, June 10th

Please visit the Japan Foundation website (Opportunities → Work With Us) for a more detailed job description and a brief timeline.