Executive Assistant to the Board of Governors and Councilors
The Executive Assistant to the Board of Governors and Councilors is responsible for ensuring the smooth and efficient functioning of the Board of Governors (BOG) and the Board of Councilors (BOC) at OIST. Acting as the central coordinating body, the Secretariat supports the governance process by organizing and attending all board meetings—both online and in person—throughout the year. The BOG serves as OIST’s primary governing body, overseeing institutional management, strategy, and operations, while the BOC provides advisory input on key matters such as budgets, policies, and community engagement. Through close coordination and logistical support, the Secretariat enables both boards to fulfill their respective roles in guiding and advancing OIST’s mission.
The Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University was established in 2011 to contribute to the development of science and technology worldwide and to serve as a hub of innovation in Okinawa. OIST is a dynamic new graduate university of science and technology in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan which offers a 5-year PhD program and brings together outstanding researchers from across the country and across disciplines to conduct cutting-edge scientific research.
The university is located on 85 hectares of protected forestland overlooking a beautiful shoreline and coral reefs. The campus is striking architecturally, and the facilities are outstanding. To facilitate multidisciplinary research, there are no academic departments. Outstanding resources and equipment are provided and managed to encourage easy access and collaboration.
English is the official language of the University, and the university research community is fully international, with more than 50 countries represented. OIST is rapidly gaining recognition in the worldwide academic community as a model for excellence in education and research, and our unwavering commitment to scientific and technological innovation is dedicated to generating progress that will fuel Okinawa's economic growth.
1. Board & Governance Support
- Acting as the primary contact for the Boards and liaising with other offices, representative bodies within OIST, and external entities, such as the Cabinet Office and Okinawa Prefectural Government, to facilitate information exchange.
- Organizing all logistics for board meetings and maintaining governance records.
- Assisting in planning and preparing agendas (draft to final) for the BOG and BOC-related meetings including committee meetings.
- Preparing and distributing meeting announcements and official meeting notifications for meetings to board members and auditors.
- Liaising with OIST Executives, Chairs of the Faculty Council, and other Councils regarding preparation, timelines, and agenda topics for main board meetings and all committee meetings. Manage all correspondence and questions that arise.
- Liaise with OIST Faculty and their assistants as necessary regarding preparation and presentation at BOG and BOC meetings.
- Organize and oversee all presentation materials at BOG and BOC (and all committee) meetings.
- Work and communicate closely with the Chairs, Vice-Chairs, members as well as the President, prepare notes as necessary.
- Ensure all board materials and membership documents are saved and filed in the secure restricted BOG/BOC site.
- Maintaining internal documents such as membership lists, compositions, and terms and keeping relevant websites and information up-to-date.
- Preparing formal documents for the Board of Governors and Board of Councilors as needed.
2. Administrative and Operational Support
- Providing a wide range of daily administrative support for the operation of the Office of the President.
- Arranging travel, filing, data entry, and web updates; compiling and maintaining accurate records and reports; archiving corporate documents, personal information, and business contacts for the President’s Office and government-related institutions.
- Creating and formatting mail merges, forms, and spreadsheets, and providing translation and interpretation as necessary.
- Summarizing, drafting, and taking minutes in meetings in both English and Japanese as assigned.
- Responsibly handling strictly private and confidential matters/communications.
3. Vendor and Logistics Coordination
- Preparing and coordinating tenders with vendors in close collaboration with the Procurement team.
- Overseeing vendors to coordinate logistical arrangements for meetings.
(Required)
- University education to at least bachelor’s level
- Minimum 5 years of work experience as coordinator or administrator of program activities, workshops, and seminars.
- Fluency and articulacy in Japanese and English (TOEIC 900+ or equivalent level of proficiency).
- Excellent and confident written and verbal communication skills for corresponding with a variety of contacts including BOG/BOC, colleagues, faculty and researchers, students, external stakeholders/VIPs, and the general public.
- Able to multitask and possess strong independent organizational skills to plan, prioritize, and compile information with attention to detail.
- Proficiency in Microsoft 365 applications (e.g., Outlook, PowerPoint, Word, Excel, Teams, Access) and familiarity with various social media technologies.
- Strong initiative and proactive approach with the ability to work independently and flexibly, but also as part of a team.
- Responsible for time management for all assigned tasks and requests.
(Preferred)
- Study/work experience in an international environment.
In accordance with the OIST Employee Compensation Regulations
Benefits:
- Relocation, housing and commuting allowances
- Annual paid leave and summer holidays
- Health insurance (Private School Mutual Aid)
- Welfare pension insurance (kousei-nenkin)
- Worker's accident compensation insurance (roudousha-saigai-hoshou-hoken)
- Access to Child Development Center
- Access to Schooling Options
- Language Education
- Resource Center (Daily Life Support in Okinawa)
- Remote Work system
- Cover letter (in both English and Japanese)
- Curriculum Vitae (in both English and Japanese)
- Two reccommendation letters or references will be required if the Applicant is selected as a shortlisted candidate.
* Japanese version required only for Applicants whose native language is Japanese.
* Please be sure to indicate where you first saw the job advertisement.
- OIST Graduate University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action educator and employer and is committed to increasing the diversity of its faculty, students and staff.
- Information provided by applicants or references will be kept confidential in accordance to the OIST Privacy Policy; documents will not be returned.
- Recruiting Organization: Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology School Corporation
- Prevention of Passive Smoking: No smoking indoors
- Please view our policy for rules on external professional activities: Rules for Concurrent Appointment.
- Further details about the University can be viewed on our website.
Full-time, fixed term appointment for 2 years. Contract initially with 6-month probationary period (inclusive). This contract may be renewed by taking into consideration the performance evaluation, conduct, and behavior of the Employee and OIST’s financial and other circumstances.
Scheduled Working hours: 9:00 - 17:30
Break: 12:00 - 13:00
Flextime (core time 10:00-15:00) 7.5hrs per day (Multiplied by prescribed working days per month)
Holidays
Saturday, Sunday, National holidays, and Year-end and New Year holidays (Dec. 29 – Jan. 3)
Leave
Annual Paid Holidays, Summer Leave, Sick Leave, and Special Leave
We thank all those who apply but only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.